Non-Volatile Memory Sector State Tracking via Control Sectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The bit-twiddling operation in non-volatile memory, required for tracking sector states and ensuring power loss recovery, has become a bottleneck in achieving higher write performance due to the need to change multiple sector states separately with limited bit representation.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to manage sector states in a non-volatile memory system using a tree-shaped directory-file structure, link structure table, and control sectors with start and end seeds, type fields, and checksums to efficiently track and write sector states without impacting other bits, thereby eliminating the need for bit-twiddling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bit-twiddling operations are used to change sector states separately, then power loss recovery capability is improved, but write performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sector state tracking into separate control sectors that store link structure tables, independent from data sectors. Each control sector maintains metadata about sector states without requiring bit-level manipulation of data sectors, enabling parallel operations and eliminating the bottleneck of sequential bit-twiddling while preserving power loss recovery through the link structure table
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces control sectors as intermediary structures between the file system and data sectors. These control sectors contain link structure tables that track sector states (empty, valid, invalid, corrupt) without directly manipulating data sector bits. This intermediary layer enables state tracking and power loss recovery while avoiding the performance-detrimental bit-twiddling operations on data sectors
2Measurement precision
If multiple sector states are tracked with 1-2 bits per state, then state tracking precision is improved, but operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from tracking sector states within the same dimension (bit manipulation of sector headers) to a new dimension by introducing separate control sectors that store link structure tables. This dimensional separation allows precise state tracking through table entries rather than bit manipulation, reducing operational complexity while maintaining state precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of sector state information in control sectors through link structure tables, separate from the original data sectors. This copying mechanism preserves precise state tracking (empty, valid, invalid, corrupt) without requiring direct bit manipulation of data sectors, simplifying operations while maintaining state accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A method that may be used in a no bit-twiddling file system of a non-volatile memory. The method comprises writing to a non-volatile memory a data sector of a file system, and writing to the non-volatile memory of a control sector that comprises a first seed at a start of the control sector, a pointer to the data sector and a second seed at an end of the control sector. The method further comprises updating a link structure table entry associated with the control sector.