Method, device and data structure for data storage on memory devices
A method is provided for storing data on memory devices comprising a plurality of erasable units, wherein the size of said erasable units is an integer multiple of a first integer value, comprising providing a data structure comprising a plurality of data units each including a data unit header, wherein the size of said data units is equal to said first integer value, a plurality of data items and corresponding data item headers within each data unit, associating at least one data unit to each erasable unit, storing said data in said data items and storing data item status information in the corresponding data item headers, and storing data unit status information in said data unit headers.
1. A method comprising:
programming data on at least one memory device comprising creating a data structure image to program a plurality of erasable units of said at least one memory device, wherein a size of said erasable units is an integer multiple of a first integer value, the method further comprising:
providing a data structure image comprising:
creating a plurality of data items each including a data item header, wherein a size of each said data item being equal to said first integer value; and
creating a plurality of data units each including a corresponding data unit header and at least one data item, a size of each data unit being a third integer value, multiple of said first integer value;
associating a determined amount of the data units to each erasable unit, the size of each erasable unit being a second integer value, multiple of the first integer value and divisible by the third integer value, wherein said determined amount of the data units associated to each erasable unit is determined based on an amount of the data units that will fit into a smallest possible writeable unit size of the erasable unit associated with the second integer value;
storing said data in said data items and storing data item status information in the corresponding data item headers;
storing data unit status information in said data unit headers; and
using said data structure image to program said plurality of erasable units on said at least one memory device.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a size of said data item headers is an integer multiple of said smallest possible writable unit.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the size of said erasable units is at least twice said first integer value;
at least two data units are associated to each erasable unit; and
a single data unit header within each erasable unit is used for storing status information of all data units associated with the same erasable unit.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the programming comprises initial programming of said at least one memory device, the method further comprising:
reading out the status information of all data unit headers; and
storing status information of all data units associated with the same erasable unit in a single data unit header within said erasable unit.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said data unit header is used to store the status information of all data units within the associated erasable unit.
6. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising program code to instruct a device on which said program product runs to perform a method comprising:
providing a data structure image to program a plurality of erasable units of at least one memory device comprising:
creating a plurality of data items each including a data item header, wherein a size of each said data item being equal to said first integer value;
creatine a plurality of data units each including a corresponding data unit header and at least one data item, the size of each data unit being a third integer value, multiple of said first integer value;
associating a determined amount of data units to each erasable unit, the size of each erasable unit being a second integer value, multiple of the first integer value and divisible by the third integer value, wherein said determined amount of the data units associated to each erasable unit is determined based on an amount of the data units that will fit into a smallest possible writeable unit size of the erasable unit associated with the second integer;
storing said data in said data items and storing data item status information in the corresponding data item headers;
storing data unit status information in said data unit headers; and
using said data structure image to program said plurality of erasable units on said at least one memory device.
7. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said data unit header is used to store the status information of all data units within the associated erasable unit.
8. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a data structure image for programming data on at least one memory device comprising a plurality of erasable units, wherein the size of said erasable units is an integer multiple of a first integer value, wherein said data structure image comprises:
a plurality of data items each including a data item header, wherein a size of each said data item is equal to said first integer value; and
a plurality of data units each including a corresponding data unit header and at least one data item, the size of each data unit being a third integer value, multiple of said first integer value;
associating a determined amount of data units to each erasable unit, the size of each erasable unit being a second integer value, said determined amount of at least one data unit provided for each erasable unit is determined based on an amount of the data units that will fit into a smallest possible writeable unit size of the erasable unit and associated with the second integer;
said data items being adapted to store payload data,
said data item headers being adapted to store data item status information and
said data unit headers being adapted to store data unit status information; and
using said data structure image to program said plurality of erasable units of said at least one memory device.
9. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the size of said data item headers is an integer multiple of said smallest possible writable unit.
10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein said data structure image is part of a memory device.
11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory device is part of an electronic device.
12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 8 , wherein the size of the erasable units of each memory device is an integer multiple of the first integer value, and wherein the size of the erase units of one of said memory devices is different from the size of the erase units of the other one of said memory devices.