IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,281,578
Granted Patent B2
US 11,281,578 · App. 16/995,356 · Granted Mar 22, 2022

Garbage collection in a memory sub-system during a low battery state

Inventors: Aparna U. Limaye (Boise, ID); Tracy D. Evans (Boise, ID); Tomoko Ogura Iwasaki (San Jose, CA); Avani F. Trivedi (Eagle, ID); Jianmin Huang (San Carlos, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G06F12/0253G06F1/3212G06F11/076G06F11/3037G06F12/0246G06F12/0833G06F12/0882
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,281,578
App. No.
16/995,356
Granted
Mar 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to media management, including “garbage collection,” in memory or storage systems or sub-systems, such as solid state drives, are described. For example, a battery state associated with the memory system or sub-system may be used as an indicator or basis for managing a garbage collection operation on a data block. A controller or the system or sub-system may determine that a battery state or condition satisfies a criterion. Based on determining that the criterion is satisfied the, the garbage collection operation may be postponed until the battery state changes to satisfy a different battery condition.

Claims (45)

1. A system comprising:

a memory component of a memory sub-system; and

a processing device, operatively coupled with the memory component, to:

determine that an amount of invalid data on a first data block stored on the memory component satisfies a threshold level for attempting to perform a garbage collection operation for the first data block, the garbage collection operation for the first data block comprising a migration of one or more pages of the first data block that contain valid data to a second data block stored on the memory component;

upon determining that the amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies the threshold level, determine whether a battery life state of a battery associated with the memory sub-system is below a first battery life threshold;

upon determining that the battery life state is below the first battery life threshold, postpone the garbage collection operation for the first data block;

upon postponing the garbage collection operation for the data block, monitor the battery life state to determine whether the battery life state changes to be equal to or above a second battery life threshold; and

upon determining that the battery life state changes to be equal to or above the second battery life threshold, perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery life threshold is same as the second battery life threshold.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first battery life threshold is different from the second battery life threshold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold level corresponds to a threshold amount of data that indicates that the garbage collection operation can be optionally performed for the first data block.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further to, prior to determining that the battery life state changes to be equal to or greater than the second battery life threshold:

determine that the amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies a second threshold level to perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block, wherein the second threshold level indicates that the garbage collection operation for the first data block must be performed; and

responsive to determining that amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies the second threshold level perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a battery sensor to detect the battery life state.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a value comparator to perform a comparison operation between two or more values of the battery to determine whether the battery life state is at least one of: below the first battery life threshold or equal to or above the second battery life threshold.

8. A method comprising:

determining, by a processing device, that an amount of invalid data on a first data block stored on a memory component of a memory sub-system satisfies a threshold level for attempting to perform a garbage collection operation for the first data block, the garbage collection operation for the first data block comprising a migration of one or more pages of the first data block that contain valid data to a second data block stored on the memory component;

responsive to determining that the amount of invalid data on the data block satisfies the threshold level, monitoring, by the processing device, a battery life state of a battery associated with the memory sub-system to determine whether the battery life state is equal to or above a battery life threshold; and

responsive to determining that the battery life state is equal to or above the battery life threshold, performing, by the processing device, the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that the battery life state is below the battery life threshold, continuing, by the processing device, to monitor the battery life state to determine whether the battery life state changes to be equal to or above a second battery life threshold; and

responsive to determining that the battery life state changes to be equal or above the second battery life threshold, performing, by the processing device, the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the battery life threshold is same as the second battery life threshold.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the battery life threshold is different from the second battery life threshold.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, prior to determining that the battery life state changes to be equal to or greater than the second battery life threshold:

determining, by the processing device, that the amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies a second threshold level to perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block, wherein the second threshold level indicates that the garbage collection operation for the first data block must be performed; and

responsive to determining that amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies the second threshold level, performing, by the processing device, the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the threshold level corresponds to a threshold amount of data that indicates that the garbage collection operation can be optionally performed for the first data block.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein monitoring the battery life state comprises receiving the battery life state from a battery sensor.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein monitoring the battery life state comprises receiving, from a value comparator, a comparison operation between two or more values of the battery to determine whether the battery life state equal to or above the battery life threshold.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

determine that an amount of invalid data on a first data block stored on a memory component of a memory sub-system satisfies a threshold level for attempting to perform a garbage collection operation for the first data block, the garbage collection operation for the first data block comprising a migration of one or more pages of the first data block that contain valid data to a second data block stored on the memory component;

upon determining that the amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies the threshold level, determine whether a battery life state of a battery associated with the memory sub-system is below a first battery life threshold;

upon determining that the battery life state is below the first battery life threshold, postpone the garbage collection operation for the first data block;

determine whether the battery life state changes to be equal to or above a second battery life threshold; and

upon determining that the battery life state changes to be equal to or above the second battery life threshold, perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the first battery life threshold is same as the second battery life threshold.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the first battery life threshold is different from the second battery life threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the threshold level corresponds to a threshold amount of data that indicates that the garbage collection operation for the first data block can be optionally performed.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processing device is further to, prior to determining that the battery life state changes to be equal to or greater than the second battery life threshold:

determine that the amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies a second threshold level to perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block, wherein the second threshold level indicates that the garbage collection operation for the first data block must be performed; and

responsive to determining that amount of invalid data on the first data block satisfies the second threshold level, perform the garbage collection operation for the first data block.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: LODESTAR LICENSING GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 065514/0378 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: LIMAYE, APARNA U.; EVANS, TRACY D.; IWASAKI, TOMOKO OGURA; TRIVEDI, AVANI F.; HUANG, JIANMIN
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 053520/0852 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62889283 · Aug 20, 2019
Related Publication 20210056019A1 · Feb 25, 2021