Abstract: Bit-flip object insertion techniques are provided for use with a non-volatile memory (NVM) wherein an object is inserted into a background image by flipping or inverting one or more bits within the pixels of the background image that correspond to the shape and insertion location of an object being inserted. In an illustrative example, pixels within the background image that correspond to the shape and insertion location of the object are XORed with binary 1s. This flips the bits of those pixels to change the color (hue) and/or intensity (brightness) of the pixels so the object appears in the background image. In other examples, only the most significant bits of pixels in the background image are inverted (flipped). Exemplary latch-based procedures are described herein for high-speed processing on an NVM die. Multiple plane NVM die implementations are also described for massive processing.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device are provided that requests L2P address translation data from an HMB for execution of an associated host command using a dynamically determined HMB transfer size. The storage device includes a volatile memory and a controller. The controller allocates, in the volatile memory, multiple memory locations for L2P address translation data from an HMB. The controller receives a command indicating a host data length, and transmits a request for a portion of the L2P address translation data stored in the HMB for the command. The HMB transfer size associated with the request may be based on the host data length of the associated host command, a quantity of free and contiguous memory locations available in the HMB read buffer, or a minimum between a size of the portion and a total size of the free and contiguous memory locations. Thus, HMB transfer latency may be reduced.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to improved unaligned deallocated logical block transfer. Rather than stalling the data-path in unaligned deallocated LBA scenarios, the data-path will work regularly while ignoring the unaligned deallocated indication. The old and non-valid data received for the unaligned deallocated LBA will be written to the host. The device controller will detect the unaligned deallocated LBA and overwrite the data with other values such as 0's or 1's as specified in the standard. The implementation increases the performance of unaligned deallocated commands and the endurance of the NVM. The implementation also simplifies the logic implemented in the device controller.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for capturing a processing state snapshot of a device under test (DUT) that enable a previous test run to be restored and resumed from the same point the snapshot was taken. The techniques enable restoring the snapshot into the same or a different device to resume a previous test run. In an illustrative example, a DUT is controlled by a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) test controller to capture a Steady State Snapshot by controlling peripheral components of the DUT to complete any on-going tasks to reach a steady state and then flush data to a memory of the DUT. The flushed steady state peripheral component data and other processing state data is transferred to the test controller for analysis and for enabling the subsequent restore and resume operation. Solid state drive (SSD) examples are provided.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a host interface for coupling the data storage device to a host system. The data storage device also includes a device memory for storing or providing data in response to commands receive from the host system. The data storage device also includes a controller comprising a storage subsystem and a security subsystem. The storage subsystem is configured to receive a host command from the host interface, and process the host command for the device memory. The security subsystem includes a device recovery circuit configured to monitor the storage subsystem for an exception state, and reinitialize pending operations for the storage subsystem after the exception state. Methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A read to a wordline can cause a read disturb error on neighboring wordlines. Instead of scanning the entire memory to identify wordlines that have a read disturb problem, a localized read scan approach can be used. In this approach, the memory is organized into several zones, where each zone contains several wordlines. The number of reads in each zone is tracked, and, after a certain number of reads, the data in the zone is read. If the error rate of the data exceeds a threshold, the data is relocated to another area of the memory.

Abstract: In solid state memory devices, garbage collection can be a bottleneck in meeting stringent performance requirements of certain hosts that generate a relatively-large amount of data (e.g., hosts that generate video data). With such hosts, the performance drop caused by background garbage collection can result in video recording failures. The memory device and method presented herein performs background operations in such a way as to enhance sustained performance. In general, a counter is maintained that reflects an amount of memory written to by a host, as well as an amount of memory freed by garbage collection operations. Each step of a garbage collection operation can be performed in response to a value of the counter being greater than a threshold for the step such that there is a balance between memory written and memory freed.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device including a memory and a controller are provided. The controller may collect, by an association rule mining (ARM) model, file system data from a host file system, the file system data defining at least one attribute of a file. The controller may receive, from the host, a memory command associated with the file. The controller can associate, by the ARM model, the at least one attribute with the file. The controller may perform the memory command based on the association of the at least one attribute with the file.

Abstract: Methods for storing control information for memory operations within spare physical blocks. During formatting of a data storage device, spare memory blocks may be identified within memory dies and placed into a spare block pool. Upon initiation of a block exchange event for a control block, a controller determines whether a spare block is available in the spare block pool. When a spare block is available, data from the control block is copied to the spare block to generate a debug block. The control block may be a MasterIndexPage block. When a spare block is not available, the controller may erase information stored in an oldest debug memory block and copy data from the control block to the oldest debug memory block.

Abstract: Methods of detecting molecules using an apparatus comprising a plurality of magnetic sensors are disclosed. A method may include binding a first molecule to a proximal wall of a fluid chamber of the apparatus, and adding, to the fluid chamber, a magnetically-labeled molecule comprising a cleavable magnetic label, wherein the magnetically-labeled molecule is configured to bind to or be incorporated by the first molecule. The method may use at least one address line and at least one selector element of the apparatus to detect a characteristic of at least a portion of the plurality of magnetic sensors, wherein the characteristic indicates whether the magnetically-labeled molecule has bound to or been incorporated by the first molecule.

