IP Library Granted Patent US 8,996,787
Granted Patent B2
US 8,996,787 · App. 13/367,154 · Granted Mar 31, 2015

Storage device aware of I/O transaction and stored data

Inventor: Doron Kettner (Rishon Le Zion, IL)
Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
G06F12/0238G06F2212/401
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,996,787
App. No.
13/367,154
Granted
Mar 31, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A storage device that is aware of I/O transactions and stored data is provided. In one embodiment, a storage device identifies a type of data stored in each logical partition of the storage device. When the storage device receives a request from the host device to access a logical partition of the memory, the storage device handles the request based on the identified type of data stored in the logical partition. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Claims (32)

1. A method for handling memory of a storage device, the method comprising:

performing the following in a storage device in communication with a host device, the storage device having a non-volatile memory:

analyzing a boot record stored in the storage device to identify a logical partition layout of the storage device;

identifying whether data stored in each logical partition of the storage device is backup data, data having a high compression efficiency, or data that is rarely accessed based on information in the logical partition layout identified from the boot record;

in response to identifying the type of data as backup data, data having a high compression efficiency, or data that is rarely accessed:

compressing the data; and

using free memory space resulting from compressing the data for an internal storage device operation, wherein a capacity reported to the host device as being available for storing additional data remains unchanged after compressing the data, and wherein the free memory space is not used for user data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage device identifies the type of data without involving the host device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a file system type for each logical partition of the storage device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying whether data stored in each logical partition of the storage device is temporary data; and

in response to identifying the type of data as temporary data, caching data in volatile memory of the storage device without storing it in the non-volatile memory or by storing the data in memory areas that lack power failure immunity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining non-active storage areas between two logical partitions; and

extending memory management capabilities by repurposing the determined non-active storage areas.

6. A storage device comprising:

an interface through which to communicate with a host device;

a non-volatile memory; and

a controller in communication with the interface and the non-volatile memory, the controller configured to:

analyze a boot record stored in the storage device to identify a logical partition layout of the storage device;

identify whether data stored in each logical partition of the storage device is backup data, data having a high compression efficiency, or data that is rarely accessed based on information in the logical partition layout identified from the boot record;

in response to identifying the type of data as backup data, data having a high compression efficiency, or data that is rarely accessed:

compress the data; and

use free memory space resulting from compressing the data for an internal storage device operation, wherein a capacity reported to the host device as being available for storing additional data remains unchanged after compressing the data, and wherein the free memory space is not used for user data.

7. The storage device of claim 6 , wherein the controller identifies the type of data without involving the host device.

8. The storage device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further operative to identify a file system type for each logical partition of the storage device.

9. The storage device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify whether data stored in each logical partition of the storage device is temporary data; and

in response to identifying the type of data as temporary data, cache data in volatile memory of the storage device without storing it in the non-volatile memory or by storing the data in memory areas that lack power failure immunity.

10. The storage device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine non-active storage areas between two logical partitions; and

extend memory management capabilities by repurposing the determined non-active storage areas.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 25, 2016
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 038807/0898 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2012
From: KETTNER, DORON
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 027660/0120 →
Continuity (1)
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