Storage system with multiple components and method for use therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11211141-B2
Application number	US-202016888622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	Aug 26, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A storage system with several integrated components and method for use therewith are provided. In one embodiment, a storage system comprising: a plurality of non-volatile memory devices; a controller in communication with the plurality of non-volatile memory devices; a plurality of data buffers in communication with the controller and configured to store data sent between the controller and an input/output bus; and a command and address buffer configured to store commands and addresses sent from a host, wherein the command and address buffer is further configured to synchronize data flow into and out of the plurality of data buffer; wherein at least three of the above components are integrated with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage system, comprising:
non-volatile memories;
data buffers;
a driver; and
a controller;
wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a host and the storage system have agreed to use, for data to be read from the non-volatile memories, non-deterministic reads or deterministic reads,
wherein when the controller determines that the host and the storage system have agreed to use the non-deterministic reads, the controller is configured to cause holding each data read, from the non-volatile memories, for a send command to be received from the host, and preventing transmission of the each read data to the host until receiving the respective send command,
otherwise, the controller is configured to determine that the host and the storage system have agreed to use the deterministic reads, and the controller is configured to cause transmitting the each read data, from the non-volatile memories, to the host when an elapsed time does not exceed a pre-determined time,

wherein the driver is configured to receive, from the host, a read command, an address and a read identifier, configured to provide, to the controller, the read command, the address and the read identifier, and configured to provide, to the data buffers, the read command and the read identifier but not the address,
wherein the controller is configured to read requested data from the non-volatile memories and configured to provide the requested data and the read identifier to the data buffers, and
wherein the data buffers are configured to place the requested data into an allocated space identified by the read identifier, for transmission to the host.

2. The storage system of claim 1 ,
wherein the non-deterministic reads are defined to complete transmitting the each read data to the host irrespective of the pre-determined time, and
wherein the deterministic reads are defined to complete transmitting the each read data to the host only within the pre-determined time.

3. The storage system of claim 1 , comprising:
one or more first memories configured to store data sent between the controller and an input/output interface; and
at least one second memory configured to store commands received from the host,
wherein the one or more first memories are configured to be used for the non-deterministic reads and for the deterministic reads, and
wherein the at least one second memory is configured to be used for the non-deterministic reads and for the deterministic reads.

4. The storage system of claim 1 ,
wherein when the host and the storage system have agreed to use the non-deterministic reads, for all data to be read from the non-volatile memories for transmission to the host, then with respect to determining when to transmit the each read data, the controller is prevented from using, a determination whether the elapsed time exceeds the pre-determined time, to transmit the each read data to the host, and
wherein when the host and the storage system have agreed to use the deterministic reads, for all the data to be read from the non-volatile memories for transmission to the host, then with respect to determining when to transmit the each read data, the controller is prevented from using, the respective send command received, to transmit the each read data to the host.

5. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein physical and command layers of the storage system are configured to be compatible with one or more of the following: unbuffered dual in-line memory module, registered dual in-line memory module, and load-reduced dual in-line memory module, and
wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the host using a clock-data parallel interface, and
wherein the driver is a registered clock driver.

6. The storage system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause:
receiving a write command from the host, wherein the host is allowed only a certain number of outstanding write commands as tracked by a write counter in the host;
performing an operation having an undetermined duration from a perspective of the host;
writing data to the non-volatile memories; and
after the data to the non-volatile memories has been written, sending a write counter increase signal to the host.

7. The storage system of claim 1 ,
wherein the pre-determined time has been agreed by the host and the storage system, and
wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the host and the storage system have agreed to use either the non-deterministic reads for all data to be read from the non-volatile memories, or the deterministic reads for all data to be read from the non-volatile memories.

8. The storage system of claim 1 ,
wherein the data buffers are configured to allocate space before receiving the requested data and configured to reference the allocated space with the read identifier,
wherein the controller is configured to provide, to the driver, a completion signal and the read identifier, and
wherein the driver is configured to provide, to the host, a ready signal and the read identifier, configured to receive a corresponding send command from the host, and in response, configured to send a request to the controller to have the data buffers transmit, to the host, the requested data associated with the read identifier.

9. The storage system of claim 1 ,
wherein the data buffers have the allocated space having an identifier correlated to the read identifier within the driver,
wherein the controller is configured to provide, to the driver, a completion signal and the read identifier, and
wherein the driver is configured to provide, to the host, a ready signal and the read identifier, configured to receive a corresponding send command from the host, and in response, configured to send a request to the controller to have the data buffers transmit, to the host, the requested data associated with the read identifier.

10. The storage system of claim 8 ,
wherein the storage system comprises a response buffer,
wherein the data buffers are configured to allocate space before receiving the requested data and configured to reference the allocated space with the read identifier,
wherein the response buffer is configured to provide, to the host, a ready signal,
wherein the driver is configured to receive a corresponding send command from the host, and in response, configured to send a request to the controller to have the data buffers transmit, to the host, the requested data associated with the read identifier.

11. A method for a storage system comprising non-volatile memories, data buffers, a driver and a controller and, the method comprising:
determining, by the controller, whether a host and the storage system have agreed to use, for data to be read from the non-volatile memories, non-deterministic reads or deterministic reads,
wherein the determining comprises determining, by the controller, that the host and the storage system have agreed to use the non-deterministic reads but not the deterministic reads, and the controller performs operations comprising:
holding each data read, from the non-volatile memories, for a send command to be received from the host; and
preventing transmission of the each read data to the host until receiving the respective send command,

wherein the storage system comprises one or more first memories, and the method comprises storing, in the one or more first memories, the each data read from the non-volatile memories for the non-deterministic reads,
wherein the one or more first memories are used for the non-deterministic reads and are to be used for the deterministic reads, and
wherein the method comprises:
receiving, by the

Assignees

• Sandisk Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Helmick Daniel L
• Lueker-Boden Martin V

Classifications

• G11C29/52 Primary

  Protection of memory contents; Detection of errors in memory contents · CPC title

• G11C5/04

  Supports for storage elements {, e.g. memory modules}; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports · CPC title

• G06F11/1048

  using arrangements adapted for a specific error detection or correction feature · CPC title

• G06F3/0616

  in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF] · CPC title

• G06F3/0656

  Data buffering arrangements · CPC title