Virtual Address Control Circuit for Storage Region Management

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data storage devices face inefficiencies in managing and accessing large capacities of physical storage regions, leading to increased interface overhead and processing time due to the need for precise address selection and management across multiple channels.

Innovation Solution

A data storage device with a controller that manages storage regions logically, using a storage region management circuit to group physical storage regions into logical regions, an address conversion circuit to generate physical addresses from logical addresses, and a virtual address control circuit to activate the correct physical storage regions based on a reference table, optimizing access and reducing overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If physical storage regions are divided into multiple groups and managed directly, then storage capacity is increased, but interface overhead and processing time increase due to the need for precise address selection across multiple channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments physical storage regions into multiple groups and introduces logical storage regions as an intermediate layer. Each logical storage region corresponds to a group of physical storage regions, allowing the system to manage large storage capacity while reducing the complexity of direct address selection across numerous physical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces logical storage regions as an intermediary between the controller and physical storage regions. The address conversion circuit converts logical addresses to physical addresses, and the virtual address control circuit uses a reference table to map logical storage region addresses to physical storage regions, thereby reducing interface overhead and processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If physical storage regions are divided into multiple groups and managed directly, then storage capacity is increased, but interface overhead increases due to the need for precise address selection across multiple channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidinterface overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments physical storage regions into multiple groups and introduces logical storage regions as an intermediate layer. Each logical storage region corresponds to a group of physical storage regions, allowing the system to manage large storage capacity while reducing the complexity of direct address selection across numerous physical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces logical storage regions as an intermediary between the controller and physical storage regions. The address conversion circuit converts logical addresses to physical addresses, and the virtual address control circuit uses a reference table to map logical storage region addresses to physical storage regions, thereby reducing interface overhead and processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11182109B2Data storage device operating based on virtual address, operating method thereof, and controller therefor

Publication Date: 2021.11.23 MIMIRIP LLC

AI summary

A data storage device includes a storage and a controller. The controller includes a storage region management circuit configured to manage the storage as plurality of logical storage regions, each corresponding to respective one of the groups of physical storage regions; an address conversion circuit configured to generate physical address including logical storage region address indicating one of the logical storage regions based on logical address; reference table configured to store relationship information among logical storage region address, physical location information indicating physical storage region corresponding to logical storage region indicated by the logical storage region address, and selection signal for activating the physical storage region; and a virtual address control circuit configured to generate the selection signal based on the logical storage region address in the physical address by referring to the reference table and transmit the selection signal and the physical address to the storage through the channel.