SLC-MLC wear balancing
First Claim
1. A method for managing usage of a single level cell (SLC) portion and a multi-level cell (MLC) portion in a storage device, the method comprising:
- in the storage device having a controller and a memory in communication with the controller, the memory including the SLC portion and the MLC portion;
accessing a current SLC-MLC wear balance for the storage device;
determining, based on the current SLC-MLC wear balance, whether to change a value of a parameter, the value of the parameter used to determine whether to perform an operation on at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion;
in response to determining to change the value of the parameter, selecting a new value for the parameter, the new value being different from the value of the parameter and being selected based on the current SLC-MLC wear balance for the storage device;
changing the value of the parameter to the new value; and
after changing the value of the parameter, using the new value of the parameter to determine whether to perform the operation on the at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for SLC-MLC Wear Balancing in a flash memory device is disclosed. The flash memory device includes a single level cell (SLC) portion and a multi-level cell (MLC) portion. The age of the SLC portion and the MLC portion may differ, leading potentially to one portion wearing out before the other. In order to avoid this, a controller is configured to receive an age indicator from one or both of the SLC portion and the MLC portion, determine, based on the age indicator, whether to modify operation of the SLC portion and/or the MLC portion, and in response to determining to modifying operation, modify the operation of the at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion. The modification of the operation may thus balance wear between the SLC and MLC portions, thereby potentially extending the life of the flash memory device.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for managing usage of a single level cell (SLC) portion and a multi-level cell (MLC) portion in a storage device, the method comprising:
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in the storage device having a controller and a memory in communication with the controller, the memory including the SLC portion and the MLC portion; accessing a current SLC-MLC wear balance for the storage device; determining, based on the current SLC-MLC wear balance, whether to change a value of a parameter, the value of the parameter used to determine whether to perform an operation on at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion; in response to determining to change the value of the parameter, selecting a new value for the parameter, the new value being different from the value of the parameter and being selected based on the current SLC-MLC wear balance for the storage device; changing the value of the parameter to the new value; and after changing the value of the parameter, using the new value of the parameter to determine whether to perform the operation on the at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A storage device comprising:
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a memory including a single level cell (SLC) portion and a multi-level cell (MLC) portion; and a controller in communication with the memory, the controller configured to; access a current SLC-MLC wear balance for the storage device; determine, based on the current SLC-MLC wear balance, whether to change a value of a parameter, the value of the parameter used to determine whether to perform an operation on at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion; in response to determining to change the value of the parameter, select a new value for the parameter, the new value being different from the value of the parameter and being selected based on the current SLC-MLC wear balance for the storage device; change the value of the parameter to the new value; and after changing the value of the parameter, use the new value of the parameter to determine whether to perform the operation on the at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification