Host-managed logical mass storage device using magnetic random access memory (MRAM)
View Patent ↗A mass storage device includes a storage media with magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices and a NAND flash interface and NAND flash memory devices that are coupled to the MRAM devices. The storage media has partitions (Logical Units (LUNs)) made of a combination of MRAM and NAND flash memory and further includes a controller with a host interface and a NAND flash interface coupled to the MRAM and NAND flash memory devices through a flash interface. A host is coupled to the controller through the host interface and the storage media communicates attributes to the host, an attribute being associated with one of the partitions, where the host uses the partition based on their attributes to optimize its performance.
1. A storage device in communication with a host to transfer data thereto and therefrom, the storage device comprising:
a storage media including a memory and a non-volatile memory, the memory and non-volatile memory having distinct attributes, the storage media including one or more hybrid logical unit (LUN) memory arrays made of at least a portion of the memory and at least a portion of the non-volatile memory, each portion of the memory and non-volatile having an attribute, the attribute of the portion of the memory being distinct from the attribute of the portion of the non-volatile memory, the LUN memory arrays utilized by the host to store data based on the attributes of the portion of the memory and the attributed of the portion of non-volatile memory to substantially optimize performance thereof.
2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein critical data is stored in the portion of the memory and non-critical data is stored in the portion of the non-volatile memory.
3. The storage device of claim 2 , wherein the critical data includes file allocation tables (FAT), directories, index structures, enhanced user data, or any combination thereof.
4. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein a capacity of the non-volatile memory is greater than a capacity of the memory.
5. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the attributes of the memory and the non-volatile memory includes grade thereof, the grade of the memory being greater than the grade of the non-volatile memory.
6. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the memory is resistive RAM or phase change memory.
7. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory is resistive RAM or phase change memory.
8. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory includes NAND memory and the memory includes magnetic random access memory (MRAM), resistive memory, or phase change memory.