Storage Partition Layout for System Update Space Expansion

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Solution Overview

Problem

The system partition on storage devices often becomes insufficient to accommodate updated system software, leading to failed updates and reduced user experience.

Innovation Solution

Repositioning a portion of system partitions behind the user data partition to allocate additional space to the front system partitions, allowing for expansion without altering the start address of the user data partition, thus ensuring sufficient space for updated system software.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If all system partitions are disposed in front of the user data partition, then the system partition structure is simple and easy to manage, but the system partition size cannot be expanded to meet updated system software requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepartition structure complexityVSAvoidsystem partition size adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides system partitions into two separate groups: front system partitions (before user data partition) and rear system partitions (after user data partition). This segmentation allows the front system partitions to maintain their simple structure while the rear system partitions provide expandable space for updated system software, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and size adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extends the system partition layout from a single-dimensional arrangement (all system partitions before user data) to a two-dimensional arrangement (system partitions both before and after user data partition). This dimensional change enables the system to expand storage capacity without complicating the fundamental partition management structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system partition size is expanded by allocating space from user data partition, then the system software can be updated successfully, but the user data storage space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem partition sizeVSAvoiduser data storage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the space requirements of front and rear system partitions to collectively satisfy the total system software storage needs. By combining both pre-user-data and post-user-data partition spaces, the system can accommodate updated software without encroaching on user data storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the start address of user data partition is modified to expand system partition, then the system partition size increases, but all storage addresses of user data need to be modified which increases time consumption and system overheads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem partition sizeVSAvoidpartition resizing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-allocating rear system partition space after the user data partition during the initial partitioning stage. This advance preparation ensures that when system software updates require additional space, the expansion can be performed without modifying the user data partition's start address, thus avoiding the time-consuming process of updating all user data storage addresses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4708015A1Partition management method and device
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4708015A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4708015A1 patent drawingFigure 3(1)~3(2)
  • EP4708015A1 patent drawingFigure 4(1)~5

AI summary

A partition management method and a device are provided, and relate to the field of storage technologies. The method includes: obtaining a request message used to read/write a partition included in a storage device, where the partition included in the storage device includes a user data partition and system partitions, the system partitions include a first system partition and a second system partition, the first system partition is disposed in front of the user data partition, and the second system partition is disposed behind the user data partition; and then determining, based on the request message, a target partition included in the storage device; and reading/writing the target partition. In this way, disposing a part of the system partitions behind the user data partition is equivalent to expanding a size of system partitions in front of the user data partition. If system software in the front system partitions is updated, a size of the system partitions can meet updated system software. This increases a probability of successfully updating the system software.