SSD Controller Power Mode Decoding for Energy Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hard disk drives (HDDs) face issues with mechanical defects, high power consumption, and latency due to their moving parts, leading to a need for more reliable and efficient data storage solutions.

Innovation Solution

The development of a solid state drive (SSD) with an adjustable power consumption mechanism, where a memory controller decodes commands to determine a driving power mode, activates channels, adjusts interleaving, and modifies clock frequencies to optimize power usage based on residual power levels, allowing for efficient data storage and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hard disk drives (HDDs) are used for data storage, then storage density and data transmission speed are improved, but power consumption and mechanical reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical hard disk drive system with a solid-state drive system using flash memory devices. The SSD controller manages multiple flash memory devices through multiple channels, eliminating mechanical moving parts while maintaining high data transmission speed. This substitution resolves the contradiction by achieving fast data access without the power consumption and reliability issues of mechanical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If hard disk drives (HDDs) are used for data storage, then storage density is improved, but mechanical reliability and durability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage densityVSAvoidmechanical reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical hard disk drives with solid-state flash memory devices connected through electronic channels. The SSD controller manages multiple flash memory devices without any mechanical moving parts, eliminating wear and mechanical failures while maintaining high storage density. This resolves the contradiction by achieving high storage capacity with superior mechanical reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Speed

If SSD operates at high performance mode, then data access speed is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access speedVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic power management in the SSD controller that adjusts operating parameters based on workload requirements. The controller can dynamically activate or deactivate channels, adjust interleaving degrees, and modify clock frequencies to match actual data access needs. This allows the SSD to operate at high performance when needed while consuming less power during low-demand periods, resolving the contradiction between speed and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes operating parameters such as channel activation state, interleaving degree, and clock frequency based on power mode. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the SSD can optimize the balance between data access speed and power consumption, allowing high performance when required while reducing power usage during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If SSD uses multiple channels with high interleaving, then data transmission speed is improved, but power consumption and heat generation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidheat production
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic control of channel activation and interleaving degree based on actual data transmission requirements. The SSD controller activates only the necessary number of channels and adjusts interleaving levels to match workload demands, avoiding unnecessary power consumption and heat generation from over-provisioned resources. This resolves the contradiction by achieving high data transmission speed only when needed while minimizing heat production during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8478928B2Data storage device and information processing system incorporating data storage device
Publication Date: 2013.07.02 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • US8478928B2 patent drawing
  • US8478928B2 patent drawing
  • US8478928B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A data storage device comprises a plurality of memory devices and a memory controller. The memory controller exchanges data with the memory devices via a plurality of channels. The memory controller decodes an external command to generate a driving power mode and accesses the memory devices according to the driving power mode.