Memory Spare Block Serial Number Timing Control for Sudden Power Off Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory devices, particularly those using MLC flash memory, face instability issues during garbage collection operations, leading to quality of service (QoS) degradation and potential errors during sudden power off events, as existing management mechanisms struggle to handle these scenarios effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method employing serial number assignment timing control for managing spare blocks in memory devices, where blocks are assigned serial numbers based on their usage timing to ensure proper ranking and recovery during sudden power off, thereby enhancing the memory device's ability to handle garbage collection and sudden power off recovery operations without degrading QoS.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If garbage collection operation is performed to manage memory blocks, then data access quality is improved, but quality of service deteriorates due to programing addition finish pages impacting performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a spare pool of blocks and pre-numbering them before garbage collection operations. This allows the system to quickly allocate and manage blocks during GC operations without blocking host write paths, thereby maintaining data access quality while improving quality of service through non-blocking operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the memory management system into distinct components: a spare pool for GC operations, numbered blocks for tracking, and host data blocks for regular operations. This segmentation allows GC to proceed independently without impacting host access, resolving the contradiction between data access quality and quality of service.
2Reliability
If existing management mechanisms are used for garbage collection, then data access control is maintained, but erroneous operations occur during sudden power off recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-numbering all blocks in the spare pool before garbage collection operations begin. This numbering scheme is established in advance and stored in metadata, enabling the system to quickly identify and recover the correct block states during sudden power off recovery without executing erroneous operations, thus maintaining access control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through metadata tracking that records the state of numbered blocks during GC operations. This feedback information is preserved and used during SPOR to determine the correct recovery state, preventing erroneous operations while maintaining access control integrity.
3Reliability
If serial number assignment timing control is implemented, then sudden power off recovery accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a block numbering system that serves multiple functions: tracking block allocation timing, managing garbage collection operations, and enabling accurate sudden power off recovery. This multi-functional approach improves SPOR accuracy without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same numbering mechanism handles all three purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the block identification, timing tracking, and recovery guidance functions into a single serial number assignment system. By combining these functions into one mechanism rather than implementing separate systems for each purpose, the patent improves SPOR accuracy while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing access management of a memory device with aid of serial number assignment timing control and associated apparatus are provided. The method includes: managing a plurality of spare blocks with a spare pool; popping a first block from the spare pool to be a host data block, and performing first subsequent operations, wherein the host data block is arranged to receive data from a host device, and serial number assignment of the host data block corresponds to a timing of fully programing the host data block; and popping a second block from the spare pool to be a garbage collection (GC) destination block, and performing second subsequent operations, wherein the GC destination block is arranged to receive data from a GC source block during a GC procedure, and serial number assignment of the GC destination block corresponds to a timing of starting using the GC destination block.