Memory Controller Wear Management via Read-Only Migration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The lifespan of memory systems is shortened due to continuous data updates, leading to increased erase/program cycle values in memory blocks, which results in reduced storage capacity and potential data damage.
Innovation Solution
A memory system and operating method that store data in a first memory block group, set it to a read-only state, and migrate it to a second memory block group after a threshold time has elapsed, minimizing data damage and efficiently managing stored data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data is continuously updated in memory blocks, then storage capacity is maintained, but erase/program cycle values increase leading to reduced lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is divided into multiple memory blocks that can be independently managed. The controller selectively updates only specific memory blocks that contain changed data, while leaving other blocks in their original state. This segmentation allows the system to maintain storage capacity without unnecessarily increasing erase/program cycles across all memory blocks, thereby extending overall lifespan.
2Reliability
If data is migrated between memory block groups, then data damage is minimized, but additional write operations increase erase/program cycle values
Solution Approach 1:
The controller identifies and migrates data to appropriate memory blocks before damage occurs. By monitoring memory block states and proactively migrating data from blocks approaching their wear limits or containing at-risk data, the system prevents data damage while managing wear accumulation strategically rather than reactively.
Solution Approach 2:
Different memory blocks are assigned different roles based on their wear state and data characteristics. Some blocks are designated for frequently updated data, others for stable data requiring minimal writes. This local quality differentiation allows data migration to occur only where necessary, minimizing overall erase/program cycle wear while protecting data integrity in critical blocks.
3Quantity of substance
If all memory blocks are updated frequently, then storage capacity utilization is maximized, but wear is distributed evenly leading to shorter overall lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts which memory blocks are updated based on real-time conditions including wear level, data change frequency, and data importance. Rather than uniformly updating all blocks, the controller adapts its update strategy, frequently writing to blocks with lower wear and protecting blocks approaching their limits. This dynamic management maintains storage capacity utilization while extending overall system lifespan through uneven but strategic wear distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a memory system and an operating method of the memory system. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the memory system may include a memory device having a plurality of memory blocks configured to store data; and a memory controller configured to: store the data in a first memory block group including N memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks, set the data stored in the first memory block group to a read-only state, and migrate, after a threshold time has elapsed from a reference time, a target data which is all or part of the data stored in the first memory block group, to a second memory block group including M memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks.