Cold storage partition management in proof of space blockchain systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12353744-B2
Application number	US-202217576634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2022
Priority date	Jan 14, 2022
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

Storage devices are configured to be utilized in a variety of blockchain related activities that rely on a proof of space consensus model. These storage devices are required to process a lot of read and write cycles on their memory devices to generate the desired proof of space consensus data. The generation and storing of this generated data requires very different types of memory device usage. Storage devices may be configured with a first partition for high-speed access for generating the data, while a second partition is also configured for long-term storage of the generated data. As memory devices reach their estimated end-of-life, they can be dynamically reassigned to the second partition. Likewise, some storage devices may be equipped with multiple memory arrays of different types of memory devices. One set of memory devices can be used for generation, while cheaper, write-once or few memory devices are provided for storage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a processor;
a first memory array comprising:
a plurality of memory devices including a NAND memory device;
wherein the plurality of memory devices are configured with a pre-determined ratio of a fast-access memory array and a long-term storage memory array;
wherein the long-term storage memory array comprises one or more ROM memory devices configured for programming;

a dynamic cold-storage partitioning logic configured to:
configure a first partition within the fast-access memory array for high-speed data access;
configure a second partition within the long-term storage memory array for long-term storage;
receive a request that a portion of data stored within the first partition is ready for storage within the second partition;
transfer the portion of data to the second partition; and
in response to a completed transfer of the portion of data, select and reconfigure at least a portion of the memory devices within the first partition for use within the second partition wherein the selection of the memory devices is based on a remaining lifespan of the memory devices; and

configuring the device with a pre-determined ratio of memory devices between a fast-access memory array and long-term storage memory array, wherein proof of storage plots are processed until the fast-access memory array becomes inoperable.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein, the transfer of the portion of data utilizes a low-error writing method.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the low-error writing method is a slower writing method.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transferring of the portion of data is done in response to a received command from a host indicating the completion of processing the portion of data.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the received command is a vendor-specific command.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the portion of data comprises proof of space consensus data.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the proof of space consensus data is a plot of data associated with Chia cryptocurrency.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein a size of the second partition grows in relation to a number of plots being stored.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the memory devices utilized to create plots within the first partition are selected for reconfiguration into the second partition.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein a size of the second partition is dynamically increased in size in order to store generated plots, and wherein a number of memory devices selected for reconfiguration within the second partition is determined to allow for the storage of newly generated plot within the second partition.

11. A device comprising:
a processor;
a first memory array comprising:
a plurality of memory devices configured for high-speed access;
a NAND memory device;

a second memory array comprising:
a plurality of memory devices configured for long-term storage including one or more ROM memory devices configured to be programmed once;
wherein the first memory array and the second memory array are configured with a pre-determined ratio; and
a dynamic cold-storage partitioning logic configured to:
receive a request that a portion of data stored within the first memory array is ready for storage within the second memory array;
transferring the portion of data to the second memory array; and
wherein, the portion of data is a proof of space consensus data configured for long-term storage.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first memory array is configured as a first partition and the second memory array is configured as a second partition.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the proof of space consensus data is plot data associated with Chia cryptocurrency.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the plot data is generated within the first memory array and subsequently stored within the second memory array.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein a size of the second memory array is configured to match a projected number of plots that can be generated within the first memory array.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the number of plots projected to be generated within the first memory array is based on an average lifespan of the memory devices utilized within the first memory device.

17. A method of managing partitions for storing proof of space consensus data, comprising:
configuring a device with a pre-determined ratio of memory devices between a fast-access memory array and long-term storage memory array;
wherein the fast-access memory array comprises a NAND memory device, and the long-term storage memory array comprises ROM memory devices configured to be programmed once;

configuring a first partition within the device for high-speed data access;
configuring a second partition within the device for long-term storage;
processing proof of space consensus data within the first partition;
receiving a host request that a selected portion of data stored within the first partition is ready for storage within the second partition;
transferring the selected portion of data to the second partition utilizing a low-error writing process; and
in response to completion of the transfer of the selected portion of data, select and reconfigure at least a portion of memory devices within the first partition for use within the second partition wherein the selection of the memory devices is based on a remaining lifespan of the memory devices.

Assignees

• Western Digital Tech Inc
• Sandisk Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Avraham David
• Bazarsky Alexander
• Zamir Ran

Classifications

• G06F2212/7204

  Capacity control, e.g. partitioning, end-of-life degradation · CPC title

• G06F3/0659

  Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling · CPC title

• G06F3/0616 Primary

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

• G06F3/061

  Improving I/O performance · CPC title

• G06F3/0683

  Plurality of storage devices · CPC title