Parallel erase operations in memory systems

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of memory operation having a memory, a cache containing a plurality of entries with a plurality of the entries to be written to memory, a detector for detecting in the cache the plurality of entries to be written to memory, and a processor for erasing a first portion of the memory to accommodate the plurality of entries to be written to memory and writing to the first portion of the memory the plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein an erase operation is followed by a plurality of sequential write operations.

The invention claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of memory operation comprising: 
 providing a memory;    providing a cache containing a plurality of entries with a plurality of the entries to be written to memory;    detecting in the cache the plurality of entries to be written to memory;    erasing a first portion of the memory to accommodate the plurality of entries to be written to memory; and    writing to the first portion of the memory the plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein an erase operation is followed by a plurality of sequential write operations.    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the detecting uses circuitry selected from a group of circuitry consisting of a local processor, a direct memory access controller, a memory-specific direct memory access controller, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  including: 
 detecting a second plurality of entries to be written to memory; and  
 writing to the first portion of the memory the second plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  including: 
 detecting a second plurality of entries to be written to memory;  
 erasing a second portion of the memory to accommodate the second plurality of entries to be written to memory; and  
 writing to the second portion of the memory the second plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the erasing is performed on a basis selected from a group consisting of a schedule, a demand, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A method of flash memory operation comprising: 
 providing a flash memory;    providing a cache containing a plurality of entries with a plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory;    detecting in the cache the plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory;    erasing a first portion of the flash memory to accommodate the plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory; and    writing to the first portion of the flash memory the plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory wherein an erase operation is followed by a plurality of sequential write operations.    
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the detecting uses circuitry selected from a group of circuitry consisting of a local processor, a direct memory access controller, a flash-specific direct memory access controller, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  including: 
 detecting a second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory; and  
 writing to the first portion of the flash memory the second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  including: 
 detecting a second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory;  
 erasing a second portion of the flash memory to accommodate the second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory; and  
 writing to the second portion of the flash memory the second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the erasing is performed on a basis selected from a group consisting of a schedule, a demand, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A memory system comprising: 
 a memory;    a cache containing a plurality of entries with a plurality of the entries to be written to memory;    a detector for detecting in the cache the plurality of entries to be written to memory; and    a processor for erasing a first portion of the memory to accommodate the plurality of entries to be written to memory and for writing to the first portion of the memory the plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein an erase operation is followed by a plurality of sequential write operations.    
     
     
         12 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein detector uses circuitry selected from a group of circuitry consisting of a local processor, a direct memory access controller, a memory-specific direct memory access controller, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein: 
 the detector detects a second plurality of entries to be written to memory; and  
 the processor writes to the first portion of the memory the second plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         14 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein: 
 the detector detects a second plurality of entries to be written to memory; and  
 the processor erases a second portion of the memory to accommodate the second plurality of entries to be written to memory and writes to the second portion of the memory the second plurality of entries to be written to memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         15 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the processor erases are performed on a basis selected from a group consisting of a schedule, a demand, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A memory system of flash memory operation comprising: 
 a flash memory;    a cache containing a plurality of entries with a plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory;    a detector for detecting in the cache the plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory; and    a processor for erasing a first portion of the flash memory to accommodate the plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory and writing to the first portion of the flash memory the plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory wherein an erase operation is followed by a plurality of sequential write operations.    
     
     
         17 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the detector uses circuitry selected from a group of circuitry consisting of a local processor, a direct memory access controller, a flash-specific direct memory access controller, and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein: 
 the detector detects a second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory; and  
 writes to the first portion of the flash memory the second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         19 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein: 
 the detector detects a second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory; and  
 the processor erases a second portion of the flash memory to accommodate the second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory and writes to the second portion of the flash memory the second plurality of dirty entries to be written to flash memory wherein a plurality of erase operations followed by a plurality of sequential write operations is performed in parallel.  
 
     
     
         20 . The memory system as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the processor performs erases on a basis selected from a group consisting of a schedule, a demand, and a combination thereof.