Memory Controller Fail Group Detection via Dummy Data Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-volatile memory devices, such as flash memory, face progressive failures due to various causes, leading to some dies being unable to perform block replacement, resulting in inefficient data management and potential system failures.
Innovation Solution
A memory controller is designed to detect fail groups in non-volatile memory devices by monitoring blocks using dummy data, determining whether they are bad or healthy, and allocating healthy blocks for user data operations to prevent failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If monitoring operations are performed on all memory blocks using dummy data, then early detection of fail groups is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is divided into multiple memory groups, and monitoring is performed on selected monitoring groups rather than all groups. This segmentation allows early detection of fail groups while reducing the overall monitoring complexity and processing burden.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of monitoring all memory blocks exhaustively, the patent performs monitoring on a selected subset of monitoring groups using dummy data. This partial action approach provides sufficient early warning of potential failures without the full complexity of complete monitoring.
2Reliability
If monitoring operations are performed frequently to detect fail groups early, then reliability is improved, but processing time and performance overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring operation is performed periodically at predetermined intervals rather than continuously. This periodic monitoring using dummy data maintains reliable fail group detection capability while significantly reducing processing time overhead and performance impact on normal memory operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring operation using dummy data is performed in advance before actual memory operations. This preliminary action identifies potential fail groups early, allowing the system to prevent future failures without interfering with normal operational performance.
3Loss of information
If dummy data is used for monitoring instead of user data, then data integrity is preserved, but monitoring precision may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Dummy data is used as a disposable monitoring medium that can be freely written and read without concern for data integrity. This allows multiple monitoring operations to be performed on the same memory blocks to improve detection accuracy, while the dummy data itself serves as a sacrificial test medium that doesn't require preservation.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device includes a non-volatile memory including a plurality of memory groups; and a memory controller configured to determine a monitoring group from among the plurality of memory groups, determine a monitoring block from among a plurality of blocks included in the monitoring group, and determine whether the monitoring group is a fail group by monitoring the monitoring block using dummy data prior to failure of the monitoring group.