Memory Sub-System Controller Partial Block Failure Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory sub-systems often treat a partial block failure as a complete block failure, leading to unnecessary data relocation and garbage collection operations, which can impact performance and reliability by causing write amplification and reducing Quality of Service (QOS).
Innovation Solution
Implementing a memory sub-system controller that intelligently identifies and prioritizes data from partially failed blocks, using known-failure modes to determine the severity of failures and selectively fold only the failed portions of a block, allowing non-failed parts to remain operational until garbage collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a partial block failure is treated as a complete block failure, then data safety is improved, but write amplification increases and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the block into failed and non-failed portions, allowing selective handling of only the failed segments rather than treating the entire block as failed. This enables continued operation of healthy memory cells while isolating defective areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels to different parts of the block - failed portions receive error handling and data relocation, while non-failed portions continue normal operation without unnecessary interference, optimizing overall system performance.
2Reliability
If a partial block failure is treated as a complete block failure, then data safety is improved, but unnecessary data relocation operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the failed portion from the block for error handling, separating it from the functional non-failed portion. This extraction enables targeted data relocation only where necessary, avoiding redundant operations on healthy data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing error handling operations only on the failed subset of the block rather than the entire block, reducing unnecessary write amplification while maintaining data safety for affected areas.
3Reliability
If a partial block failure is treated as a complete block failure, then data safety is improved, but garbage collection operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the block to identify and isolate failed portions, allowing the garbage collection process to skip over healthy non-failed portions and focus only on areas requiring data relocation, thereby reducing overall garbage collection time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial garbage collection operations only to the failed portion of the block rather than the entire block, maintaining data safety for affected areas while minimizing the time impact on Quality of Service.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for a memory device for detecting, by a processing device, a failure exhibited by a set of cells of a memory device, estimating a severity of the failure, identifying, based on the severity of the failure, a failed subset of cells of the set of cells, and copying data from the failed subset of cells to a second set of cells of the memory device.