Storage Controller Merging Select and Sense Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage devices require multiple Protocol Information Units (PIUs) for separate operations like select and sense, leading to increased communication overhead and reduced processing speed.
Innovation Solution
A storage device with a storage controller that processes a single Protocol Information Unit (PIU) with a merge message, including a basic header segment and an Extra Header Segment (EHS), to perform both select and sense operations, reducing the number of PIUs required and enhancing processing speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate PIUs are used for select and sense operations, then operational reliability is improved, but communication overhead increases and processing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate select and sense operations into a single merged PIU with a merge message structure. The basic header segment contains common operation parameters, while the EHS contains operation-specific data. This merging reduces the number of PIU transmissions from multiple separate units to a single unified unit, directly improving processing speed while maintaining operational reliability through structured error handling for each operation type.
Solution Approach 2:
The merged PIU structure serves multiple functions simultaneously - it can perform select operations, sense operations, or both in combination within a single communication unit. The basic header segment provides universal parameters applicable to both operation types, while the EHS allows customization for specific operations, enabling one PIU to replace multiple specialized PIUs.
2Reliability
If multiple separate PIUs are used for select and sense operations, then operational reliability is improved, but the number of communication units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate PIUs into a single unified PIU structure. Instead of transmitting separate PIUs for select operations and sense operations, the merged structure combines them into one unit with a basic header segment and an EHS that contains operation-specific information. This reduces the quantity of PIUs transmitted while maintaining the reliability benefits of separate operation handling through structured error codes for each operation type.
3Productivity
If a single merged PIU is used for select and sense operations, then processing speed increases and communication overhead decreases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The merged PIU is segmented into distinct functional parts: a basic header segment containing common parameters applicable to both select and sense operations, and an EHS containing operation-specific data. This segmentation allows the controller to efficiently parse and process different operation types from a single unified structure, reducing processing complexity compared to handling multiple separate PIUs while maintaining the speed benefits of merging.
4Quantity of substance
If a single merged PIU is used for select and sense operations, then communication overhead is reduced, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring operation status increases
Solution Approach 1:
The merged PIU structure applies local quality by providing operation-specific error codes and status indicators within the EHS for each operation type (select operation error code, sense operation error code). This allows the controller to detect and measure the status of each operation independently within the unified structure, maintaining ease of status detection while benefiting from reduced communication overhead of a single merged PIU.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage device includes: a non-volatile memory device; and a storage controller for receiving a first Protocol Information unit (PIU) including a first merge message from an external device, and performing, based on the first PIU, at least one of a sense operation of reading first data stored in a memory block of the non-volatile memory device and a select operation of storing, in the memory block, second data received from the external device. The first PIU includes a basic header segment commonly included in PIUs transmitted/received between the external device and the storage controller, and a first Extra Header Segment (EHS) including the first merge message.