Exhaustive Parameter Search for NAND Flash Boot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The volatility in NAND Flash memory specifications, particularly in error correcting codes and block/page sizes, leads to difficulties in accessing new generations of NAND Flash memories, causing boot failures due to lack of standardization and requiring extensive table updates, which complicates the boot process for communicating devices.
Innovation Solution
The Exhaustive Parameter Search (EPS) algorithm systematically tries all possible combinations of block and page sizes to locate the magic number, ensuring accurate parameter reading and access to NAND Flash memory, allowing OEMs to write known parameters in a predetermined location, thus ensuring compatibility with various NAND Flash memory types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional parameter reading methods are used, then boot process can proceed with known NAND parameters, but boot failure occurs when encountering new NAND Flash generations with different specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying block size and page size parameters during the boot process. Instead of relying on fixed parameter tables, the algorithm dynamically tests multiple parameter combinations (e.g., 512KB/32KB, 1MB/32KB, 1.5MB/32KB) to identify the correct parameters for the connected NAND Flash device, enabling compatibility across different NAND generations without requiring table updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transforms the static parameter lookup approach into a dynamic parameter detection process. The boot algorithm adaptively adjusts block size and page size parameters based on real-time testing results, using feedback from read operations to determine the correct parameter set for the connected NAND device, thereby achieving universal compatibility.
2Speed
If table look up indexed through device ID is used, then parameter retrieval is faster, but extensive table updates are required to cover all NAND Flash memories
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the parameter detection capability from the boot loader and implements it directly in the CPU boot algorithm. By removing the dependency on external parameter tables and device ID lookups, the solution eliminates the complexity of table maintenance while maintaining fast parameter acquisition through direct testing and detection during the boot process.
3Ease of operation
If standardization is enforced, then accessing NAND Flash becomes simpler, but adaptability to new NAND specifications is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal parameter detection algorithm that can handle multiple NAND Flash specifications through a single unified approach. The algorithm tests a predefined set of parameter combinations and automatically identifies the correct parameters for any connected NAND device, making the boot process simple while maintaining broad compatibility across different NAND generations and specifications.
Data Source
AI summary
The Exhaustive Parameter Search (EPS) algorithm of this invention enables communicating devices to access to a large variety of NAND Flash memories. The EPS algorithm exploits the fact that the parameters needed for successful initial communication with NAND Flash memory (block Size and page Size) have only few possible values. The EPS algorithm tries all possible values to find a magic number stored in the NAND Flash memory. The correct parameters for the particular NAND Flash memory are read after detection of the magic number. This ensures that accurate parameters are used after successful detection of the magic number detection. The OEM must write the known parameters of the NAND Flash memory in a predetermined location following the magic number.