Memory Controller Row Group Sizing for Data Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memory systems face data distortion due to row hammering, where frequent access to a memory cell affects adjacent cells, leading to data loss, and existing solutions are inefficient in managing limited resources and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A memory system with a controller that counts row access counts, dynamically adjusts row group sizes, and performs targeted refresh operations on row groups exceeding a threshold access count to prevent data distortion while optimizing resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional refresh operations are performed on all memory rows, then data distortion from row hammering is prevented, but power consumption and resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by performing refresh operations selectively on specific row groups that are susceptible to row hammering attacks, rather than uniformly refreshing all memory rows. The controller identifies vulnerable row groups based on access patterns and applies refresh operations only to those regions, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining data integrity in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by dynamically adjusting the refresh strategy based on real-time access patterns. The controller monitors memory access patterns, identifies row groups with high access counts that are susceptible to row hammering, and adaptively applies refresh operations only to those dynamically identified vulnerable regions, optimizing the balance between reliability and power consumption.
2Reliability
If row access monitoring is implemented for all memory regions, then row hammering attacks are detected, but memory resources and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the memory space into multiple row groups and maintaining separate access counters for each row group. This segmentation allows the controller to monitor access patterns in a distributed manner across different memory regions, reducing the complexity of centralized monitoring while enabling comprehensive row hammering detection across the entire memory space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by monitoring access patterns only for row groups that exceed a predetermined access count threshold. Rather than continuously monitoring all memory rows equally, the system focuses computational resources on identifying and monitoring only those row groups that exhibit suspicious access patterns, thereby reducing overall processing overhead while maintaining effective row hammering detection capability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If selective refresh operations are performed only on high-access row groups, then power consumption is reduced, but data distortion in low-access row groups may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by proactively identifying and marking row groups as vulnerable based on their access patterns before row hammering attacks can cause data distortion. By monitoring access counts and preemptively applying refresh operations to row groups that exhibit high access patterns, the system prevents data distortion before it occurs, rather than reacting after damage has been done.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring memory access patterns and using this information to dynamically adjust refresh operations. The controller receives feedback from access count measurements, analyzes which row groups are susceptible to row hammering, and adjusts the refresh strategy accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes both power consumption and data integrity based on actual usage patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system may include: a memory pool including a plurality of memory regions; and a controller suitable for controlling the memory pool, wherein each of the memory regions includes one or more row groups, each row group having a predetermined row group size, and wherein the controller counts the numbers of row accesses to the respective memory regions, determines row group sizes according to the row access counts of the respective memory regions, increases a representative access count of a row group including a certain row when the row is accessed, and provides a command to the memory pool to perform a target refresh operation on a target row group whose representative access count exceeds a threshold value.