Volatile Memory Region Resizing Based on Backup Battery Charge

Solution Overview

Problem

Storage systems face data loss due to insufficient backup battery charge during power failures, as the volatile memory region size is fixed and not adaptable to the battery's charge level, leading to an inability to safely destage all data when the battery is not fully charged.

Innovation Solution

The computing device dynamically resizes the volatile memory region based on the charge level of the backup battery supply, increasing or decreasing its size proportionally to ensure that the amount of data stored does not exceed what can be safely destaged, thereby preventing data loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the volatile memory region size is fixed, then the storage system can maintain consistent performance and simplicity, but the system cannot adapt to varying battery charge levels and may lose data when the battery is not fully charged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to battery charge levelsVSAvoidmemory region size adjustment mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the volatile memory region size adjustable rather than fixed. The memory region size is dynamically changed based on the battery charge level, allowing the system to adapt to varying power availability conditions. When battery charge is high, a larger memory region can be allocated for caching; when charge is low, the region is reduced to ensure data can be safely written to non-volatile memory before power loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the parameter changes principle by modifying the size parameter of the volatile memory region based on the battery charge level parameter. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to optimize between performance (larger cache) and safety (smaller cache that can be fully flushed), resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the volatile memory region size is increased to improve caching performance, then read and write performance improve, but the risk of data loss increases when battery charge is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage system performanceVSAvoiddata safety during power failure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the volatile memory region size based on real-time battery charge level monitoring. When battery charge is high, the memory region is enlarged to improve caching performance and productivity. When battery charge drops below a threshold, the region is automatically reduced to ensure that all cached data can be safely flushed to non-volatile memory before power loss, thereby maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the battery charge level is continuously monitored and used to control the volatile memory region size. This closed-loop control ensures that the system adapts its caching capacity based on actual power availability, balancing performance and data safety requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the volatile memory region size is reduced to prevent data loss, then data safety is improved, but memory usage efficiency decreases and caching performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata safety during power failureVSAvoidcaching performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the volatile memory region size based on real-time battery charge level monitoring. When battery charge is high, the memory region is enlarged to improve caching performance and productivity. When battery charge drops below a threshold, the region is automatically reduced to ensure that all cached data can be safely flushed to non-volatile memory before power loss, thereby maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the parameter changes principle by modifying the size parameter of the volatile memory region based on the battery charge level parameter. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to optimize between performance (larger cache) and safety (smaller cache that can be fully flushed), resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11449229B2Dynamically resizing a region of volatile memory based on a charge level of a backup battery supply

Publication Date: 2022.09.20 RED HAT INC

AI summary

A region of a volatile memory can be dynamically resized based on a charge level of a backup battery supply. For example, a computing device can have a volatile memory with a memory region for storing data. The computing device can also have an attached backup battery supply. The computing device can determine a charge level of the backup battery supply and adjust a size of the memory region based on the determined charge level. Adjusting the size of the memory region can involve changing an amount of the volatile memory that is allocated to the memory region.