Storage Device Host Turnaround Time Predictor Engine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current storage devices experience performance degradation due to latency in data-path initialization during direct memory access (DMA) read operations, leading to inefficiencies in data transfer and utilization of system resources.

Innovation Solution

A storage device with a device controller that includes a counter, statistic collector, and predictor engine to estimate the host turnaround time, allowing the data-path to be initialized after a DMA read request is issued, ensuring completion proximate to the arrival of the initial data packet, thereby reducing latency and enhancing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the data-path is initialized before the DMA read request is processed, then the data transfer can start earlier, but the initialization latency degrades performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer efficiencyVSAvoiddata-path initialization latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The data-path initialization is performed in advance before the actual data transfer begins. The system estimates the host turnaround time and schedules the initialization to complete just before the data arrives, ensuring the path is ready without causing performance degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the data-path initialization timing based on estimated host turnaround time. The initialization is scheduled to start after DMA read request issuance and complete at the end of the estimated turnaround time, optimizing the balance between early preparation and avoiding latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of time

If the data-path is initialized after receiving the initial data packet, then initialization latency is avoided, but the data transfer must wait for initialization completion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata-path initialization latencyVSAvoiddata transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the data-path is kept idle during initialization, then initialization can be completed cleanly, but system resources are underutilized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata-path initialization reliabilityVSAvoidsystem resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous useful action by estimating the host turnaround time and scheduling data-path initialization to complete just before data arrival. This ensures the path is ready for immediate data transfer without idle waiting, optimizing both reliability and resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS10761999B1Storage device with predictor engine of host turnaround time

Publication Date: 2020.09.01 SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A method of accessing data by a storage device includes issuing a DMA read request of a host memory to a host. A host turnaround time is estimated. The host turnaround time is a time interval between when the DMA read request is issued and when an initial data packet of requested data from the host from the DMA read request arrives to the storage device. A data-path of the storage device is initialized to transfer the requested data of the DMA read request to a device buffer of the storage device. Initialization of the data-path is started after issuance of the DMA read request and is completed at an end of the estimated host turnaround time. The requested data is received from the host. The received requested data is transferred utilizing the data-path to the device buffer.