Method and apparatus for improving storage performance using a background erase
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorFrankie Roohparvar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are an apparatus, method, and computer readable medium configured for performing a background erase in a memory device. Included is the act of receiving at least one erase command and at least one erasable block address for the memory device. Also included is the act of asserting a background-process-busy flag after receiving the at least one erase command and the at least one erasable block address. At least one block in the memory associated with the at least one erasable block address is erased, wherein the erasing occurs at a time delay after receiving the at least one erase command if a background enable flag is asserted. Finally, the background-process-busy flag is negated after the erasing is complete.
Claims28
A background controller, configured to:
- receive a background command;
- and
- generate a command for performing a background operation in a memory device, the background operation being associated with the background command;
- wherein:
- the background operation occurs at a time delay after receiving the background command;
- and
- the background controller is configured to be enabled when a background enable flag is asserted and to be disabled when the background enable flag is negated.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a background command;
- and
- determining if a background enable flag is asserted or negated, wherein the background operation occurs when the background enable flag is asserted and does not occur when the background enable flag is negated.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a background command, wherein the background operation occurs after the background command is received;
- asserting a background-process-busy flag;
- and
- negating the background-process-busy flag after the operation is complete, wherein the background-process-busy flag is selected from the group consisting of a background-process-busy bit, a background-process-busy signal, a background-process-busy bus response, a background-process-done bus response, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device comprising:
- receiving a background command;
- and
- performing the background operation;
- wherein:
- the background operation occurs at a time delay after the background command is received;
- and
- the time delay expires when a power-down-soon flag is received.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device comprising:
- receiving a background command;
- and
- performing the background operation, wherein the background operation occurs at a time delay after the background command is received, wherein the time delay is selected from the group consisting of at a predetermined time delay, until a subsequent command is received, and a predetermined number of idle cycles.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a background command;
- asserting a background-process-busy flag after receiving the background command;
- performing the background operation associated with the background command after receiving the background command;
- and
- negating the background-process-busy flag after the background operation is complete;
- wherein receiving the background command, asserting the background-process-busy flag, and negating the background-process-busy flag are performed by an apparatus selected from the group consisting of the memory device, a memory controller operably coupled to the memory device, a processor operably coupled to the memory device, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a background enable flag;
- receiving a background command;
- and
- performing the background operation associated with the background command, wherein the background operation occurs after receiving the background command;
- wherein the background operation occurs if the background enable flag is asserted and does not occur if the background enable flag is negated, and wherein receiving the background enable flag is performed by an apparatus selected from the group consisting of the memory device, a memory controller operably coupled to the memory device, a processor operably coupled to the memory device, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background erase in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a background enable flag;
- receiving a background command;
- and
- performing a background operation associated with the background command after receiving the background command;
- wherein:
- the background operation occurs if the background enable flag is asserted and does not occur if the background enable flag is negated;
- and
- receiving the background enable flag further comprises a process selected from the group consisting of setting a background enable bit, detecting a background enable signal, receiving a background enable command, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background operation associated in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a power-down-soon flag;
- and
- determining if a background command is pending for the memory device, and if so:
- asserting a background-process-busy flag;
- performing the background operation, the background operation being associated with the background command;
- and
- negating the background-process-busy flag after the background operation is complete;
- wherein asserting the background-process-busy flag comprises a process selected from the group consisting of setting a background-process-busy bit, asserting a background-process-busy signal, transmitting a background-process-busy bus response, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background operation associated in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a power-down-soon flag;
- and
- determining if a background command is pending for the memory device, and if so:
- asserting a background-process-busy flag;
- performing the background operation, the background operation being associated with the background command;
- and
- negating the background-process-busy flag after the background operation is complete;
- wherein negating the background-process-busy flag comprises a process selected from the group consisting of clearing a background-process-busy bit, negating a background-process-busy signal, transmitting a background-process-done bus response, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background operation associated in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a power-down-soon flag;
- and
- determining if a background command is pending for the memory device, and if so:
- asserting a background-process-busy flag;
- performing the background operation, the background operation being associated with the background command;
- and
- negating the background-process-busy flag after the operation is complete;
- wherein receiving the power-down-soon flag is selected from the group consisting of detecting a power-down-soon signal, receiving a power-down-soon command, setting a power-down-soon bit, and combinations thereof.
A method for performing a background operation in a memory device, comprising:
- receiving a power-down-soon flag;
- and
- determining if a background command is pending for the memory device, and if so:
- sending an estimated completion time for the background operation;
- and
- performing the background operation, wherein the background operation is associated with the background command;
- wherein receiving the power-down-soon flag is selected from the group consisting of detecting a power-down-soon signal, receiving a power-down-soon command, setting a power-down-soon bit, and combinations thereof.
A method for powering-down a memory device, comprising:
- asserting a power-down-soon flag;
- determining whether a background operation of the memory device is in progress or is waiting to execute;
- and
- removing power from the memory device responsive to the determining.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.