Data storage system

• US 9,811,461 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BiTMICRO, LLC (BiTMICRO Networks, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BiTMICRO Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Fenol, Marvin Dela Cruz, Abad, Jik-Jik Oyong, Pestano, Precious Nezaiah Umali
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardwell, Eric S
• Application Number:
  US14/690,370
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0833 in combination with broadcast means (e.g. for invalidation or updating)
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/62 Details of cache specific to multiprocessor cache arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7201 Logical to physical mapping or translation of blocks or pages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7202 Allocation control and policies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7203 Temporary buffering, e.g. using volatile buffer or dedicated buffer blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7204 Capacity control, e.g. partitioning, end-of-life degradation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7206 Reconfiguration of flash memory system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7207 management of metadata or control data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7209 Validity control, e.g. using flags, time stamps or sequence numbers

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises: requesting an update or modification on a control data in at least one flash block in a storage memory; requesting a cache memory; replicating, from the storage memory to the cache memory, the control data to be updated or to be modified; moving a clean cache link list to a dirty cache link list so that the dirty cache link list is changed to reflect the update or modification on the control data; and moving the dirty cache link list to a for flush link list and writing an updated control data from the for flush link list to a free flash page in the storage memory.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

requesting an update or modification on a control data in at least one flash block in a storage memory;

requesting a cache memory for a vacant cache memory area in the cache memory;

replicating, from the storage memory to the cache memory wherein the cache memory is a volatile memory, the control data to be updated or to be modified;

moving a clean cache link list to a dirty cache link list so that the control data is changed in the cache memory and so that the dirty cache link list is changed to reflect the update or modification on the control data; and

moving the dirty cache link list to a for flush link list and writing an updated control data from the for flush link list to a free flash page in the storage memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cache memory is used as a temporary location for modifying the control data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one flash block comprises at least one flash page and wherein the at least one flash page comprises a control data identifier information and control data information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

returning the for flush link list to the clean cache link list in the cache memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dirty cache link list is moved to the for flush link list prior to writing the updated control data to the storage memory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises at least one solid state drive (SSD).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises at least one flash memory device.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a control data flushing system configured to;

request an update or modification on a control data in at least one flash block in a storage memory;

request a cache memory for a vacant cache memory area in the cache memory;

replicate, from the storage memory to the cache memory wherein the cache memory is a volatile memory, the control data to be updated or to be modified;

move a clean cache link list to a dirty cache link list so that the control data is changed in the cache memory and so that the dirty cache link list is changed to reflect the update or modification on the control data; and

move the dirty cache link list to a for flush link list and write an updated control data from the for flush link list to a free flash page in the storage memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cache memory is used as a temporary location for modifying the control data.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one flash block comprises at least one flash page and wherein the at least one flash page comprises a control data identifier information and control data information.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control data flushing system is configured to return the for flush link list to the clean cache link list in the cache memory.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dirty cache link list is moved to the for flush link list prior to writing the updated control data to the storage memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the storage device comprises at least one solid state drive (SSD).

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the storage device comprises at least one flash memory device.

15. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to permit an apparatus to;

request an update or modification on a control data in at least one flash block in a storage memory;

request a cache memory for a vacant cache memory area in the cache memory;

replicate, from the storage memory to the cache memory wherein the cache memory is a volatile memory, the control data to be updated or to be modified;

move a clean cache link list to a dirty cache link list so that the control data is changed in the cache memory and so that the dirty cache link list is changed to reflect the update or modification on the control data; and

move the dirty cache link list to a for flush link list and writing an updated control data from the for flush link list to a free flash page in the storage memory.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the instructions to permit an apparatus to:

returning the for flush link list to the clean cache link list in the cache memory.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the dirty cache link list is moved to the for flush link list prior to writing the updated control data to the storage memory.