IP Library Granted Patent US 12,632,191
Granted Patent B2
US 12,632,191 · App. 18/456,856 · Granted May 19, 2026

Dynamically determining a ratio of memory blocks to include in a garbage collection process

Inventors: Bishwajit Dutta (Bengaluru, IN); Sharath Shivakumar (Bengaluru, IN); Chandramani Sharma (Bengaluru, IN); Amit Sharma (Bengaluru, IN)
Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.
G06F3/0644G06F3/0604G06F3/0608G06F3/0652G06F3/0679G06F3/0685G06F12/0253G06F3/0655
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,632,191
App. No.
18/456,856
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A data storage device includes a first partition having memory blocks of a first type and a second partition having memory blocks of a second type. The second partition also includes hybrid memory blocks. A storage balancing system monitors a state of each partition and determines whether to initiate a garbage collection process. The storage balancing system also determines whether hybrid memory blocks, if included in the garbage collection process, are replaceable by allocating memory blocks of the second type as new hybrid memory blocks. If the storage balancing system determines the hybrid memory blocks are not replaceable, the storage balancing system dynamically determines a ratio of memory blocks of the first type and hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process.

Claims (31)

1 . A method, comprising:

monitoring an amount of available space in a first partition of a data storage device and in a second partition of the data storage device, the first partition having a plurality of a first type of memory blocks and the second partition having a plurality of a second type of memory blocks and having a plurality of hybrid memory blocks;

initiating a garbage collection process based, at least in part, on the amount of available space in the first partition of the data storage device and the amount of available space in the second partition of the data storage device;

selecting a ratio of the first type of memory blocks to hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process based, at least in part, on the amount of available space in the first partition, the amount of available space in the second partition and on a type of garbage collection process that is initiated.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of available space in the first partition and the amount of available space in the second partition are indicative of a state of the first partition and a state of the second partition.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the state of the first partition is selected from a group of states including a burst state, a sustained state, an urgent state and a super urgent state.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the state of the second partition is selected from a group of states including a burst state, a sustained state, an urgent state and a super urgent state.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the garbage collection process includes one of a folding process and a compaction process.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first type of memory blocks are single-level cell (SLC) memory blocks and the second type of memory blocks are selected from a group of memory blocks comprising multi-level cell (MLC) memory blocks, triple-level (TLC) memory blocks, quad-level cell (QLC) memory blocks and penta-level cell (PLC) memory blocks.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the ratio of the first type of memory blocks to hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process comprises determining whether a hybrid memory block included in the garbage collection process is replaceable by a second type of memory block of the plurality of the second type of memory blocks, the second type of memory block being allocated as a new hybrid memory block.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second type of memory block is selected to replace the hybrid memory block based, at least in part, on a number of program/erase (P/E) cycles associated with the second type of memory block.

9 . A data storage device, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage balancing system associated with the processor and operable to:

determine an amount of free space in a first partition of the data storage device and a second partition of the data storage device, the first partition comprising a plurality of a first type of memory blocks and the second partition comprising a plurality of a second type of memory blocks and a plurality of hybrid memory blocks;

initiate a garbage collection process based, at least in part, on the amount of free space in the first partition and the second partition; and

select a ratio of the first type of memory blocks to hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process based, at least in part, on the amount of free space in the first partition and the second partition and on a type of garbage collection process that is initiated.

10 . The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the storage balancing system is further operable to determine whether a hybrid memory block that is included in the garbage collection process is replaceable by a second type of memory block of the plurality of the second type of memory blocks.

11 . The data storage device of claim 10 , wherein the second type of memory block of the plurality of the second type of memory blocks is selected based, at least in part, on a number of program/erase (P/E) cycles associated with the second type of memory block.

12 . The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the type of garbage collection process includes one of a compaction process and a folding process.

13 . The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein selecting the ratio of the first type of memory blocks to the hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process is based, at least in part, on whether the garbage collection process includes the compaction process or the folding process.

14 . The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the ratio is a first ratio when the amount of free space in the first partition and the second partition is below a first threshold and wherein the ratio is a second ratio when the amount of free space in the first partition and the second partition is below a second threshold that is less than the first threshold.

15 . A data storage device, comprising:

means for determining an amount of free space in a first partition and a second partition of the data storage device, the first partition comprising a plurality of a first type of memory blocks and the second partition comprising a plurality of a second type of memory blocks and a plurality of hybrid memory blocks;

means for initiating a garbage collection process based, at least in part, on the amount of free space in the first partition and the second partition; and

means for selecting a ratio of the first type of memory blocks to hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process based, at least in part, on the amount of free space in the first partition and the second partition and on a type of garbage collection process that is initiated by the means for initiating the garbage collection process.

16 . The data storage device of claim 15 , further comprising means for determining whether a hybrid memory block that is included in the garbage collection process is replaceable by a second type of memory block of the plurality of the second type of memory blocks.

17 . The data storage device of claim 16 , wherein the second type of memory block of the plurality of the second type of memory blocks is selected based, at least in part, on a number of program/erase (P/E) cycles associated with the second type of memory block.

18 . The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the first type of memory blocks are single-level cell (SLC) memory blocks and the second type of memory blocks are selected from a group of memory blocks comprising multi-level cell (MLC) memory blocks, triple-level (TLC) memory blocks, quad-level cell (QLC) memory blocks, and penta-level cell (PLC) memory blocks.

19 . The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the type of garbage collection process initiated by the means for initiating the garbage collection process includes one of a compaction process and a folding process.

20 . The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the means for selecting the ratio selects the ratio of the first type of memory blocks to the hybrid memory blocks to include in the garbage collection process based, at least in part, on whether the garbage collection process includes a compaction process or a folding process.

Assignments (8)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0494 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067982/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067567/0682 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 065657/0158 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT- A&R Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 065656/0649 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2023
From: DUTTA, BISHWAJIT; SHIVAKUMAR, SHARATH; SHARMA, CHANDRAMANI; SHARMA, AMIT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 064732/0870 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250077102A1 · Mar 6, 2025
References Cited (11)
US 20100174847A1 · Paley · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20120246391A1 · Meir · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130138870A1 · Yoon · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20200042223A1 · Li · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210073119A1 · Amaki · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230152995A1 · Doni · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240069806A1 · Bolisetty · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240160376A1 · Ghaly · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CN 112506445B · 2022 [cited by examiner]
KR 20200068944A · 2020 [cited by examiner]
Luo, L., Li, S., Lv, Y., & Shi, L. (2023). Performance and reliability optimization for high-density flash-based hybrid SSDs. Journal of Systems Architecture, 136, 102830 -. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sysarc.2023.102830 … [cited by examiner]