Storage Data Block Allocation With Bit-Flip Qualification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional storage systems face issues with data loss due to unreliable storage blocks, as some memory cells may be damaged or have manufacturing defects, leading to decreased data resiliency and increased error correction operations.

Innovation Solution

An inline flash qualification process identifies blocks that can reliably store data by checking for bit flips and adding them to an active pool, preventing allocation of unreliable blocks, thus improving data resiliency and reducing error correction operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional storage systems allocate free blocks without qualification, then allocation speed is maintained, but data resiliency decreases due to unreliable blocks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata resiliencyVSAvoidallocation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary qualification of free blocks by reading data and detecting bit flips before allocating them to storage operations. This advance screening ensures that only reliable blocks are added to the active free block pool, resolving the contradiction by prioritizing reliability checks before allocation occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If unreliable blocks are used for storage, then storage capacity is maximized, but error correction operations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoiderror correction operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the potentially harmful effect of bit flips in free blocks into a beneficial screening mechanism. By deliberately reading data into free blocks and detecting bit flips, the system identifies unreliable blocks and excludes them from the active pool, thereby reducing error correction operations while maintaining storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If all free blocks are qualified by reading data, then data resiliency improves, but processing bandwidth is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata resiliencyVSAvoidprocessing bandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs qualification only on free blocks that are candidates for allocation, rather than continuously qualifying all blocks in the storage system. This partial action approach qualifies blocks on-demand when they become available, improving data resiliency for allocated blocks while minimizing unnecessary processing bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12430053B2Data block allocation for storage system

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 PURE STORAGE INC

AI summary

Reading data stored at a free block of a storage device is read prior to allocating the free block for storage of data. A determination as to whether a number of bit flips of the data stored at the free block is below a threshold is made. The free block is added to a pool of active free blocks to be allocated for the storage of data upon determining that the number of bit flips of the data stored at the free block is below the threshold.