Volatility management for non-volatile memory device

A processor, comprising:

• an interface for communicating with a Memory Device (MD) that includes a configurable Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) configured to store temporary data designated for volatile storage and persistent data designated for non-volatile storage;
• and
• means for:
• defining a volatility mode of operation for the MD based on whether a memory page in a virtual memory space is designated as volatile or non-volatile;
• sending a command to the MD setting the defined volatility mode of operation for the MD, wherein the defined volatility mode of operation is used by the MD to determine whether:
• to write data as persistent data in both a first memory array of the configurable NVM and in a second memory array of the configurable NVM when the volatility mode is set to a persistent mode, or
• to write data as volatile data in the first memory array without writing the data in the second memory array when the volatility mode is set to a volatile mode;
• and
• sending a read command to the MD to read data from the configurable NVM, wherein zeroed data is returned for the read command if the data was written when the volatility mode of the MD was set to the volatile mode and before a last power-up of the MD.

A method of operating a Memory Device (MD), the method comprising:

• associating an address with a first location in a first memory array of a configurable Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) of the MD and with a second location in a second memory array of the configurable NVM;
• receiving a checkpoint read command to retrieve checkpointed data for the address;
• determining whether data stored in the second location is checkpointed data;
• and
• in response to determining that the data stored in the second location is not checkpointed data:
• determining whether data for the address has been written after a last power-up of the MD;
• performing the checkpoint read command by returning zeroed data if data for the address has not been written after the last power-up of the MD;
• and
• performing the checkpoint read command by returning data stored in the first location if data for the address has been written after the last power-up of the MD.

A method of operating a Memory Device (MD), the method comprising:

• associating an address with a first location in a first memory array of a configurable Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) of the MD and with a second location in a second memory array of the configurable NVM, wherein the configurable NVM is configured to store temporary data designated for volatile storage by a processor and persistent data designated for non-volatile storage by the processor;
• receiving a read command to read data from the configurable NVM for the address;
• determining whether data stored in the configurable NVM for the address is persistent;
• and
• in response to determining that the data stored in the configurable NVM for the address is not persistent:
• determining whether the data has been written after a last power-up of the MD;
• and
• performing the read command by returning data stored in the first location when data for the address has been written after the last power-up of the MD.

A method for interfacing with a Memory Device (MD), the method comprising:

• defining a volatility mode of operation for the MD based on whether a memory page in a virtual memory space is designated as volatile or non-volatile;
• sending a command to the MD setting the defined volatility mode of operation for the MD, wherein the defined volatility mode of operation is used by the MD to determine whether:
• to write data as persistent data in both a first memory array of a configurable NVM and in a second memory array of the configurable NVM when the volatility mode is set to a persistent mode, or
• to write data as volatile data in the first memory array without writing the data in the second memory array when the volatility mode is set to a volatile mode;
• and
• sending a read command to the MD to read data from the configurable NVM, wherein zeroed data is returned for the read command when the data was written when the volatility mode of the MD was set to the volatile mode and was not written after a last power-up of the MD.