Memory Controller Erase Count Comparison for Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory systems face inefficiencies in managing memory blocks, particularly in performing erase and read operations, leading to unnecessary garbage collection and wear on memory blocks, which affects performance and lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A memory system that maintains two erase count lists to identify victim blocks for data relocation, ensuring that only blocks with equal erase counts are targeted for data movement to normal blocks, thereby preventing unnecessary operations and extending memory lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the memory system performs garbage collection on all victim blocks, then data relocation is performed, but unnecessary read/write operations and wear occur on blocks that have already been erased
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining an erase count list that records the erase status of each memory block before garbage collection. This allows the system to identify and exclude already-erased blocks from victim selection, preventing unnecessary read/write operations and extending memory block lifespan while maintaining garbage collection efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If the system tracks erase counts for all memory blocks, then accurate victim block identification is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments memory management by dividing memory blocks into victim blocks and normal blocks, and further segments tracking by separating erase count information into a dedicated erase count list. This segmentation enables precise tracking of erase counts for victim block identification while managing complexity through structured organization of tracking data.
3Productivity
If the system performs data relocation on victim blocks with different erase counts, then garbage collection is thorough, but unnecessary operations increase wear on memory blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the erase count list to determine whether data relocation is necessary. By comparing the current erase count with the recorded erase count for victim blocks, the system provides feedback that prevents unnecessary read/write operations on already-erased blocks, thereby reducing memory block wear while maintaining thorough garbage collection for blocks that actually need it.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system includes a memory device suitable for storing an erase count list where a first erase count of each of a plurality of memory blocks is recorded, and a controller suitable for counting the first erase count of each of the memory blocks, updating the erase count list to reflect the first erase count, selecting victim blocks from the memory blocks, checking a second erase count corresponding to each of the victim blocks, updating a victim block erase count list to reflect the second erase count, comparing the first erase count and the second erase count which correspond to a target victim block, among the victim blocks, and moving data stored in the target victim block to a normal block when the first erase count is equal to the second erase count.