Partial Write Handling in Memory Subsystems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory systems face inefficiencies in handling partial writes due to the latency and power consumption differences between volatile and non-volatile memory, where writing to non-volatile memory is slower and more power-intensive compared to volatile memory, especially when data sets are insufficiently sized for the volatile memory.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a memory subsystem that combines insufficiently sized data sets associated with adjacent memory addresses to create a larger data set that meets the threshold size for the volatile memory, allowing for faster and more power-efficient storage by writing to the volatile memory instead of the non-volatile memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data sets smaller than the threshold size are written directly to non-volatile memory, then data storage is achieved, but latency increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple insufficiently sized data sets associated with adjacent memory addresses into a single larger data set that meets the threshold size requirement. This merging process enables the combined data set to be written to volatile memory instead of non-volatile memory, thereby reducing write latency while ensuring reliable data storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces volatile memory as an intermediary between the host device and non-volatile memory. By combining small data sets and writing them to volatile memory first, the system uses this intermediate storage layer to avoid direct writes to non-volatile memory, thus reducing latency while maintaining data integrity.
2Reliability
If data sets smaller than the threshold size are written directly to non-volatile memory, then data storage is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple small data sets into a larger combined data set that meets the threshold size. This combination enables efficient writing to volatile memory, which consumes less power than non-volatile memory writes, thereby reducing overall power consumption while ensuring data is stored reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
By using volatile memory as an intermediary storage layer, the patent reduces the frequency of power-intensive writes to non-volatile memory. The combined data sets are first written to the lower-power volatile memory, minimizing overall power consumption while maintaining data storage reliability.
3Speed
If insufficiently sized data sets are written to volatile memory without combining, then write speed is fast, but the memory threshold requirement is not met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple insufficiently sized data sets associated with adjacent memory addresses into a single data set that meets the volatile memory threshold size requirement. This merging enables the data to be written to volatile memory at high speed while satisfying the minimum size constraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the size parameter of the data set by combining multiple small data sets into a larger one. This parameter transformation allows the data to meet the volatile memory threshold requirement, enabling fast writes while maintaining adaptability to memory constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for improved techniques for partial writes are described. A memory device may include a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory configured to operate as a cache for the non-volatile memory. The memory device may receive, from a host device, a write command for a first data set provided by the host device. Based on the write command, the memory device may store the first data set in a buffer coupled with a volatile memory. After storing the first data set in the buffer, the memory device may communicate to the volatile memory a set of data that includes the first data set and a second data set. The first data set and the second data may be associated with adjacent addresses for the volatile memory and may each have sizes smaller than a threshold size associated with the volatile memory.