IP Library Granted Patent US 10,037,172
Granted Patent B2
US 10,037,172 · App. 15/194,788 · Granted Jul 31, 2018

Memory system and controlling method

Inventors: Takeshi Tanaka (Kawasaki, JP); Kenichi Iwai (Yokohama, JP); Maoko Oyamada (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
G06F3/0679G06F3/0616G06F3/0659
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,037,172
App. No.
15/194,788
Granted
Jul 31, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a controller. The controller controls throttling to make a performance value of the memory system fall between a first performance value and a second performance value. The throttling limits the number of times of accesses per unit time to a nonvolatile memory. The first performance value is calculated based on a third performance value of the memory system and is greater than the third performance value. The third performance value is a value which is expected to be reached at a time when a first period has elapsed since the memory system started being used if throttling is not performed. The second performance value is provided between the first performance value and the third performance value.

Claims (32)

1. A memory system comprising:

a nonvolatile memory; and

a controller configured to control access to the nonvolatile memory based on a command from a host device, wherein

the controller is configured to:

control throttling to decrease a performance value of the memory system to a value between a first performance value and a second performance value in accordance with a first command related to a setting of the memory system received from the host device, the throttling limiting the number of times of accesses per unit time to the nonvolatile memory, the first performance value including a value which is calculated based on a third performance value of the memory system and which is greater than the third performance value, the third performance value including a value which is expected to be reached at a time when a first period has elapsed since the memory system started being used if throttling is not performed, the second performance value including a value provided between the first performance value and the third performance value; and

stop controlling the throttling, when a period that has elapsed since the memory system started being used exceeds a second period shorter than the first period, the second period ending at a time when the performance value of the memory system assumed if the throttling is not performed is expected to decrease to the first performance value.

2. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to gradually loosen limitation by the throttling to return the performance value of the memory system to the first performance value whenever the performance value of the memory system decreases to the second performance value.

3. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to remove limitation by the throttling, when unexpected power loss or power failure is detected.

4. The memory system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to resume limitation by the throttling performed when the unexpected power loss or power failure is detected, when the memory system is restarted after the unexpected power loss or power failure is detected.

5. The memory system of claim 1 , comprising a temperature sensor,

wherein the controller is configured to control the throttling based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

6. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the first performance value is calculated by multiplying the third performance value by a first constant.

7. The memory system of claim 6 , wherein the first constant is 1.1.

8. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the throttling limits the number of times of accesses per unit time to the nonvolatile memory by adjusting a loop interval between write/erase operations repeated in a write/erase process for the nonvolatile memory.

9. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the first command is a MODE SELECT command conforming to a SCSI standard and transferring a Control Extension mode page with a device life control (DLC) bit set to zero.

10. A controlling method of a memory system comprising a nonvolatile memory, the method comprising:

receiving a command from a host device;

controlling throttling to decrease a performance value of the memory system to a value between a first performance value and a second performance value in accordance with a first command related to a setting of the memory system received from the host device, the throttling limiting the number of times of accesses per unit time to the nonvolatile memory, the first performance value including a value which is calculated based on a third performance value of the memory system and which is greater than the third performance value, the third performance value including a value which is expected to be reached at a time when a first period has elapsed since the memory system started being used if throttling is not performed, the second performance value including a value provided between the first performance value and the third performance value; and

stopping controlling the throttling, when a period that has elapsed since the memory system started being used exceeds a second period shorter than the first period, the second period ending at a time when the performance value of the memory system assumed if the throttling is not performed is expected to decrease to the first performance value.

11. The controlling method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the throttling comprises gradually loosening limitation by the throttling to return the performance value of the memory system to the first performance value whenever the performance value of the memory system decreases to the second performance value.

12. The controlling method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the throttling comprises removing limitation by the throttling, when unexpected power loss or power failure is detected.

13. The controlling method of claim 12 , wherein the controlling the throttling comprises resuming limitation by the throttling performed when the unexpected power loss or power failure is detected, when the memory system is restarted after the unexpected power loss or power failure is detected.

14. The controlling method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling the throttling comprises controlling the throttling based on a temperature detected by a temperature sensor.

15. The controlling method of claim 10 , wherein the first performance value is calculated by multiplying the third performance value by a first constant.

16. The controlling method of claim 15 , wherein the first constant is 1.1.

17. The controlling method of claim 10 , wherein the throttling limits the number of times of accesses per unit time to the nonvolatile memory by adjusting a loop interval between write/erase operations repeated in a write/erase process for the nonvolatile memory.

18. The controlling method of claim 10 , wherein the first command is a MODE SELECT command conforming to a SCSI standard and transferring a Control Extension mode page with a device life control (DLC) bit set to zero.

19. A memory system comprising:

a nonvolatile memory comprising a first storage area and a second storage area, the second storage area being a spare area of the nonvolatile memory; and

a controller to

control throttling based on a status of the second storage area during a time period that has elapsed since the memory system started being used, the throttling limiting the number of times of accesses per unit time to the nonvolatile memory; and

stop the throttling after the time period.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043620/0798 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2016
From: TANAKA, TAKESHI; IWAI, KENICHI; OYAMADA, MAOKO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 039026/0921 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62292889 · Feb 9, 2016
Related Publication 20170228159A1 · Aug 10, 2017