Memory Controller Garbage Collection via Logical Address Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage devices face inefficiencies in garbage collection due to the need to read all data from a page to determine valid data, leading to prolonged garbage collection times.
Innovation Solution
A storage device and its memory controller are designed to read only the valid data from a non-volatile memory device by identifying valid data based on logical addresses, reducing the need to read all data and thereby speeding up the garbage collection process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all data in a page is read to determine valid data, then data validity can be accurately identified, but garbage collection time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the logical address information from the page data to determine validity, rather than reading all user data. The memory controller reads the logical address, checks it against the mapping table to identify valid data locations, and then selectively reads only the valid user data pages, excluding invalid pages from the read operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by first reading and validating logical addresses before reading the actual user data. The memory controller预先 (in advance) checks the logical address against the mapping table to determine which pages contain valid data, so that subsequent data reading operations can be optimized to read only necessary pages.
2Quantity of substance
If valid page bitmap is used to indicate valid data, then memory usage is reduced, but garbage collection time is lengthened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by reading only the logical address (a partial portion of the page) rather than the entire page content. This allows the system to determine validity with minimal data reading, avoiding the time penalty of reading all data while maintaining the space efficiency of not using additional valid page bitmap structures.
3Productivity
If logical address is read and used to determine validity, then only valid data needs to be read, but an additional validation step is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the mapping table as an intermediary structure that facilitates validity determination. The memory controller uses the mapping table to translate logical addresses into validity information, acting as a mediator between the stored data and the garbage collection process. This intermediary enables efficient validity checking without requiring complex validation logic within the memory controller itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device includes a non-volatile memory device including a plurality of memory blocks; and a memory controller configured to control a garbage collection operation of copying valid data of a source block among the plurality of memory blocks to a destination block. The memory controller is configured to read a logical address stored in a page included in the source block, determine a validity of user data stored in the page included in the source block based on the logical address, read the valid data, which includes the user data determined to be valid, from the non-volatile memory device, and perform a write operation on the destination block by transferring the read valid data to the non-volatile memory device.