Memory lifetime gauging system, method and computer program product

• US 7,904,764 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: SandForce, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Danilak, Radoslav
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton; David
• Application Number:
  US11/852,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/154, 717/154, 340/438, 345/214, 714/718
• US Class Current: 714/718
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying at least one aspect associated with a lifetime of memory. Further, an indicia is visually displayed reflecting the at least one aspect.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for estimating a first remaining lifetime amount, of a plurality of remaining lifetime amounts for a memory, based on prior lifetime-reducing operations and in accordance with a predetermined strategy comprising intentionally conditionally delaying execution of at least some lifetime-reducing commands with respect to the memory as a lifetime management technique;

computer code for estimating a second remaining lifetime amount, of the plurality of remaining lifetime amounts, based on prior lifetime-reducing operations and in accordance with a predetermined strategy that is exclusive of intentionally delaying execution as a lifetime management technique; and

computer code for concurrently visually displaying indicia reflecting at least two of the plurality of remaining lifetime amounts.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of a difference between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the at least some lifetime-reducing commands are delayed and are not delayed respectively corresponding to the overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time exceeding and not exceeding the maximum average operation rate.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises identifying a sampling interval, identifying an evaluation period comprising a multiple of the sampling interval, and conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of a comparison between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate during a majority of the sampling intervals of a prior instance of the evaluation period.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the at least some lifetime-reducing commands are delayed and are not delayed respectively corresponding to the overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time exceeding and not exceeding the maximum average operation rate during a majority of the sampling intervals of a prior instance of the evaluation period.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of calculating an integral on an on-going basis of a difference between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the at least some lifetime-reducing commands are delayed and are not delayed respectively corresponding to a positive-valued and a non-positive-valued result from the calculating of the integral.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer code is a component of a plug-in.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the indicia includes a gauge.

10. The computer program product of claim 1,

wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises consideration of a first interval and a second interval shorter than the first interval;

wherein over the first interval, first instances of the at least some lifetime-reduction commands are delayed and are not delayed respectively corresponding to an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time exceeding and not exceeding a maximum average operation rate; and

wherein over the second interval, second instances of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands are executed sans intentional delay and irrespective of the overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands enables long term lifetime management directed toward achieving a desired lifetime and further enables at least some short bursts of instances of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands in a manner temporarily inconsistent with achieving the desired lifetime.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the memory includes a nonvolatile memory device.

13. A method, comprising:

estimating a first remaining lifetime amount, of a plurality of remaining lifetime amounts for a memory, based on prior lifetime-reducing operations and in accordance with a predetermined strategy comprising intentionally conditionally delaying execution of at least some lifetime-reducing commands with respect to the memory as a lifetime management technique;

estimating a second remaining lifetime amount, of the plurality of remaining lifetime amounts, based on prior lifetime-reducing operations and in accordance with a predetermined strategy that is exclusive of intentionally delaying execution as a lifetime management technique; and

concurrently visually displaying indicia reflecting at least two of the plurality of remaining lifetime amounts.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of a difference between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises identifying a sampling interval, identifying an evaluation period comprising a multiple of the sampling interval, and conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of a comparison between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate during a majority of the sampling intervals of a prior instance of the evaluation period.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of calculating an integral on an on-going basis of a difference between the overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and the maximum average operation rate.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

first scenario means for estimating a first remaining lifetime amount, of a plurality of remaining lifetime amounts for a memory, based on prior lifetime-reducing operations and in accordance with a predetermined strategy comprising intentionally conditionally delaying execution of at least some lifetime-reducing commands with respect to the memory;

second scenario means for estimating a second remaining lifetime amount, of the plurality of remaining lifetime amounts, based on prior lifetime-reducing operations and in accordance with a predetermined strategy that is exclusive of intentionally delaying execution; and

means for concurrently visually displaying indicia reflecting at least two of the plurality of remaining lifetime amounts.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of a difference between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises identifying a sampling interval, identifying an evaluation period comprising a multiple of the sampling interval, and conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of a comparison between an overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and a maximum average operation rate during a majority of the sampling intervals of a prior instance of the evaluation period.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands comprises conditionally delaying execution of the at least some lifetime-reducing commands as a function of calculating an integral on an on-going basis of a difference between the overall rate of lifetime-reducing operations over time and the maximum average operation rate.