Identity-based flash management

• US 7,970,983 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Nochimowski, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutz; Jared I
• Application Number:
  US11/872,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,353 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/154, 711/170, 710/8
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7206 Reconfiguration of flash memory system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7211 Wear leveling

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and computer code for effecting flash policy configuration operations in accordance with an end-user identifier and/or a host-instance identifier are disclosed herein. Exemplary flash policy configuration operations include (i) configuring a flash error-correction policy, (ii) configuring a flash-management table storage policy; (iii) configuring a wear-leveling policy; (iv) configuring a bad-block management policy and (v) configuring a flash-programming voltage parameter. Exemplary end-user identifiers include but are not limited to email account identifiers, logon user names, and International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSI). Exemplary host-instance identifiers may include but are not limited to International Mobile EQUIPMENT Identifiers (IMEI). Optionally, the flash policy configuration is contingent on authentication context data—for example, strength of the authentication (e.g. login/password vs. smartcard authentication or biometric authentication), date of the authentication, and identity provider information.

Claims

1. A system for configuring flash memory access behavior, the system comprising:

a) an interface for receiving at least one identifier selected from the group consisting of a host-instance identifier and an end-user identifier; and

b) a flash policy enforcer operative to effect, in accordance with at least one said received identifier that is selected from said group, at least one flash configuration operation selected from the group consisting of;

i) a configuration of a flash error-correction policy;

ii) a configuration of a flash-management table storage policy;

iii) a configuration of a wear-leveling policy;

iv) a configuration of a bad-block-management policy; and

v) a configuration of at least one flash-programming voltage parameter.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said configuration of said flash error-correction policy.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said configuration of said flash-management layer table storage policy.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said configuration of said wear-leveling policy.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said configuration of said bad-block-management policy.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said configuration said at least one flash-programming voltage parameter.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said interface is a multi-function interface that is further operative to receive at least one data-handling request selected from the group consisting of a data-read-request and a data-write-request; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation for servicing said data-handling request.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said interface is a file-system interface; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation by issuing a file system—

flash management layer directive.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said interface is a flash management layer interface; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation by issuing an intra-flash management layer directive.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said interface is an object-oriented storage interface.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation by issuing an object translation layer—

file system layer directive.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said interface is operative to receive said end-user identifier; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation in accordance with said received end-user identifier.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said interface is operative to receive said host-instance identifier; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation in accordance with said received host instance identifier.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said received end-user identifier is an email address; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation in accordance with said received email address.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said end-user identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI); and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation in accordance with said International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

16. The system of claim 1 wherein:

i) said host-instance identifier is a telephone handset unique identifier; and

ii) said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation in accordance with said received telephone handset unique identifier.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

c) an identifier-mapping database configured to store a plurality of said identifiers such that each identifier of said plurality is associated with a respective flash management parameter set including a respective at least one flash operation parameter selected from the group consisting of;

i) an error-correction level for said flash error-correction policy;

ii) a frequency parameter for saving at least flash management table from volatile memory to flash memory for said flash management table storage policy;

iii) a wear-leveling parameter for determining at least one of;

A) whether or not wear-leveling should be carried out; and

B) how frequently to effect wear-leveling operations;

iv) a bad-block threshold parameter; and

v) a flash programming parameter, wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to;

i) obtain from said identifier-mapping database a respective matching flash management parameter set corresponding to said interface-received identifier;

ii) effect said flash-configuration operation in accordance with at least one obtained flash parameter of said matching flash parameter management set.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said flash policy enforcer is operative to effect said at least one flash configuration operation in a manner that is contingent on authentication context data of said at least one identifier.

19. A method for configuring flash memory access behavior, the method comprising:

a) receiving at least one identifier selected from the group consisting of a host-instance identifier and an end-user identifier; and

b) effecting, in accordance with at least one said received identifier of said group, at least one flash configuration operation selected from the group consisting of;

i) configuring a flash error-correction policy;

ii) configuring a flash-management table storage policy;

iii) configuring a wear-leveling policy;

iv) configuring a bad-block-management policy; and

v) configuring at least one flash-programming parameter.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation includes effecting said configuring of said flash error-correction policy in accordance with said received identifier.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation includes effecting said configuring of said flash-management table storage policy in accordance with said received identifier.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation includes effecting said configuring of said wear-leveling policy in accordance with said received identifier.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation includes effecting said configuration of said bad-block-management policy in accordance with said received identifier.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation includes effecting said configuration said at least one flash-programming voltage parameter in accordance with said received identifier.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said identifier is received via a multi-function interface that is further operative to receive at least one data-handling request selected from the group consisting of a data-read-request and a data-write-request; and

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation includes is operative to configure a servicing of said data-handling request.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said identifier is received via a file-system interface;

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation includes issuing a file system—

flash management layer directive.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said identifier is received via a flash management layer interface;

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation includes issuing an intra-flash management layer directive in accordance with said flash management layer interface received identifier.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein said identifier is received via an object-oriented storage interface.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation includes issuing an object translation layer file system layer directive.

30. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said received identifier includes said end-user identifier; and

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation is carried out in accordance with said received end-user identifier.

31. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said received identifier includes said host instance identifier; and

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation is carried out in accordance with said received host instance identifier.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said received end-user identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI); and

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation is carried out in accordance with said International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI).

33. The method of claim 19 wherein:

i) said host-instance identifier is a telephone handset unique identifier; and

ii) said at least one flash configuration operation is carried out in accordance with said received telephone handset unique identifier.

34. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

c) obtaining a respective matching flash management parameter set corresponding to said interface-received identifier from an identifier-mapping database that stores a plurality of said identifiers such that each identifier of said plurality is associated with a respective flash management parameter set including a respective at least one flash operation parameter selected from the group consisting of;

i) an error-correction level for said flash error-correction policy;

ii) a frequency parameter for saving at least flash management table from volatile memory to flash memory for said flash management table storage policy;

iii) a wear-leveling parameter for determining at least one of;

A) whether or not wear-leveling should be carried out;

B) how frequently to effect wear-leveling operations;

iv) a bad-block threshold parameter; and

v) a flash programming voltage parameter,wherein said flash configuration operation is effected in accordance with at least one obtained flash parameter of said matching flash parameter management set.

35. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least one flash configuration operation is effected in a manner that is contingent on authentication context data of said at least one identifier.

36. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein when executed the program instructions are operable to:

a) receive at least one identifier selected from the group consisting of a host-instance identifier and an end-user identifier; and

b) effect, in accordance with at least one said received identifier selected from said group, at least one flash configuration operation selected from the group consisting of;

i) configuring a flash error-correction policy;

ii) configuring a flash-management layer storage policy;

iii) configuring a wear-leveling policy;

iv) configuring a bad-block-management policy; and

v) configuring at least one flash-programming parameter.