Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a storage device and method of managing flash memory read operations of a storage device. In one embodiment, a method of retrieving information stored in a storage device comprises determining a timing of a next host read command for a flash memory die. If there is a storage device initiated read request for the flash memory die is determined. In response to an identification of the storage device initiated read request, a random cache read operation is initiated with the storage device initiated read request bound with the next host read command.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of providing direct access to a non-volatile memory of a non-volatile memory device and detecting potential security violations are provided. A method for providing access to a non-volatile memory of a non-volatile memory device may include tracking a parameter related to a plurality of direct access transactions of the non-volatile memory. A threshold behavior pattern of the host activity may be determined based upon the tracked parameters. The direct access transactions may be reviewed to determine whether the threshold behavior pattern is exceeded.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of directly accessing a memory space of a storage device by a host are provided. In one embodiment, a method of driverless access of a non-volatile memory of a non-volatile memory device by a host includes initializing a PCIe memory space mapping a portion of the non-volatile memory of the non-volatile memory device to a host memory space. The non-volatile memory is mapped through a PCIe link between the host and the non-volatile memory device. Load/store commands are sent to the PCIe memory space for driverless access. The method further includes negotiating an alignment size of the minimum transaction packet size to complete the load/store commands.

Abstract: A device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory. The device may be configured according to a mode in which execution of a particular command is unauthorized while the device is configured in the mode. While in the mode, the device may authorize execution of the command to occur during the mod.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing performance penalties of a host that is supplying a host memory buffer (HMB) for use by a storage device. The method may include modeling desired HMB access timing by the storage device in an initial offline analysis for multiple classes of workloads, periodically updating the access timing data stored in the storage device based on actual use and using the current HMB access timing information to modify storage device access to the HMB on the host. The system may include a storage device controller that quantifies different HMB access timing for different host workloads based on individual HMB regions.

Abstract: A method of transitioning between a sleep mode for a storage device to reduce power consumption and to increase responsiveness includes collecting one or more recent parameters related to host-storage device workload. The host-storage device workload is correlated to project a next host idle time. A transition between a storage sleep mode is determined.

Abstract: A method and system for user experience event processing and analysis are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising: receiving a recorded video of a display of the host device and a reference video; comparing the recorded video with the reference video to identify differences, wherein the recorded video and the reference video are synchronized based on content rather than time; receiving data indicating activity of a storage device of the host device; correlating the differences with the data indicating activity of the storage device; and generating an analysis of the correlation. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Abstract: A method and system for user experience event processing and analysis are provided. In one embodiment, a computing device correlates detected pre-defined user experience events with data indicating activity of a storage device over a time period and generates an analysis of the correlation. In another embodiment, a computing device compares first and second recorded videos to identify differences, wherein the first and second recorded videos are synchronized based on content rather than time, correlates the differences with the data indicating activity of a storage device of a host device, and generates an analysis of the correlation. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Abstract: A method and system for user experience event processing and analysis are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising: receiving a recorded video of a display of the host device and a reference video; comparing the recorded video with the reference video to identify differences, wherein the recorded video and the reference video are synchronized based on content rather than time; receiving data indicating activity of a storage device of the host device; correlating the differences with the data indicating activity of the storage device; and generating an analysis of the correlation. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Abstract: A device includes a non-volatile memory, first circuitry configured to communicate with the non-volatile memory, and second circuitry configured to communicate with an access device. The second circuitry is configured to retrieve data and metadata associated with the data from a volatile memory of the access device based on a request for the data. The request is received from the first circuitry and includes a first identifier. The metadata includes a second identifier. The second circuitry is further configured to provide at least a portion of the data to the first circuitry in response to the first identifier matching the second identifier.

Abstract: A storage device may utilize de-centralized latch management to remove functions from the device controller to the memory die. NAND die located on a common bus may share a pool of latches with one die acting as a proxy or manager for the other die. A bridge or bridges may be used between NAND connections to allow additional die to be controlled by a leader die for the partially de-centralized management of latches. The latch management operations may include a sequence of commands/operations performed by the leader die.

