Systems and methods of loading data from a non-volatile memory to a volatile memory

• US 8,914,594 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Iarovici, Yaniv, Yerushalmi, Daniel Zvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gu, Shawn X
• Application Number:
  US13/335,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20130166819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/068 Hybrid storage device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method may be performed in a data storage device that includes a controller, a non-volatile memory, and a volatile memory. The method includes loading a first portion of stored data from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory according to one or more load priority indicators accessible to the controller. The method further includes, in response to completion of the loading of the first portion of the stored data to the volatile memory and prior to completion of loading a second portion of the stored data to the volatile memory, sending a signal to indicate to a host device operatively coupled to the data storage device that the volatile memory is ready for use by the host device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a data storage device with a controller, a non-volatile memory, and a volatile memory, wherein the data storage device is operatively coupled to a host device, performing;

loading a first portion of stored data from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory according to one or more load priority indicators accessible to the controller; and

in response to completion of the loading of the first portion of the stored data to the volatile memory and prior to completion of loading a second portion of the stored data to the volatile memory, sending a signal to indicate to the host device that the volatile memory is ready for use by the host device,

wherein sending the signal in response to completion of the loading of the first portion to the volatile memory enables use by the host device of the first portion during loading of the second portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data storage device is in a hibernation state prior to loading the first portion to the volatile memory and wherein the data storage device enters an active state after sending the signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are read from an access table stored in the non-volatile memory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are updated by the controller.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to receive the one or more load priority indicators from the host device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based at least in part on user input received from the host device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as having a higher priority than other data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as being most active data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as being most recently used data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as being on a list provided by an operating system of the data storage device or of the host device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on historical data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the historical data corresponds to host application data requests.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the volatile memory entering a low-power state, copying the stored data from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving a request from the host device for particular stored data in the second portion:

pausing the loading of the second portion;

loading the particular stored data from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory; and

resuming the loading of the second portion.

15. A data storage device comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

a volatile memory; and

a controller configured to cause the volatile memory to exit a low-power state, wherein the controller is further configured to load a first portion of stored data from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory according to one or more load priority indicators accessible to the controller and wherein the controller is further configured, in response to completion of the loading of the first portion to the volatile memory and prior to completion of loading a second portion of the stored data to the volatile memory, to send a signal to indicate to a host device that the volatile memory is ready for use by the host device.

16. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the controller further is configured to read the one or more load priority indicators from an access table stored in the non-volatile memory.

17. The data storage device of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to update the one or more load priority indicators.

18. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the one or more load priority indicators from the host device.

19. The data storage device of claim 18, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based at least in part on user input received from the host device.

20. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as having a higher priority than other data.

21. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as being most active data.

22. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as being most recently used data.

23. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on data that is indicated by the controller as being on a list provided by an operating system of the data storage device or of the host device.

24. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the one or more load priority indicators are based on historical data.

25. The data storage device of claim 24, wherein the historical data corresponds to host application data requests.

26. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to, prior to the volatile memory entering the low-power state, copy the stored data from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory.

27. The data storage device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to receiving a request from the host device for particular stored data in the second portion, pause the loading of the second portion, load the particular stored data from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory, and resume the loading of the second portion.