Maintaining erase counts in non-volatile storage systems
First Claim
1. A data structure, the data structure being arranged in a non-volatile memory associated with a non-volatile memory system, the non-volatile memory system including a non-volatile memory which includes a plurality of blocks, the data structure comprising:
- a first indicator, the first indicator being arranged to provide an indication of a number of times a first block of the plurality of blocks has been erased; and
a header, the header being arranged to contain information relating to the plurality of blocks.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for storing erase counts in a non-volatile memory of a non-volatile memory system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a data structure in a non-volatile memory includes a first indicator that provides an indication of a number of times a first block of a plurality of blocks in a non-volatile memory has been erased. The data structure also includes a header that is arranged to contain information relating to the blocks in the non-volatile memory.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A data structure, the data structure being arranged in a non-volatile memory associated with a non-volatile memory system, the non-volatile memory system including a non-volatile memory which includes a plurality of blocks, the data structure comprising:
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a first indicator, the first indicator being arranged to provide an indication of a number of times a first block of the plurality of blocks has been erased; and
a header, the header being arranged to contain information relating to the plurality of blocks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A block, the block being arranged in a non-volatile memory associated with a non-volatile memory system, the non-volatile memory system including a non-volatile memory which includes a plurality of physical blocks, wherein each physical block of the plurality of physical blocks has an associated identifier arranged to identify a number of times the physical block has been erased, the block comprising:
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a first page, the first page being arranged to include a first identifier for a first physical block of the plurality of physical blocks, the first identifier being arranged to identify a number of times the first physical block has been erased; and
a second page, the second page being arranged to include a count, the count being arranged to indicate an average number of times the plurality of physical blocks has been erased. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-volatile memory system comprising:
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a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory including a plurality of blocks;
a system memory; and
means for indicating in the system memory a number of times each usable block included in the plurality of blocks has been erased. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A data structure, the data structure being arranged in a physical block of non-volatile memory associated with a non-volatile memory system, the non-volatile memory system including a non-volatile memory which includes a plurality of blocks, the data structure comprising:
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a first plurality of indicators, the first plurality of indicators being arranged to provide indications of numbers of times blocks included in the plurality of blocks have been erased; and
a plurality of pages, the pages of the plurality of pages being substantially divided into groups of bytes arranged to contain the first plurality of indicators, wherein a first page of the plurality of pages includes a first group of the groups of bytes that is arranged to contain a first indicator of the first plurality of indicators which is associated with a first block of the plurality of blocks. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification