Method and file structures for managing data on a flash disk

• US 7,363,420 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Ping, Lin, Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Woo H.
• Application Number:
  US10/734,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/173
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0614 Improving the reliability of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A method, apparatus and data structure for managing data in a memory device. The memory device is divided into two volumes. The first volume is intended for storing relatively static data, i.e. data which does not change or is not rewritten frequently. The second volume is intended for storing dynamic data, i.e. data which is changed or rewritten frequently. Each of the volumes is divided into a number of blocks, for example erase blocks, with each block being divided into sectors. In the dynamic volume, each of the erase blocks has one sector allocated for storing metadata, and the remaining sectors in the erase block are available for storing data, other than metadata. In the static volume, each of erase blocks can store more than one sector of metadata, in addition to data other than metadata. The metadata may be stored in consecutive sectors in the erase blocks. According to another aspect, the data structure is suitable for flash disk memory devices and flash disk memory devices used for multimedia applications.

Claims

1. A memory device for storing data, said data including metadata, said memory device comprising:

a static volume comprising a plurality of static blocks, and each of said static blocks comprising a plurality of sectors;

a dynamic volume comprising a plurality of dynamic blocks, and each of said dynamic blocks comprising a plurality of sectors;

each of said dynamic blocks having one of said sectors allocated for writing and reading metadata, and said remaining sectors in said dynamic block being available for writing and reading data; and

each of said static blocks having one or more sectors for writing and reading metadata, said remaining sectors in said static block being available for writing and reading data,

wherein each of said static blocks and each of said dynamic blocks is an erase block, and wherein each of said erase blocks is a minimum erasable portion of said memory device.

2. The memory device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said erase blocks is erasable in response to a control signal.

3. The memory device as claimed in claim 2, wherein one or more of said erase blocks are movable in response to a control signal.

4. A data structure stored in a computer-readable memory device for storing data, said data including metadata, said data structure comprising:

a static volume comprising a plurality of sectors, each of said sectors being writable for storing data and readable for reading data;

a dynamic volume comprising a plurality of sectors, each of said sectors being writable for storing data and readable for reading data;

said sectors in said static volume being partitioned into static blocks, each of said static blocks having one or more sectors for writing and reading the metadata;

said sectors in said dynamic blocks being partitioned into dynamic blocks, and each of said dynamic blocks having one sector for writing and reading the metadata, and the remaining sectors being available for reading and writing data,

wherein each of said static blocks and each of said dynamic blocks is an erase block, and wherein each of said erase blocks is a minimum erasable portion of said memory device.

5. The data structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the data stored in said static volume comprises relatively static data.

6. The data structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sectors in each of said erase blocks are erasable in response to a control signal.

7. The data structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein one or more of said erase blocks is transferable in response to a control signal.

8. The data structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the memory device comprises a flash disk.

9. A method for storing data on a flash disk memory device, said method comprising the steps of:

dividing the memory into a static volume and a dynamic volume, said static volume comprising a plurality of static blocks, and each of said static blocks comprising a plurality of sectors, said dynamic volume comprising a plurality of dynamic blocks, and each of said dynamic blocks comprising a plurality of sectors;

allocating one of the sectors in each of said dynamic blocks for writing and reading metadata;

making the remaining sectors in each of said dynamic blocks available for writing and reading dynamic data;

allocating one or more of the sectors in each of said static blocks for writing and reading metadata;

making the remaining sectors in each of said static blocks available for writing and reading static data,

wherein each of said static blocks and each of said dynamic blocks is an erase block, and wherein each of said erase blocks is a minimum erasable portion of said memory device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said erase blocks is erasable in response to a control signal.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one or more of said erase blocks are movable in response to a control signal.

12. A memory device for storing data, said data including metadata, said memory device comprising:

first memory means for storing data, said first memory means including a plurality of first memory blocks, and each of said first memory blocks having a plurality of sectors;

second memory means for storing data, said second memory means including a plurality of second memory blocks, and each of said second memory blocks having a plurality of sectors;

each of said second memory blocks having one of said sectors allocated for writing and reading metadata, and said remaining sectors in said second memory block being available for writing and reading data; and

each of said first memory blocks having one or more sectors for writing and reading metadata, said remaining sectors in said first memory block being available for writing and reading data,

wherein each of said first memory blocks and each of said second memory blocks is an erase block, and wherein each of said erase blocks is a minimum erasable portion of said memory device.

13. The memory device as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said erase blocks is erasable in response to a control signal.

14. The memory device as claimed in claim 12, wherein one or more of said erase blocks are movable in response to a control signal.