SSD Self-Diagnosis via Sideband Interface for Assembly Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid state drives (SSDs) face faults during assembly due to bad connections and heat errors, which can prevent normal operation, and existing methods lack effective self-diagnosis techniques to detect these issues during manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a nonvolatile memory device configured to store self-diagnosis firmware and a storage controller that performs self-diagnosis using this firmware, transmitting results through a sideband interface, such as I2C or MTCP, to detect faults and adjust hardware configuration values for reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If self-diagnosis firmware is stored in nonvolatile memory and executed during assembly, then fault detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-diagnosis firmware that is pre-stored in nonvolatile memory and automatically executed during the assembly process. This preliminary action enables fault detection to occur before the SSD is fully assembled and shipped, allowing defects to be identified early in the manufacturing process rather than after deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage controller autonomously executes the self-diagnosis firmware and performs diagnostic tests on itself and the nonvolatile memory without requiring external testing equipment. This self-service capability allows the device to detect its own faults independently, reducing the need for complex external testing infrastructure.
2Manufacturing precision
If self-diagnosis is performed during assembly, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-diagnosis firmware is pre-loaded into the nonvolatile memory during manufacturing, so that when the SSD is assembled, the diagnostic tests can immediately execute without requiring external programming or configuration. This preliminary preparation enables rapid fault detection that does not significantly extend assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the existing operational parameters of the storage controller and nonvolatile memory during normal assembly operations to perform diagnosis, rather than introducing separate dedicated testing parameters. This allows fault detection to leverage already-active system resources, minimizing additional time requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device includes at least one nonvolatile memory device configured to store self-diagnosis firmware and a storage controller configured to communicate with an external device through a sideband interface. The storage controller is configured to perform self-diagnosis of the storage device using the self-diagnosis firmware according to the control of the external device. The storage controller is configured to transmit a result of the self-diagnosis to the external device through the sideband interface.