Transfer and processing unit for IOD SSD

1. A method for providing communications in a controller of a solid state drive (SSD), the method comprising:

defining, by the controller, an optimal transfer and processing unit (OTPU) size for communicating messages for a plurality of non-volatile memory (NVM) sets of a non-volatile memory of the SSD, each of the plurality of NVM sets corresponding to one of a plurality of regions of the non-volatile memory, each of the plurality of regions comprising a plurality of dies, wherein the OTPU size for all messages communicated by the controller for the plurality of NVM sets are uniform, and wherein the controller defines a first OTPU size for a first configuration of the non-volatile memory, and a second different OTPU size for a second different configuration of the non-volatile memory; and

communicating, by the controller, the messages for the plurality of NVM sets, each of the messages having the OTPU size.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the non-volatile memory is an array of non-volatile memory dies or an array of NAND flash memory devices;

each of the non-volatile memory dies has at least one plane;

two or more of the non-volatile memory dies are coupled to a same channel of a plurality of channels; and

each of the plurality of NVM sets comprises some of the non-volatile memory dies coupled to at least one of the plurality of channels.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the messages are communicated via inter-process communications (IPCs); and

each of the IPCs corresponds to a communication link between two processors of the controller.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OTPU size is defined by configuring firmware of the controller.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the OTPU size is performed during a first power-on sequence of the SSD.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the OTPU size is defined based on characteristics of the non-volatile memory.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the characteristics of the non-volatile memory comprise NAND geometry and NAND type.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the NAND geometry comprises at least one of:

a size of NAND pages in the non-volatile memory; or

a number of planes on each NAND die of the non-volatile memory.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the NAND type comprises a number of interface channels operatively coupled to each flash controller of the non-volatile memory.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein

a processor of the controller receives the messages in an order; and

the processor processes the messages according to the order in which the messages are received.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first processor of the controller pushes the messages to a second processor of the controller according to the order in which the messages are received at the first processor.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising defining, by the controller, OTPUs for communicating the messages.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein defining the OTPUs comprises defining a unique identifier that uniquely identifies each of the OTPUs within the controller.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein defining the OTPUs comprises defining a NVM set identifier that identifies one of the plurality of NVM sets for which each OTPU is being communicated.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the OTPUs comprises addresses of NAND pages spread across channels and planes corresponding to each OTPU.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the OTPUs comprises status information or condition information of the NAND pages corresponding to each OTPU.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second configurations include one or more of a size of NAND pages in the non-volatile memory, a number of planes on each NAND die of the non-volatile memory, and a number of interface channels operatively coupled to each flash controller of the non-volatile memory.

18. A method for providing communications in a controller of a solid state drive (SSD), the method comprising:

defining, by the controller, an optimal transfer and processing unit (OTPU) size for communicating messages for a plurality of non-volatile memory (NVM) sets of a non-volatile memory of the SSD, each of the plurality of NVM sets corresponding to one of a plurality of regions of the non-volatile memory, each of the plurality of regions comprising a plurality of dies,

wherein the OTPU size for the plurality of NVM sets are uniform, and

wherein the OTPU size is defined based on a size of NAND pages in the non-volatile memory, a number of planes on each NAND die of the non-volatile memory, and a number of interface channels operatively coupled to each flash controller of the non-volatile memory; and

communicating, by the controller, the messages for the plurality of NVM sets, each of the messages having the OTPU size.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the OTPU size is the size of the NAND pages in the non-volatile memory multiplied by the number of the planes on each NAND die of the non-volatile memory multiplied by the number of interface channels operatively coupled to each flash controller of the non-volatile memory.

20. A Solid State Drive (SSD), comprising:

a non-volatile memory having a plurality of non-volatile memory (NVM) sets, each of the plurality of NVM sets corresponding to one of a plurality of regions of the non-volatile memory, and each of the plurality of regions comprising a plurality of dies; and

a controller configured to:

define an optimal transfer and processing unit (OTPU) size for communicating messages for the plurality of NVM sets, wherein the OTPU size for all messages communicated by the controller for the plurality of NVM sets are uniform, and wherein the controller defines a first OTPU size for a first configuration of the non-volatile memory, and a second different OTPU size for a second different configuration of the non-volatile memory; and

communicate the messages for the plurality of NVM sets, each of the messages having the OTPU size.