Memory Controller ECC Split for Metadata and Journal Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory controllers and storage devices face reliability issues due to the potential loss of meta data when power is cut off, leading to data errors that cannot be effectively corrected.
Innovation Solution
A memory controller with a buffer memory circuit and dual error correction code (ECC) engines is implemented to manage and correct meta and journal data, ensuring reliability by differentially applying higher performance ECC to journal data and lower performance ECC to meta data, thereby balancing reliability with reduced overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single high-performance ECC engine is used to correct all meta data and journal data, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ECC correction functionality into two separate engines: a first ECC engine for correcting meta data and a second ECC engine for correcting journal data. This segmentation allows each engine to be optimized for its specific data type, reducing overall complexity while maintaining correction reliability for both data categories.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different correction strategies to different data types by using specialized ECC engines tailored to the specific requirements of meta data and journal data. Each ECC engine is designed with local quality optimized for its target data type, achieving reliable correction without requiring a single overly complex universal engine.
2Reliability
If comprehensive ECC correction is applied to all data, then data loss prevention is improved, but processing time and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the correction process into parallel ECC engines for meta data and journal data, the patent enables simultaneous correction of both data types. This reduces total processing time compared to sequential correction while maintaining comprehensive error protection for all data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies targeted ECC correction specifically to meta data and journal data that require protection, rather than uniformly processing all data types with the same level of correction. This partial action approach reduces unnecessary processing overhead while ensuring critical data is adequately protected.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory controller configured to write, read, and erase data for a nonvolatile memory device storing first meta data and first journal data indicating first changes of the first meta data, the memory controller comprising: a buffer memory circuit including a buffer memory and a buffer controller, wherein the buffer memory stores second meta data and second journal data indicating second changes of the second meta data, and wherein the buffer controller controls the buffer memory; and an accelerator managing the first meta data, the second meta data, the first journal data, and the second journal data, wherein the buffer controller includes: a first error correction code (a first ECC) engine configured to correct a first error of first data that includes the second meta data; and a second error correction code (a second ECC) engine configured to correct a second error of second data including the second journal data.