Method for generating physical identifier in storage device and machine-readable storage medium

• US 9,136,010 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Bo-Gyeong, Ko, Jung-Wan, Choi, Soo-Hwan, Hwang, Sung-Hee, Lee, Byung-Rae
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waddy, Jr., Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/085,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20110252189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/162, 711/E12.008, 711/170, 711/154, 711/E12.001, 711/E12.078, 711/E12.103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7209 Validity control, e.g. using flags, time stamps or sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00115 wherein the record carrier stores a unique medium identifier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00963 wherein said defects or errors are not generated on purpose, e.g. random defect patterns occurring during the normal manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/60 Solid state media details of solid state memory devices G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/00 Erasable programmable read-only memories G11C14/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/20 Initialising; Data preset; Chip identification
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3418 Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/349 Arrangements for evaluating degradation, retention or wearout, e.g. by counting erase cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2029/4402 Internal storage of test result, quality data, chip identification, repair information
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/42 using error correcting codes [ECC] or parity check
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/44 Indication or identification of errors, e.g. for repair

Abstract

A method and system for generating a physical identifier in a storage device that includes a plurality of storage regions is provided. The method includes determining a number of reference storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device; comparing the number of reference storage regions to a threshold; generating auxiliary storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device, such that a number of the auxiliary storage regions corresponds to a result of the comparison; generating location distribution information of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions; and storing the location distribution information in the storage device.

Claims

1. A method for generating a physical identifier in a storage device that includes a plurality of storage regions, the method comprising:

Determining, by a host device, a number of reference storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device;

comparing, by the host device, the number of reference storage regions to a threshold;

generating, by the host device, auxiliary storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device, such that a number of the auxiliary storage regions is determined based on a difference between a function value of the number of reference storage regions and the threshold;

generating, by the host device, location distribution information of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions; and

storing, by the host device, the location distribution information in the storage device,

wherein each of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions is a block of memory in the storage device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the reference storage regions and the auxiliary storage regions are bad blocks.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference storage regions are bad blocks, and the auxiliary storage regions are read-only storage blocks.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the reference storage regions and the auxiliary storage regions are read-only storage blocks.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the number of reference storage regions comprises:

determining bad blocks having program or erasing errors among the plurality of storage regions; and

determining bad blocks having read errors among the plurality of storage regions.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising encrypting the location distribution information, wherein the encrypted location distribution information is stored in the storage device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary storage regions are regions randomly selected from among the plurality of storage regions.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium recording a program for execution of a method for generating a physical identifier in a storage device that includes a plurality of storage regions, the method comprising:

determining, by a host device, a number of reference storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device;

comparing, by the host device, the number of reference storage regions to a threshold;

generating, by the host device, auxiliary storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device, such that a number of the auxiliary storage regions is determined based on a difference between a function value of the number of reference storage regions and the threshold;

generating, by the host device, location distribution information of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions; and

storing, by the host device, the location distribution information in the storage device,

wherein each of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions is a block of memory in the storage device.

9. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 8, wherein both the reference storage regions and the auxiliary storage regions are bad blocks.

10. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reference storage regions are bad blocks, and the auxiliary storage regions are read-only storage blocks.

11. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 8, wherein both the reference storage regions and the auxiliary storage regions are read-only storage blocks.

12. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 8, wherein determining the number of reference storage regions comprises:

determining bad blocks having program or erasing errors among the plurality of storage regions; and

determining bad blocks having read errors among the plurality of storage regions.

13. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 8, further comprising encrypting the location distribution information, wherein the encrypted location distribution information is stored in the storage device.

14. The machine-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 8, wherein the auxiliary storage regions are regions randomly selected from among the plurality of storage regions.

15. A host device for generating a physical identifier comprising:

a storage device including a plurality of storage regions; and

at least one controller for determining a number of reference storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device, comparing the number of reference storage regions to a threshold, generating auxiliary storage regions for uniquely identifying the storage device, such that a number of the auxiliary storage regions is determined based on a difference between a function value of the number of reference storage regions and the threshold, generating location distribution information of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions, and storing the location distribution information in the storage device,

wherein each of the reference storage regions and auxiliary storage regions is a block of memory in the storage device.