Memory Controller Dual Mode Analysis Without Restart

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing memory systems, particularly those conforming to the UFS standard, face challenges in quickly analyzing abnormalities due to the need for restarts and initialization processes during internal information storage and acquisition, leading to prolonged analysis times and potential communication interruptions.

Innovation Solution

The memory system employs a dual control mode, shifting from a normal mode to an analysis mode without restarting or initializing, allowing for internal information storage and acquisition without responding to host device requests, thereby reducing analysis time and maintaining continuous communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the memory device performs restart and initialization processes during internal information storage and acquisition, then the system can recover from abnormalities, but the analysis time is prolonged and communication is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem recovery from abnormalityVSAvoidanalysis time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The memory device stores internal information (such as status registers, error logs, and operation histories) in a predetermined memory area before abnormalities occur. This preliminary storage of diagnostic data enables the host device to perform analysis without requiring restart or initialization processes, thus reducing analysis time while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the memory device responds to host device requests during internal information storage, then communication continuity is maintained, but the information storage operation may be interrupted or corrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication continuityVSAvoidinformation storage integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The memory device performs internal information storage in advance in a predetermined memory area before abnormalities occur. By preparing diagnostic information beforehand, the device can quickly respond to host requests for internal information without interrupting ongoing communication or compromising data integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A predetermined memory area serves as an intermediary storage space that holds internal information separately from the main memory operations. This dedicated storage region allows the memory device to provide diagnostic data to the host without interfering with normal read/write operations, maintaining both communication continuity and information integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10553262B2Memory system and memory device

Publication Date: 2020.02.04 KIOXIA CORP

AI summary

A memory system includes a memory device having a controller and a memory cell array, and a host device connected to the memory device and configured to transmit a first request for storing internal information of the memory device and a second request for acquiring internal information of the memory device. The controller, in a first control mode, writes data in the memory in response to a write request from the host device and reads data from the memory in response to a read request from the host device, in a second control mode, does not respond to write and read requests from the host device, and when receiving the first or second request, shifts from the first control mode to the second control mode, performs an operation according to the first or second request, and shifts to the first control mode without restarting or initializing the memory device.