Storage device with flash memory and data storage method

• US 9,037,776 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yu, Bum-seok
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KAUSHIKKUMAR M
• Application Number:
  US12/780,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1004 to protect a block of data words, e.g. CRC or checksum G06F11/1076 takes precedence; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorized activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0873 Mapping of cache memory to specific storage devices or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7201 Logical to physical mapping or translation of blocks or pages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0616 in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/09 Error detection only, e.g. using cyclic redundancy check [CRC] codes or single parity bit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/096 Checksums
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/098 using single parity bit

Abstract

A method of storing write data in flash memory incorporated in a storage device, the method includes; receiving write data and a logical block address (LBA) for the flash memory, determining whether the LBA exists in the cache memory, if the LBA exists in the cache memory, comparing the write data with cache data stored in the cache memory at a location associated with the LBA, and if the write data and the cache data are the same, terminating operation of the storage device without programming the write data to the flash memory, else updating an error detection information lookup table entry associated with the LBA and programming the write data to the flash memory, and if the LBA does not exist in the cache memory, updating the error detection information lookup table entry associated with the LBA and programming the write data to the flash memory.

Claims

1. A method of storing data in a storage device including a flash memory, the method comprising:

receiving data which is to be stored in the flash memory and a logical block address (LBA) of the flash memory in which the data will be stored from a host;

determining whether the LBA exists in a cache memory of the storage device;

if the LBA exists in the cache memory of the storage device, comparing first error detection information corresponding to the data transmitted from the host with second error detection information of data corresponding to the LBA and stored in the cache memory;

if the first error detection information and the second error detection information are the same as each other, comparing the data transmitted from the host with the data stored in the cache memory;

if the data transmitted from the host and the data stored in the cache memory are the same as each other, omitting an operation of storing the data transmitted from the host in the flash memory;

if the first error detection information and the second error detection information are not the same as each other or the data transmitted from the host and the data stored in the cache memory are not the same as each other, further comprising storing the data transmitted from the host in the flash memory.

2. The method of claim 1, if the LBA does not exist in the cache memory of the storage device, further comprising:

reading data corresponding to the LBA from the flash memory; and

writing the data read from the flash memory in the cache memory.

3. The method of claim 1, if the LBA does not exist in the cache memory of the storage device, further comprising storing the data transmitted from the host in the flash memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first error detection information and second error detection information are generated by at least one selected from the group consisting of a cycle redundancy check (CRC) method, a parity method, and a checksum method.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is a solid-state drive (SSD).