Soft Data Compression Buffering for Non-Volatile Memory Reads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-volatile memory devices face challenges in increasing storage capacity and operating speed while maintaining performance, as existing data compression techniques do not effectively optimize data transmission between storage controllers and storage mediums, leading to bottlenecks in read and write operations.
Innovation Solution
A data storage system with an encoder that compresses soft data at the interface between a storage controller and a storage medium, using a buffer to store compressed data before transmitting it, and writing uncompressed data back to latches when the buffer is full, while disabling error correction during this process to optimize data transmission and reduce latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data compression is applied to soft data at the interface, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional encoder and buffer components
Solution Approach 1:
The compression system is divided into separate functional modules: an encoder that performs compression, a buffer that manages data storage, and control logic that coordinates operations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to improve overall data transmission efficiency without requiring complete system redesign
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer is introduced as an intermediary component between the encoder and the data transmission interface. This buffer mediates the data flow, storing compressed soft data temporarily and managing the timing between compression operations and transmission operations, thereby decoupling the complexity of compression from the transmission interface
2Quantity of substance
If soft data is compressed and stored in a buffer before transmission, then transmission bandwidth is optimized, but latency increases due to additional processing and storage steps
Solution Approach 1:
Soft data is compressed in advance using the encoder before being stored in the buffer, preparing the data for efficient transmission. This preliminary compression action reduces the overall data volume that needs to be transmitted, optimizing bandwidth utilization while allowing the buffer to manage timing variations
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation by keeping the encoder, buffer, and transmission interface actively engaged. The buffer ensures continuous data flow to the transmission interface even when compression is in progress, while the encoder continuously processes incoming soft data, eliminating idle periods and reducing overall latency
3Productivity
If error correction is disabled during buffer writing operations, then processing speed is improved, but data reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Error correction is selectively applied only during specific operations (read operations from latches) while being disabled during other operations (writing compressed data to buffer). This local application of error correction optimizes processing speed during buffer writes while maintaining data reliability when it is most needed during data retrieval and transmission
Data Source
AI summary
An encoder of a storage medium receives, at a plurality of latches respectively associated with a plurality of memory cells, soft data corresponding to data subject to a read operation specified by the a storage controller, compresses the soft data, and stores the compressed soft data in a buffer before transmitting the compressed soft data to the storage controller. Upon the buffer being full, the encoder writes uncompressed soft data back to at least a subset of the plurality of latches, and upon completion of the writing of the uncompressed soft data, the encoder resumes compressing and storing of soft data in the buffer, and transmits the compressed soft data to the storage controller.