CACHE AUTO-FLUSH IN A SOLID STATE MEMORY DEVICE
First Claim
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1. A solid state memory device comprising:
- a solid state non-volatile memory array;
a cache coupled to the non-volatile memory array; and
a processor arranged to control the writing of data from the cache to the non-volatile memory array and operative to enable actions including;
starting a threshold time period when the cache contains dirty data;
re-starting the threshold time period on receipt of one of a plurality of host commands;
writing the dirty data to the non-volatile memory array on expiration of the threshold time period; and
terminating the writing of dirty data to the non-volatile memory array and re-starting the threshold time period when the cache contains dirty data either on receipt of one of the plurality of host commands or after a last set of dirty data from the cache is written to the non-volatile memory.
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Abstract
A device, system and method in which data in a write cache, that must at some point be written to non-volatile memory, is written to non-volatile memory after expiration of a threshold time period during which no new host commands are received. If either the last dirty entry is written back or a host command is received during the write-back process, the time threshold time period and auto-flush process is restarted.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A solid state memory device comprising:
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a solid state non-volatile memory array; a cache coupled to the non-volatile memory array; and a processor arranged to control the writing of data from the cache to the non-volatile memory array and operative to enable actions including; starting a threshold time period when the cache contains dirty data; re-starting the threshold time period on receipt of one of a plurality of host commands; writing the dirty data to the non-volatile memory array on expiration of the threshold time period; and terminating the writing of dirty data to the non-volatile memory array and re-starting the threshold time period when the cache contains dirty data either on receipt of one of the plurality of host commands or after a last set of dirty data from the cache is written to the non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for managing caching comprising:
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determining that a memory cache contains dirty data; starting a threshold time period when the memory cache contains dirty data; re-starting the threshold time period on receiving a host command of a plurality of host commands; writing the dirty data from the memory cache to a solid state non-volatile memory array on expiration of the threshold time period; and terminating the writing of dirty data from the memory cache to the solid state non-volatile memory array and re-starting the threshold time period when the cache contains dirty data either on receipt of a host command of the plurality of host commands or after a last set of dirty data from the cache is written to the solid state non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A solid state drive comprising:
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a host interface; a solid state non-volatile memory array; a cache coupled to the host interface and the non-volatile memory array; and a processor for controlling the writing of data from the cache to the non-volatile memory array and operative to enable actions including; starting a threshold time period when the cache contains dirty data; re-starting the threshold time period on receipt of one of a plurality of host commands; writing the dirty data to the non-volatile memory array on expiration of the threshold time period; and terminating the writing of dirty data to the non-volatile memory array and re-starting the threshold time period either on receipt of one of the plurality of host commands or after a last set of dirty data from the cache is written to the non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification