Object oriented memory in solid state devices

• US 8,751,860 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Feeley, Peter, Galbo, Neal A., Cooke, James, Tsai, Victor Y., Leibowitz, Robert N., Radke, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHELL, JOSEPH O
• Application Number:
  US12/477,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15, 714/6.1, 714/6.2, 714/6.21, 714/6.23, 711/5, 707/687, 707/690, 707/691, 707/692
• US Class Current: 714/6.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1068 in sector programmable memories, e.g. flash disk G06F11/1072 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2064 while ensuring consistency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/52 Protection of memory contents; Detection of errors in memory contents

Abstract

The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for object oriented memory in solid state devices. One embodiment of a method for object oriented memory in solid state devices includes accessing a defined set of data as a single object in an atomic operation manner, where the accessing is from a source other than a host. The embodiment also includes storing the defined set of data as the single object in a number of solid state memory blocks as formatted by a control component of a solid state device that includes the number of solid state memory blocks.

Claims

1. A method of object oriented memory in solid state devices, comprising:

accessing a defined set of data as a single object in an atomic operation manner, wherein the accessing is from a source other than a host;

storing, after the accessing of the defined set of data from the source other than the host, the defined set of data as the single object in a number of solid state memory blocks as formatted by a control component of a solid state device that includes the number of solid state memory blocks; and

providing the host with a previously stored version of the defined set of data upon detecting multiple read requests to a newly stored version of the defined set of data during a particular period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing is performed once the atomic operation manner is completed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the defined set of data in the atomic operation manner includes using a pointer to a last known-good version of such data until initial access to the defined set of data is complete.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the defined set of data to the number of memory blocks includes writing multiple copies of the defined set of data, each copy in separate memory blocks after independently performing an atomic operation on each of the multiple copies is complete.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting multiple read requests to the newly stored version of the defined set of data includes either the solid state device or the host detecting multiple read requests to a newly stored boot image required for a booting operation in a system managed by the host.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting multiple read requests to the newly stored boot image includes the solid state device providing the host with a last known-good version of a boot image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing data includes accessing the data in a mobile system selected from a group including:

a digital camera;

a digital music device;

a network device;

a mobile telephone;

a personal digital assistant device; and

a laptop computer.

8. A method of object oriented memory in solid state devices, comprising:

accessing a defined set of data as a single object, wherein the accessing is from a source other than a host;

performing a read-verify operation on the accessed defined set of data; and

storing, after the accessing of the defined set of data from the source other than the host and performing the read-verify operation, the defined set of data as the single object in a number of memory blocks as formatted by a control component operably coupled to a solid state device that includes the number of solid state memory blocks; and

independently performing the read-verify operation on multiple copies of the defined set of new data before a write operation on each of the copies is performed and subsequently storing copies of the defined set of new data in which the read-verify operation detected fewer than a particular number of errors.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the storing of the defined set of data as the single object is performed once the read-verify operation is completed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein performing the read-verify operation on the accessed data includes using a pointer to a last known-good version of a previously stored defined set of the data until the read-verify operation on the accessed defined set of new data is completed and the storing of the defined set of new data is completed.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes storing multiple copies of the defined set of new data once the read-verify operation is successfully completed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method includes providing automatic fail-over to a read-verified copy of the data when at least the particular number of errors is detected in another of the multiple copies of the defined set of new data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the method includes providing automatic fail-over to a read-verified copy of the defined set of new data when at least a particular number of new errors are detected in another previously read-verified and stored copy of the defined set of new data.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein performing the read-verify operation includes performing a cyclic redundancy checking operation.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes performing an error correction operation when a particular number of errors are detected in at least one of a number of previously read-verified and stored copies of the defined set of data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein performing the error correction operation includes performing a bit-by-bit comparison of multiple previously read-verified and stored copies of the defined set of data, wherein the solid state device validates one or more copies from among the multiple copies by selecting from a majority of matching copies.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes providing an arithmetic signature in the defined set of data prior to accessing the data from the source, wherein the arithmetic signature is provided by the solid state device back to the source for detection of errors.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes providing an arithmetic signature in a defined set of data prior to accessing the data from the host, wherein the arithmetic signature is provided by the solid state device back to the host for detection of errors.

19. A solid state device, comprising:

a control component coupled to a number of solid state memory arrays in the solid state device, wherein each array has multiple physical blocks of memory cells and wherein the control component is configured to;

access a defined set of data as a single object from a source other than a host;

perform a read-verify operation on the accessed defined set of data;

store, after the access of the defined set of data from the source other than the host and the read-verify operation, the defined set of data in the number of arrays as the single object beginning-to-end in a number of contiguous physical blocks of memory cells;

perform an error correction operation that includes a bit-by-bit comparison of multiple previously read-verified and stored copies of the defined set of data; and

validate one or more copies from among the multiple copies by selecting from a majority of matching copies.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the control component includes an associated processor that manages formatting of the single object in the physical blocks of memory cells in the number of arrays.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the multiple physical blocks of memory cells are arranged in a non-volatile NAND or a non-volatile NOR architecture.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the defined set of data is for a boot image or an operating system.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the control component is configured to store the defined set of data in a particular partition of the number of memory arrays of the physical blocks of memory cells.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein the control component is configured to access the defined set of data and store the defined set of data in the number of arrays after completion of an atomic operation.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the control component is configured to assign a pointer to a last known-good copy of the data in the arrays until completion of the atomic operation, wherein the pointer directs a read of the data to be performed on the last known-good copy.

26. A solid state device, comprising:

a control component coupled to one or more solid state memory arrays in the solid state device, wherein each of the one or more arrays has multiple physical blocks of memory cells and wherein the control component is configured to;

access a defined set of data as a single object from a source other than a host, wherein one or more iterations of the defined set of data are accessed;

store, after the access of the defined set of data from the source other than the host, multiple copies of the one or more iterations to particular locations in the number of arrays as the single object after independent verification of the multiple copies of the one or more data iterations; and

read and independently correct a number of errors found prior to storing the single object in the array.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is configured to store each of the multiple copies in physically different arrays of the one or more arrays.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is coupled to only one array.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is configured to store at least one of the multiple copies in physical blocks of the array determined to be more reliable than other physical blocks.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the physical blocks of the array determined to be more reliable are physical blocks having single-level memory cells.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the physical blocks of the array determined to be more reliable are physical blocks having memory cells that have been reused fewer times than memory cells of the other physical blocks.

32. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is configured to assign a pointer to a particular copy of the one or more data iterations as a new last known-good copy to replace a previous last known-good copy.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the control component is configured to send a store completion acknowledgment to a host such that any read by the host is directed by the pointer to the new last known-good copy.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the control component is configured to send a store completion acknowledgement response to a host that is delayed until a data protection operation is successfully completed.

35. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is configured to read the single object, beginning-to-end, in a number of contiguous physical blocks of memory cells.

36. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is configured to automatically initiate a read operation based upon a power-on reset, a transition of a signal, or both, and the read data is automatically sent to a host where it is either used to boot the host or the data is ignored if the data is not required by the host at that time.

37. The device of claim 26, wherein the control component is configured to save a new defined set of data as a last install wherein the last install is defined as a known-good copy after the new defined set of data has booted successfully at least once as stored.

38. A system, comprising:

a host control component that includes instructions stored on a non-transitory medium and that is configured to be operably coupled to a host in order to manage a system;

wherein the host control component is configured to independently perform a read-verify operation on multiple copies of a defined set of new data before a write operation on each of the copies is performed and subsequently store copies of the defined set of new data in which the read-verify operation detected fewer than a particular number of errors;

wherein the host control component is configured to be operably coupled to a control component of a solid state device having multiple solid state physical memory blocks of memory cells; and

wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to access the defined set of data as a single object from a source other than a host and manage the accessed defined set of data as the single object during subsequent write and read operations.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to store multiple copies of the single object and wherein each of the multiple copies is separately stored in the multiple memory blocks as determined by a set of rules for writing to physically separate memory blocks.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to store the multiple copies of the single object in a particular partition of the multiple physical memory blocks of memory cells.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to store each of the multiple copies of the single object in the particular partition contiguously in a number of the multiple physical memory blocks for end-to-end data integrity.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to store data in the multiple physical memory blocks as determined by logical block addressing.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to store data in particular logical block addresses.

44. A system, comprising:

a host control component that includes instructions stored on a non-transitory medium and that is configured to be operably coupled to a host in order to manage a system;

wherein the host control component is configured to be operably coupled to a control component of a solid state device having multiple solid state physical memory blocks of memory cells;

wherein the control component of the solid state device is configured to access a defined set of data in a block oriented manner from a source other than a host and manage the accessed defined set of data in the block oriented manner during subsequent write, store, and read operations;

wherein a set of rules is followed by the host control component and the solid state device control component to subsequently store the accessed defined set of data in a defined series of particular logical block addresses in a particular order;

wherein a write of the defined set of data includes the host control component providing an indicator to the solid state device control component to identify a last block of the defined set of data; and

wherein the solid state device control component is configured to read the defined set of data consecutively from a beginning to an end of the particular order of the defined set of data as if the defined set of data was stored in an object oriented manner.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the set of rules followed by the host control component and the solid state device control component allows a write of the defined set of data in separate and non-partitioned physical memory blocks in the multiple solid state device physical memory blocks.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the set of rules followed by the host control component and the solid state device control component includes a particular series of physical memory block numbers to write the defined set of data.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the write of the defined set of data is performed in a particular order.

48. The system of claim 44, wherein the solid state device control component is configured to store multiple copies of the defined set of data and wherein each of the multiple copies is separately stored to the multiple memory blocks as determined by the set of rules.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the solid state device control component is configured to manage the multiple copies of the defined set of data by providing the host control component read access to a last known-good copy of the defined set of data.

50. A method of object oriented memory in solid state devices, comprising:

accessing a defined set of data as a single object, wherein the accessing is from a source other than a host;

performing a read-verify operation on multiple copies of the accessed defined set of data prior to storing the single object in a number of memory blocks;

storing, after the accessing of the defined set of data from the source other than the host and performing the read-verify operation, multiple copies of the defined set of data as the single object in the number of memory blocks as formatted by a control component operably coupled to a solid state device that includes the number of solid state memory blocks.

51. A solid state device, comprising:

a control component coupled to one or more solid state memory arrays in the solid state device, wherein each of the one or more arrays has multiple physical blocks of memory cells and wherein the control component is configured to;

access a defined set of data as a single object from a source other than a host, wherein one or more iterations of the defined set of data are accessed;

independently verify, after the one or more iterations of the accessed data are accessed, multiple copies of the one or more data iterations prior to storing the single object in the number of arrays;

store, after the access of the defined set of data from the source other than the host, multiple copies of the one or more iterations to particular locations in the number of arrays as the single object.

52. A solid state device, comprising:

a control component coupled to one or more solid state memory arrays in the solid state device, wherein each of the one or more arrays has multiple physical blocks of memory cells and wherein the control component is configured to;

access a defined set of data as a single object from a source other than a host, wherein one or more iterations of the defined set of data are accessed;

independently verify, after the one or more iterations of the accessed data are accessed, multiple copies of the one or more data iterations prior to storing the single object in the one or more solid state memory arrays;

store, after the access of the defined set of data from the source other than the host, the multiple copies of the one or more iterations to particular locations in the number of arrays as the single object; and

save a new defined set of data as a last install and the last install will be defined as a known-good copy after the new defined set of data has booted successfully at least once as stored.

53. A solid state device, comprising:

a control component coupled to a number of solid state memory arrays in the solid state device, wherein each array has multiple physical blocks of memory cells and wherein the control component is configured to;

access a defined set of data as a single object from a source other than a host;

performing a read-verify operation on the accessed defined set of data;

store, after the access of the defined set of data from the source other than the host and the read-verify operation, the defined set of data in the number of arrays as the single object after completion of an atomic operation;

assign a pointer to a last known-good copy of the data in the arrays until completion of the atomic operation, wherein the pointer directs a read of the data to be performed on the last known-good copy;

perform an error correction operation that includes a bit-by-bit comparison of multiple previously read-verified and stored copies of the defined set of data; and

validate one or more copies from among the multiple copies by selecting from a majority of matching copies.