Metadata Block Copying During Erase for Data Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage devices lack a mechanism to ensure high reliability of stored data by prioritizing the storage of metadata based on its importance, leading to potential loss of critical metadata during erase operations.

Innovation Solution

The storage device includes a controller that manages metadata memory blocks, executing erase operations while copying metadata units with high importance to a different block, ensuring their retention and maintaining data reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If erase operations are performed on metadata memory blocks to free space, then storage capacity is improved, but reliability of stored data deteriorates due to potential loss of critical metadata

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidreliability of stored data

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary copying of critical metadata units from the metadata memory block before executing the erase operation. This ensures that important metadata is preserved in other memory blocks before the source block is erased, thereby maintaining data reliability while freeing storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller creates copies of critical metadata units and stores them in other metadata memory blocks. This copying mechanism ensures that even if the original metadata block is erased, the critical information remains preserved in the copied locations, thus resolving the contradiction between erasing for space and preserving for reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If all metadata units are copied to preserve reliability, then reliability of stored data is improved, but loss of time increases due to extensive copying operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of stored dataVSAvoidtime for copying operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The controller applies different treatment to different metadata units based on their importance. Critical metadata units are copied to other blocks, while non-critical units are not copied. This selective approach based on local quality (importance level) preserves reliability for critical data while minimizing the time-consuming copying operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of copying all metadata units, the controller performs partial copying only of critical metadata units. This partial action is sufficient to maintain data reliability while significantly reducing the time required compared to copying the entire metadata set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If critical metadata is selectively copied based on importance, then reliability of stored data is improved, but device complexity increases due to priority determination logic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of stored dataVSAvoidcomplexity of controller logic

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller uses a priority parameter associated with each metadata unit to determine which units are critical. By changing the approach from complex analysis to simple parameter-based selection (priority levels), the system achieves improved reliability while keeping the added complexity manageable through parameter-driven decision making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12487768B2Storage device managing metadata memory blocks each storing metadata units, and method of operating the same

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 SK HYNIX INC

AI summary

A storage device may execute an erase operation on a first metadata memory block. The storage device may copy, to the first metadata memory block, all or some of metadata units stored in a second metadata memory block that is a metadata memory block on which the erase operation is to be executed after the erase operation is executed on the first metadata memory block.