Abstract: A data storage device and method for token generation and parameter anonymization are provided. In one embodiment, a data storage device is provided comprising a memory and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a plurality of tokens and data comprising a plurality of data portions, which each token identifies a different set of the data portions to anonymize; create a plurality of anonymized versions of the data per the plurality of tokens; and store each of the plurality of anonymized versions of the data in different physical addresses in the memory, wherein the different physical addresses map to a same logical address in a mapping structure. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Abstract: Aspects are provided for optimizing game loading and rendering using an RMB dedicated for predicted host data that is accessible to a host and to a controller of a storage device. The controller obtains a bitmap indicating a status of a buffer in the RMB, receives from the host a read command indicating a logical address, predicts and reads from an NVM host data associated with a predicted logical address that is subsequent to the logical address, and loads the host data in the buffer in the RMB if the buffer is free. Subsequent read commands indicating the predicted logical address may lack PRP addresses in response to the host data being loaded in the RMB, while completion queue elements in response to such commands may include PRP addresses in the RMB where the host data is stored. Thus, command creation and completion overhead may be reduced using the RMB.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to split, non-operational power states for a data storage device. The data storage device can transition between the split, non-operational power states without advertising the transition to the host device. The power state parameters that are advertised to the host device are adjusted such that the host device is guided to the correct power decision based on the advertised power and duration. By splitting the non-operational power states, the data storage device does not incur additional transitional energy costs for short idle durations.

Abstract: In one example, the present application describes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that mitigates galvanic corrosion during an Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) process used during fabrication of the PCB. The PCB includes a first metal pattern and a second metal pattern electrically coupled to each other, where the first and second metal patterns are different metals. The first metal pattern has a first area that is exposed by a solder mask layer, and the second metal pattern has a second area that is exposed by the solder mask area. A ratio of the first area to the second area is less than a threshold ratio to mitigate the galvanic corrosion of the second metal pattern exposed on the PCB during the OSP process.

Abstract: A process for reliably erasing data from a solid-state drive (SSD) includes first, prior to user data being stored on the drive, generating a restore image of information stored on the drive which characterizes a restore state of the drive, such as a factory image. Then, imparting energy to the drive to promote electrons representing bits in corresponding memory cells to exit the cells, such as imparting thermal energy or high-energy electromagnetic radiation to the drive. Also, generating a set of quantitative data for verifying erasure of the data for presentation to the user helps ensure trust in the data wipe process. The drive may also be electrically erased prior to imparting energy to the SSD, to provide another level of confidence in the data wipe process. The restore image may then be loaded to the necessary locations on the wiped drive to restore drive functionality.

Abstract: Aspects of a storage device for providing superior sustained sequential write (SSW) performance are disclosed. A controller on the storage device allocates buffer space in the host memory buffers (HMBs) on the host device for storage of relocation data, i.e., data to be folded or compacted. The controller or a hardware element therein can therefore allocate local SRAM (including TRAM) for use in accommodating incoming host writes. The increased SRAM allocation of relocation data without an attendant increase in cost or size to the storage device enables the storage device to perform operations in parallel and substantially increase SSW performance metrics.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to aligning non-aligned data for more efficient data reading. Data for write commands does not always perfectly align, yet the data is written in order of write command receipt. In such cases, aligned chunks of data may be split into two word lines (WLs) due to the presence of previously received smaller chunks of data. Rather than writing the data in order, the smaller chunks of data, which are non-aligned, are held in a buffer and written later to ensure that any aligned chunks of data remain aligned when written to the memory device. Once sufficient smaller chunks or data have accumulated to be aligned, or upon a need to write the smaller chunks upon reaching a threshold, the smaller chunks are written together in a single WL so as to not cause non-alignment of aligned data.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for proving possession of data in a storage device participating in a distributed data storage network. An example storage device includes a storage circuitry and a trusted circuit. The storage circuitry is configured to store a plurality of data blocks. The trusted circuit generally has a private signing key securely stored thereon. The trusted circuit is generally configured to compute a hash over data stored in a plurality of data blocks and to generate an anonymous digital signature for the data stored in the plurality of data blocks based at least in part on the private signing key and the computed hash. The trusted circuit may be interposed on a write path to the storage circuitry such that data written to the storage circuitry is processed through the trusted circuit.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to improved fragment processing while command fetching is on-going. Rather than stopping command fetching, the controller uses a short fragment list, while command fetching can continue, to add a fragment. The controller first adds new fragments to the short list with the fragment information. The information is then checked for size. If the fragment information is smaller than the short fragment list, then the fragment list is updated during command fetching. As a command arrives, the controller does a binary search of a sorted fragment list. The results are stored and later scanned by the controller for matches with the short fragment list. If there are no matches in the short list, then the controller uses the stored results to update the search result. If there is a match in the short list then the controller uses the new results to update the search list.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to improving data transfer in a data storage device. In double data rate (DDR) systems that include a data bus inversion (DBI) functionality, bit flip events can be more prevalent. To mitigate the effect of enhanced erroneous bit flip rate related to DBI bit flip events, the DBI bit can stay static for a predetermined number of consecutive clock cycles, the error correction module can be informed of reduced reliability due to active DBI bit events, the DBI bit can be set to 0, or combinations thereof. Setting the DBI bit to 0 effectively cancels DBI functionality. Informing the error correction module permits a more robust error correction to occur. Forcing the DBI bit to remain static reduces the probability of an unrecognized bit flip event of a full byte. In so doing, data transfer reliability is improved when using DBI functionality.