Controller management of memory array of storage device using magnetic random access memory (MRAM)
AssigneeAvalanche Technology, Inc.
InventorMehdi Asnaashari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An embodiment of the invention includes a mass storage device with a storage media that includes magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices with a NAND flash interface and NAND flash memory devices that are coupled to the MRAM devices. The storage media is partitioned into a hybrid reserved area made of a combination of MRAM array NAND array and hybrid user area made of a combination of MRAM array and NAND array and further includes a controller with a host interface and flash interface coupled to the MRAM and NAND flash memory devices through a flash interface.
Claims25
A mass storage device comprising:
- a storage media having,
- a plurality of MRAM devices including a first NAND flash interface circuit;
- a plurality of NAND flash memory devices (22) coupled to the MRAM devices via the first NAND flash interface circuit;
- a hybrid reserved area spanning the plurality of NAND flash memory devices and the plurality of MRAM devices;
- and
- a controller having a second NAND flash interface, the controller being coupled to the plurality of MRAM devices and the plurality of NAND flash memory devices through the first and second NAND flash interface circuits;
- where the MRAM devices are used to store private data in the hybrid reserved area.
A mass storage device including a memory media having plurality of MRAM devices with NAND flash interface and plurality of NAND flash memories coupled with MRAM devices via same interface, the mass storage device further including a controller having a host interface and NAND flash interface, coupled to the MRAM and NAND flash memory devices through the flash interface and coupled to a host through the host interface,
- wherein the controller uses the MRAM to cache a host data.
A storage media comprising:
- a plurality of MRAM devices including a first NAND flash interface circuit;
- a plurality of NAND flash memory devices coupled to the MRAM devices via the first NAND flash interface circuit;
- a controller having a second NAND flash interface, the controller being coupled to the plurality of MRAM devices and the plurality of NAND flash memory devices through the first interface circuit;
- and
- hybrid user area spanning the plurality of NAND devices and plurality of MRAM devices, a portion of the a hybrid user area that spans the MRAM devices defining a MRAM portion,
- where the controller stores host-critical data in the MRAM portion of the hybrid user area.
A method of writing user data comprising:
- receiving user data to be written to a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) portion of a storage media that includes a hybrid reserved area spanning a NAND device and a MRAM device, the MRAM portion being a part of the MRAM device;
- after indicating completion of receiving the user data, setting a pointer to locate space for storing the user data in the MRAM portion;
- and
- determining whether or not space is available in a hybrid user area that spans the MRAM device and the NAND device, if not, performing garbage collection and if so, moving the user data from the MRAM portion to the hybrid user area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.