Memory Controller Page Hit Detection Circuit for Volatile Nonvolatile Data Swapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory systems face inefficiencies in data management and retrieval due to the lack of effective page hit detection and swapping mechanisms, leading to potential delays and increased power consumption when handling page requests between volatile and nonvolatile memory components.
Innovation Solution
A memory system incorporating a controller with a page hit detection circuit and a page requester that generates page hit/miss information and performs data swapping operations, utilizing a volatile memory as a cache and a nonvolatile memory for data storage, allowing for efficient data input/output operations based on page matching and mismatch detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If page swapping is performed frequently between volatile and nonvolatile memory, then data retrieval speed is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively loads frequently accessed pages from nonvolatile memory to volatile memory before they are actually needed, based on access pattern prediction. This preliminary action reduces the frequency of page swaps during actual data retrieval operations, thereby improving speed while reducing overall power consumption by minimizing the number of swap operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory management system automatically monitors access patterns and performs page swapping decisions without external intervention. The system self-optimizes by identifying frequently accessed pages and pre-loading them, reducing the need for manual memory management and minimizing power-consuming swap operations through intelligent automation.
2Productivity
If page hit detection is implemented, then data management efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a page hit detection circuit as an intermediary component between the controller and memory systems. This dedicated circuit handles the complex task of detecting page hits and misses, freeing the main controller from this functionality and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high data management efficiency through specialized hardware acceleration.
3Speed
If volatile memory is used as cache, then access speed is improved, but data loss risk during power loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the volatile cache memory for changes and maintains a synchronized copy in nonvolatile memory. This continuous operation ensures that data is constantly protected against power loss, allowing the system to maintain high access speeds through volatile memory while eliminating data loss risk through real-time redundancy in nonvolatile storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a copying mechanism where data from volatile cache memory is replicated to nonvolatile memory. This creates a redundant copy that protects against data loss during power failures, allowing the system to benefit from the high access speed of volatile memory while maintaining data reliability through the persistent storage copy.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system may include a volatile memory, a nonvolatile memory, and a controller. The controller may copy data from a memory to the other memory. The controller may include a page hit detection circuit and a page requester. The page hit detection circuit may generate information regarding page hit and page miss according to whether page information requested from a host and page information of the nonvolatile memory loaded in the volatile memory correspond to each other. The page requester may perform page swapping and transmit a ready response signal to the host.