FLASH-based Memory System with Static or Variable Length Page Stripes Including Data Protection Information and Auxiliary Protection Stripes

A method of controlling a solid state storage system having a plurality of FLASH memory devices, the method comprising:

• (a) buffering information reflecting blocks of memory within the FLASH memory devices that were previously used to store data and that are available for storage of different data;
• (b) assembling block stripes using the buffered information, each block stripe comprising four or more blocks, each block corresponding to a group of memory locations within a given FLASH memory device, each block within a given block stripe being located within a FLASH memory device different from the FLASH memory devices in which the other blocks in the block stripe are located;
• (c) determining the number of blocks to be included in each assembled block stripe based on the buffered information;
• (d) generating data protection information using a first group of data items;
• (e) associating each data item in the first group of data items with a memory location in a block of a first block stripe, each data item in the first group of data items being associated with a memory location in a different block of the first block stripe from other data items in the first group of data items;
• (f) associating the data protection information generated using the first group of data items with a memory location in a block within the first block stripe that is different from the blocks associated with the first group of data items;
• and
• (g) generating auxiliary data protection information using data items associated with memory locations in the same block for each block within the first block stripe.

A solid state storage system, comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a plurality of FLASH memory devices mounted on the printed circuit board;
• communication buses connected to the FLASH memory devices;
• and
• a controller connected to the communication buses for controlling the FLASH memory devices, the controller configured to:
• (a) buffer information reflecting blocks of memory within the FLASH memory devices that were previously used to store data and that are available for storage of different data;
• (b) assemble block stripes using the buffered information, each block stripe comprising four or more blocks, each block corresponding to a group of memory locations within a given FLASH memory device, each block within a given block stripe being located within a FLASH memory device different from the FLASH memory devices in which the other blocks in the block stripe are located;
• (c) determine the number of blocks to be included in each assembled block stripe based on the buffered information;
• (d) generate data protection information using a first group of data items;
• (e) associate each data item in the first group of data items with a memory location in a block of a first block stripe, each data item in the first group of data items being associated with a memory location in a different block of the first block stripe from other data items in the first group of data items;
• (f) associate the data protection information generated using the first group of data items with a memory location in a block within the first block stripe that is different from the blocks associated with the first group of data items;
• and
• (g) generate auxiliary data protection information using data items associated with memory locations in the same block for each block within the first block stripe.