SSD Controller Sector Bit Map Selective Read
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solid state disk (SSD) controllers suffer from performance deterioration due to the need for firmware intervention in data processing, which can lead to inefficient data transfer and processing times, especially when handling multiple sectors.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data processing method for SSD controllers that utilizes sector bit map values stored in volatile memory to selectively read and write sectors of non-volatile memory, allowing for efficient data operations without firmware intervention, using a memory controller with registers and a state machine to analyze and manage sector bit map values for optimized data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If firmware controls data transfer between host and EEPROM for each page processing, then data transfer can be managed, but SSD performance deteriorates due to firmware intervention overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data transfer control function from the firmware and relocates it to a dedicated hardware module within the SSD controller. This hardware module directly manages data transfer between the host interface and EEPROM, eliminating the need for firmware intervention in each page processing operation, thereby improving SSD performance while maintaining manageable complexity through functional separation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hardware-based data transfer control module as an intermediary between the host interface and EEPROM. This intermediary handles data transfer operations at the hardware level, acting as a mediator that bypasses the firmware layer for routine data transfer tasks, thus reducing firmware overhead and improving overall system performance
2Productivity
If all sectors in a page are read from non-volatile memory, then data access is simplified, but unnecessary data transfer occurs reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a bit map stored in volatile memory that pre-marks which sectors within a page are valid or invalid before data access operations. This preliminary action allows the system to identify and access only the necessary valid sectors during read operations, preventing unnecessary data transfer from invalid sectors and improving data transfer efficiency while reducing energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by reading and transferring only the valid sectors within a page rather than all sectors. Using the bit map information, the system performs a partial read operation that retrieves only the necessary data portions, avoiding the excessive action of transferring entire pages including invalid sectors, thus optimizing data transfer efficiency and reducing energy waste
Data Source
AI summary
A solid state disk controller includes a volatile memory having a memory area storing sector bit map values, and a memory controller. In a read operation, the memory controller selectively reads at least one sector among a plurality of sectors forming a page of an external non-volatile memory based on the sector bit map values stored in the memory area, indicated by a pointer.