Memory Controller Wear Leveling via Address Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solid state drive (SSD) memory systems face inefficiencies in managing write operations across nonvolatile memory blocks, leading to uneven wear and reduced performance due to lack of effective write management and address translation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a memory system with a configuration unit that assigns write management areas, an address translation unit that associates logical addresses with physical addresses, and a write unit that optimizes data placement across namespaces and input namespaces, utilizing address translation tables and garbage collection units to manage data and extend memory life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If data is written directly to nonvolatile memory blocks without address translation, then write speed is improved, but memory wear becomes uneven and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an address translation unit and translation table as intermediaries between the host and nonvolatile memory blocks. The translation table maps logical block addresses to physical block addresses, enabling the system to maintain high write speeds while distributing writes across multiple blocks through garbage collection and wear leveling, thus preventing any single block from wearing out prematurely
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the nonvolatile memory into multiple blocks and uses a translation table that maps logical addresses to specific physical blocks. This segmentation allows the system to perform writes to different physical blocks for the same logical address over time, distributing wear evenly across all blocks while maintaining the illusion of a single unified storage space for the host
2Reliability
If address translation tables are implemented, then wear leveling and reliability are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-managing memory system where the controller automatically performs address translation, garbage collection, and wear leveling without host intervention. The translation table is automatically updated and maintained by the controller, and the system self-optimizes data placement across blocks, reducing the need for complex host-side management software
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions (address translation, garbage collection, wear leveling, and data management) into a single integrated controller unit. This consolidation simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing complex operations in one component rather than requiring separate mechanisms for each function
3Duration of action of stationary object
If garbage collection is performed, then memory life is extended, but write time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs garbage collection in advance during idle periods or in the background, preparing clean blocks before they are needed for new writes. By proactively collecting garbage and freeing up blocks, the system reduces the likelihood of write operations being delayed by the need to perform garbage collection at that moment
4Productivity
If namespaces are introduced for data management, then data allocation efficiency is improved, but address translation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the address translation table into multiple namespace-specific tables or sections, each managing a specific namespace. This segmentation allows efficient data allocation within each namespace while keeping the translation logic for each namespace independent and manageable, reducing the complexity of managing all addresses in a single large table
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a nonvolatile memory, configuration unit, address translation unit, write unit and control unit. The configuration unit assigns write management areas included in a nonvolatile memory to spaces and an input space. The write management area is a unit of an area which manages the number of write. The address translation unit associates a logical address of write data with a physical address which indicates a position of the write data in the nonvolatile memory. The write unit writes the write data to the input space and then writes the write data in the input space to a space corresponding to the write data amongst the spaces. The control unit controls the spaces individually with respect to the nonvolatile memory.