Abstract: A method includes, in response to a first write command corresponding to first data and a first context which is identifiable with a first identifier and to a second write command corresponding to second data and a second context identifiable with a second identifier, determining whether the first identifier of the first context matches the second identifier of the second context. The method also includes, if the first identifier of the first context is determined to match the second identifier of the second context, forming a compression group of data including the first data and the second data, and generating compressed data corresponding to the compression group of data.

Abstract: A method and system for improving swap performance are provided. In one embodiment, a computing device is provided with a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory, wherein the non-volatile memory has a first swap area with multi-level cell (MLC) memory and a second swap area with single-level cell (SLC) memory. One of the characteristics of SLC memory is that data is written more quickly in the SLC memory than the MLC memory. A determination is made whether the computing device is operating in normal mode or burst mode. If it is determined that the computing device is operating in normal mode, data is moved from the volatile memory to the first swap area during a swap operation. If it is determined that the computing device is operating in burst mode, data is moved from the volatile memory to the second swap area during a swap operation.

Abstract: A device includes a non-volatile memory, first circuitry configured to communicate with the non-volatile memory, and second circuitry configured to communicate with an access device. The second circuitry is configured to retrieve data and metadata associated with the data from a volatile memory of the access device based on a request for the data. The request is received from the first circuitry and includes a first identifier. The metadata includes a second identifier. The second circuitry is further configured to provide at least a portion of the data to the first circuitry in response to the first identifier matching the second identifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing transfer of data into and out of a host data buffer of a host are disclosed. In one implementation, a partial write completion module of a storage system retrieves from the host, stores in a memory, and acknowledges retrieving and storing with a partial write completion message, each subset of a larger set of data associated with a host write command. The host may utilize received partial write completion messages to release and use the portion of the host data buffer that had been storing the subset identified in the message rather than waiting to release data associated with the host write command until all the data associated with the command is stored in the memory. The memory in which each subset is stored may be non-volatile memory in the storage device or a shadow buffer on the host or an external memory device.

Abstract: A method includes determining a first logical block address (LBA) range of a first set of data units of a first candidate block of the memory. The method also includes determining a second LBA range of a second set of data units of a relocation block of the memory. The method also includes determining that the first LBA range matches the second LBA range. The method further includes relocating first valid data of the first candidate block to the relocation block of the memory in response to determining that the first LBA range matches the second LBA range, where the first LBA range corresponds to multiple LBAs.

Abstract: A storage module and method for identifying hot and cold data are provided. The storage module can be removable from a host or can be embedded in a host. In one embodiment, a request to store data in a logical block address (LBA) of a memory of the storage module is received. A physical block associated with the LBA is determined, and it is also determined whether the physical block stores hot or cold data. A last-known open block is then selected, wherein the last-known open block is either hot or cold depending on whether the physical block stores hot or cold data. If space is available in the last-known open block, the data is written to the last-known open block.

Abstract: The following embodiments generally relate to the use of a “swap area” in a non-volatile memory as an extension to volatile memory in a computing device. These embodiments include techniques to use both volatile memory and non-volatile swap memory to pre-load a plurality of applications, to control the bandwidth of swap operations, to encrypt data stored in the swap area, and to perform a fast clean-up of the swap area.

Abstract: A storage device and method for reallocating storage device resources based on an estimated fill level of a host buffer are disclosed. In one embodiment, a storage device receives, from a host device, a rate at which the host device stores data in its buffer and tracks an amount of data that was received from the host device. The storage device estimates a fill level of the buffer at an elapsed time using the rate, the elapsed time, and the amount of data received from the host device over that elapsed time. If the estimated fill level of the buffer is above a threshold, the storage device increases a rate of receiving data from the host device.

Abstract: The following embodiments generally relate to the use of a “swap area” in a non-volatile memory as an extension to volatile memory in a computing device. These embodiments include techniques to use both volatile memory and non-volatile swap memory to pre-load a plurality of applications, to control the bandwidth of swap operations, to encrypt data stored in the swap area, and to perform a fast clean-up of the swap area.