Memory Controller Migration via Mapping Table Swapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
In memory systems with nonvolatile memory, when the first region lacks free storage space, existing technologies face inefficiencies in managing storage space and reducing data movement and erase operations between regions, leading to suboptimal performance.
Innovation Solution
A memory system with a controller that migrates memory blocks by selecting victim blocks based on valid pages in the first region and corresponding destination blocks in the second region, swapping type information to efficiently manage storage space without extensive data movement or erasure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing technologies are used to manage storage space in the first region when no free space remains, then storage space management is performed, but data movement and erase operations between regions increase, leading to suboptimal performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a mapping table that stores position information (physical addresses) of memory blocks as copyable data structures. When migration is needed, the controller copies position information from the first region to the second region in the mapping table, rather than physically moving all data. This allows logical redirection of storage locations with minimal actual data transfer, resolving the contradiction between managing storage space efficiently and reducing data movement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping table acts as an intermediary between the controller and the physical memory regions. Instead of directly managing data movement between first and second regions, the controller uses the mapping table to indirectly manage block positions by swapping position information. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient storage space management while minimizing direct data movement and erase operations between memory regions.
2Quantity of substance
If frequent migration operations are performed to manage storage space, then storage space availability is improved, but the lifespan of the memory device decreases due to increased erase operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent copies only position information (logical addresses) in the mapping table during migration operations, rather than physically copying and erasing actual data blocks frequently. This copying approach allows the system to manage free storage space by redirecting logical addresses to available blocks in the second region, while the actual data remains in place, significantly reducing erase operations and preserving memory device lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of memory blocks by swapping their position information in the mapping table rather than physically moving data. When a block needs migration, its position information is updated to point to a new location in the second region. This parameter change approach enables flexible storage space management without the wear-inducing erase operations that would result from physical data relocation, thereby extending memory device lifespan while maintaining storage availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system includes a nonvolatile memory including a first region and a second region, and a controller configured to manage a migration operation for a plurality of memory blocks included in the first region and the second region. The controller includes a migration module configured to perform the migration operation by selecting one or more victim blocks based on a number of valid pages of each memory block included in the first region when there is no free storage space in the first region, selecting one or more destination blocks in the second region that respectively correspond to the number of victim blocks, and swapping type information of each of the one or more victim blocks in the first region for type information of a corresponding one of the one or more destination blocks in the second region.