Host-Accessible Random Write Buffer for Zoned Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Host devices are required to transmit data using a command interface based on a larger unit size than desired, such as sector unit size, making it difficult to perform random writes efficiently in nonvolatile memory devices.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a nonvolatile memory and a storage controller that includes a buffer with a random write area and a write pointer, allowing direct access from the host for writing data in byte units, and supports both explicit and implicit flush operations to ensure data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the host uses a command interface based on sector unit size for data transmission, then data transmission compatibility is improved, but random write efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer is divided into multiple zones, each zone containing a write pointer and a random write area. This segmentation allows the host to access specific zones for random writes while maintaining the sector-based command interface, thus improving random write efficiency without sacrificing compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage controller acts as an intermediary between the host and the nonvolatile memory. It provides a buffer with zone-based random write areas that the host can access directly, while the storage controller manages the translation to sector-based addresses for the nonvolatile memory, thereby enabling efficient random writes while maintaining interface compatibility.
2Device complexity
If the host transmits data using larger unit size (sector unit), then command interface simplicity is improved, but data handling precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer is segmented into zones with individual write pointers, allowing precise byte-level tracking within each zone. This enables the system to maintain simple sector-based command interfaces while achieving byte-level precision for random writes through the zone-based buffer structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of organization by dividing the buffer into multiple zones, each with its own write pointer. This zone-based structure adds a layer of abstraction between the sector-based command interface and the byte-level data operations, enabling both simplicity and precision simultaneously.
3Productivity
If a buffer with random write area and write pointer is implemented, then random write efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer with zone-based structure serves multiple functions: it enables efficient random writes, maintains sector-based command compatibility, and provides byte-level precision tracking through write pointers. This multi-functionality justifies the increased complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single architectural feature.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer pre-allocates zone structures with write pointers before actual write operations occur. This preliminary organization of the buffer into manageable zones with tracking mechanisms ready in advance reduces the complexity of managing random writes on-the-fly, as the structure is prepared beforehand.
4Speed
If byte unit size writes are enabled without additional command interfaces, then operation speed is improved, but interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer with zone-based structure provides self-service by automatically managing byte-level write operations within zones. The write pointers track positions automatically, and the buffer handles the complexity of byte-level addressing internally, allowing the host to perform fast writes without needing a separate byte-level command interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device includes a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones including a plurality of logical addresses, and a storage controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory. The storage controller includes at least one buffer directly accessible by a host device, the buffer including at least one random write area and a write pointer. The host device may perform a write operation on the random write area without requiring an additional write command associated with the write operation to be executed between the host device and the nonvolatile memory device, thereby decreasing the write operation time.