Memory System Offloading Address Translation to Host
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory systems face complexity and performance degradation issues in data processing due to the need for address translation between logical and physical addresses, which can slow down input/output operations.
Innovation Solution
A memory system that transfers map information to an external device, allowing the device to perform address translation, thereby reducing the memory system's workload and improving input/output throughput by skipping unnecessary address translation operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the memory system performs address translation internally, then data access can be performed, but the input/output throughput decreases due to the time spent on address translation operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the address translation function from the memory system and relocates it to the host device. The memory system only retains and transfers the necessary mapping information (metadata) to the host, while the host performs the actual address translation operations. This separation removes the time-consuming address translation process from the memory system's critical path, thereby improving input/output throughput while minimizing time loss.
2Ease of operation
If the memory system performs address translation, then data access is enabled, but the complexity of the memory system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex address translation logic from the memory system and places it in the host device. The memory system's complexity is reduced to merely storing and transferring mapping information, while the host device assumes the burden of implementing the translation algorithm and data structure management. This division simplifies the memory system architecture while preserving full data access capability.
3Productivity
If map information is transferred to the external device, then the memory system's workload is reduced, but additional data transfer operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by transferring the essential mapping information (metadata) from the memory system to the host device in advance, before actual data access operations occur. This allows the host to perform address translation independently and simultaneously with data transfer operations, eliminating sequential dependencies and improving overall data processing efficiency without significantly increasing coordination complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system includes a memory device configured to store a piece of data in a location which is distinguished by a physical address and a controller configured to generate a piece of map data associating a logical address, inputted along with a request from an external device, with the physical address and to determine a timing of transferring the piece of map data into the external device to avoid decreasing an input/output throughput of the memory system.