Physical Region Page Address Converter for NVMe Memory Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In systems using Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVME), the traditional storage of Physical Region Page (PRP) lists in physical memory leads to increased memory requirements as the number of PRP lists grows, posing a challenge in managing memory space efficiently, especially in systems with limited memory.
Innovation Solution
A method and circuit configuration for accessing PRP lists, involving a physical region page address converter with operating, adder, subtractor, and multiplexer circuits to calculate page base addresses and next PRP pointers, allowing for efficient memory usage without storing the entire PRP list in physical memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the PRP list is stored in physical memory, then data access can be performed using traditional memory storage methods, but the memory space required increases as the amount of PRP lists increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the PRP list from physical memory storage and implements it as a hardware circuit structure. The address converter circuit directly generates PRP list addresses through bit operations and circuit logic, eliminating the need to store PRP lists in physical memory while maintaining data access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an address converter circuit as an intermediary between the memory controller and the storage system. This converter circuit processes address bits (dividing first N bits by a predetermined value, multiplying by page size parameter, adding to second value, subtracting offset value) to generate the next PRP list address, serving as a mediator that enables address generation without physical memory storage.
2Ease of operation
If the PRP list is stored in physical memory, then traditional memory access methods can be used, but memory requirements increase in systems with limited memory space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/memory-based PRP list storage system with a circuit-based address generation system. The address converter circuit uses electronic bit operations (division, multiplication, addition, subtraction) to generate PRP list addresses, substituting physical memory access with circuit-level computational operations.
3Loss of information
If the entire PRP list is stored in physical memory, then complete PRP list data is available, but memory usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the address converter circuit with the address generation logic. The circuit is designed beforehand to perform bit operations (dividing first N bits by predetermined value, multiplying by page size parameter, adding to second value, subtracting offset value) so that PRP list addresses can be generated on-demand without storing the entire list.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for accessing a physical region page (PRP) list includes obtaining a PRP address of a PRP list, in which the PRP address has M bits; performing operation to the first N bits of the PRP address and the N+1 th to Mth bits of the PRP address respectively to obtain a page base address if the PRP address is within a page boundary; and performing operation to the first N bits of the PRP address and the N+1 th to Mth bits of the PRP address respectively to obtain next PRP address pointer if the PRP address reaches the page boundary. N is an integer, and M is an integer larger than N.