Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Patents Non-Volatile Memory Devices Using a Mapping Manager

Strategic Insights -

Developers at Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. have invented a non-volatile memory device that uses a mapping manager to improve data read operations. The invention relates to memory devices, particularly non-volatile memory devices, and aims to prevent erase operations from focusing on a specific block of a flash memory device. The mapping manager is designed to manage a plurality of logical blocks by a logical unit, including a unit map table that includes a correlation between the logical unit and a physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.

The mapping manager is configured to change a mapping method according to whether the unit map table includes a physical unit corresponding to a logical unit including a logical page requested by the host. When the unit map table includes the physical unit corresponding to the logical unit, the mapping manager uses a full block indicator to obtain a physical page corresponding to the logical page. When the unit map table does not include the physical unit corresponding to the logical unit, the mapping manager uses a page map table to obtain a physical page corresponding to the logical page.

The invention also includes a user device with a host and a storage device that performs a read operation on a physical page of a flash memory in response to a read request on a logical page of the flash memory from the host. The storage device manages a plurality of logical blocks by a logical unit and includes a unit map table that includes a correlation between the logical unit and a physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.

Key Takeaways:

  • The patent describes a non-volatile memory device that uses a mapping manager to manage data read operations.
  • The mapping manager is designed to manage a plurality of logical blocks by a logical unit, including a unit map table that includes a correlation between the logical unit and a physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.
  • The mapping manager is configured to change a mapping method according to whether the unit map table includes a physical unit corresponding to a logical unit including a logical page requested by the host.
  • The invention includes a user device with a host and a storage device that performs a read operation on a physical page of a flash memory in response to a read request on a logical page of the flash memory from the host.
  • The storage device manages a plurality of logical blocks by a logical unit and includes a unit map table that includes a correlation between the logical unit and a physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.
  • The mapping manager uses a full block indicator to obtain a physical page corresponding to the logical page when the unit map table includes the physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.
  • The mapping manager uses a page map table to obtain a physical page corresponding to the logical page when the unit map table does not include the physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.
  • The page map table is configured to have a correlation between the logical page and the corresponding physical page loaded onto the page map table from a meta area of the flash memory.
  • The non-volatile memory may include a flash memory, and the flash memory may include the mapping manager.

Statistics:

  • The patent was filed on January 16, 2013.
  • The patent was published online on August 25, 2015.
  • The patent has been assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
  • The invention relates to non-volatile memory devices.
  • The mapping manager is designed to manage a plurality of logical blocks by a logical unit.
  • The unit map table includes a correlation between the logical unit and a physical unit corresponding to the logical unit.
  • The mapping manager is configured to change a mapping method according to whether the unit map table includes a physical unit corresponding to a logical unit including a logical page requested by the host.

Sources:

  • Kim, Jong-Hyun; Im, Jung Been. Non-Volatile Memory Devices Using a Mapping Manager. U.S. Patent Number 9116795, filed January 16, 2013, and published online on August 25, 2015. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=9116795.PN.&OS=PN/9116795RS=PN/9116795