IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,405,732
Granted Patent B1
US 12,405,732 · App. 18/650,313 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Unpower data retention for solid state drives

Inventors: Anthony Ginty (Douglas, IE); Colm Murphy (Cork, IE)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F3/0619G06F3/0659G06F3/0679
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,405,732
App. No.
18/650,313
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods and systems for storing data are disclosed. Data may be stored in persistent storage of storage devices. When a storage device is likely to become depowered, an expedited data refresh procedure may be performed. The expedited refresh procedures may improve the likelihood that the data is able to be retrieved from the persistent storage after the storage device is repowered. The expedite refresh procedures may be prioritized to complete the procedures prior to the storage devices being depowered.

Claims (34)

1. A method of managing operation of a data processing system, comprising:

identifying a period of time when the data processing system will be depowered for a duration of time meeting criteria;

based on the identified period of time:

issuing an expedited data refresh command to a storage device of the data processing system prior to the period of time; and

based on the issued expedited data refresh command, performing, by the storage device, an expedite refresh of data stored in the storage device to obtain an updated storage device prior to the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expedited refresh command indicates that the data stored in the storage device is to be refreshed and the storage device is to shut down once the data is refreshed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage device is a solid state based storage device, and the duration of time is based on a solid state storage architecture used by the solid state based storage device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the solid state storage architecture comprises a component that limits the duration of time that data stored in the storage device while the storage device is depowered is likely to be retrievable after the storage device is repowered after being depowered.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expedited refresh is performed by the storage device using a foreground process that is not deprioritized with respect to host originated storage commands issued to the storage device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the storage device is adapted to perform a continuous refresh process for the data, the continuous refresh process being a background process that is deprioritized with respect to host originated storage commands issued to the storage device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data is stored in cells of the storage device, the cells being adapted to maintain data stored in the cells indefinitely while the storage devices is powered and maintain the data stored in the cells for a period of time while the storage device is depowered.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the expedited refresh and the continuous refresh process migrate the data between the cells, and the period of time being based on a cell architecture of the cells.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions, the instructions causing operations to be performed when the instructions are executed by a processor, and the operations comprising:

identifying a period of time when a data processing system will be depowered for a duration of time meeting criteria;

based on the identified period of time:

issuing an expedited data refresh command to a storage device of the data processing system prior to the period of time; and

based on the issued expedited data refresh command, performing, by the storage device, an expedite refresh of data stored in the storage device to obtain an updated storage device prior to the period of time.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the expedited refresh command indicates that the data stored in the storage device is to be refreshed and the storage device is to shut down once the data is refreshed.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the storage device is a solid state based storage device, and the duration of time is based on a solid state storage architecture used by the solid state based storage device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the solid state storage architecture comprises a component that limits the duration of time that data stored in the storage device while the storage device is depowered is likely to be retrievable after the storage device is repowered after being depowered.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the expedited refresh is performed by the storage device using a foreground process that is not deprioritized with respect to host originated storage commands issued to the storage device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the storage device is adapted to perform a continuous refresh process for the data, the continuous refresh process being a background process that is deprioritized with respect to host originated storage commands issued to the storage device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the data is stored in cells of the storage device, the cells being adapted to maintain data stored in the cells indefinitely while the storage devices is powered and maintain the data stored in the cells for a period of time while the storage device is depowered.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the expedited refresh and the continuous refresh process migrate the data between the cells, and the period of time being based on a cell architecture of the cells.

17. A data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the process for storing instructions, the instructions causing operations to be performed when the instructions are executed by the processor, and the operations comprising:

identifying a period of time when a data processing system will be depowered for a duration of time meeting criteria;

based on the identified period of time:

issuing an expedited data refresh command to a storage device of the data processing system prior to the period of time; and

based on the issued expedited data refresh command, performing, by the storage device, an expedite refresh of data stored in the storage device to obtain an updated storage device prior to the period of time.

18. The data processing system of claim 17 , wherein the expedited refresh command indicates that the data stored in the storage device is to be refreshed and the storage device is to shut down once the data is refreshed.

19. The data processing system of claim 17 , wherein the storage device is a solid state based storage device, and the duration of time is based on a solid state storage architecture used by the solid state based storage device.

20. The data processing system of claim 19 , wherein the solid state storage architecture comprises a component that limits the duration of time that data stored in the storage device while the storage device is depowered is likely to be retrievable after the storage device is repowered after being depowered.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2024
From: GINTY, ANTHONY; MURPHY, COLM
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 067460/0319 →
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