Storage device and stream filtering method thereof

Abstract

A storage device may include a main storage part including memories; and a controller configured to control an overall operation of the main storage part. The controller includes a filter manager configured to store data format information and a filtering condition provided from a host; stream filters configured to search and project data stored in the memories in parallel in response to a control of the filter manager to produce searched and projected data; and a merge filter configured to merge the searched and projected data of the stream filters in response to the control of the filter manager.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stream filtering method of a storage device, the method comprising:
 setting up a filter manager with data format information and a filtering condition provided from a host;   searching and projecting data corresponding to the filtering condition from memories in parallel by stream filters according to a control of the filter manager to produce searched and projected data;   merging the searched and projected data at the stream filters into a merged result according to the control of the filter manager; and   providing the merged result to the host.   
     
     
         2 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing a predetermined operation on the searched and projected data by the stream filters according to the control of the filter manager.   
     
     
         3 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 merging results calculated by the stream filters into one value by a merge filter according to the control of the filter manager.   
     
     
         4 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 configuring a virtual index on the searched and projected data by the stream filters according to the control of the filter manager.   
     
     
         5 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 merging the virtual index configured by the stream filters by a merge filter according to the control of the filter manager.   
     
     
         6 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data format information supports a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) table format. 
     
     
         7 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the filtering condition includes an operator, a field to be compared with data stored in the memories, and field information to be provided as a filtering condition result. 
     
     
         8 . The stream filtering method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the searching and projecting data corresponding to the filtering condition from memories in parallel is performed to produce the searched and projected data independently with respect to the memories each corresponding to the stream filters. 
     
     
         9 . A storage device, comprising:
 a main storage part including memories; and   a controller configured to control an overall operation of the main storage part,   wherein the controller includes:
 a filter manager configured to store data format information and a filtering condition provided from a host; 
 stream filters configured to search and project data stored in the memories in parallel in response to a control of the filter manager to produce searched and projected data; and 
 a merge filter configured to merge the searched and projected data of the stream filters in response to the control of the filter manager. 
   
     
     
         10 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein each of the stream filters includes:
 a selection unit selecting searched data corresponding to the filtering condition among the data stored in a corresponding memory according to the control of the filter manager;   a projection unit projecting projected data corresponding to the filtering condition among the data stored in the corresponding memory according to the control of the filter manager; and   an aggregation unit combining or calculating searched data and projected data from the selection unit and the projection unit into a merged result according to the control of the filter manager.   
     
     
         11 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the merge filter re-calculates results from the stream filters so as to be merged into one value, under the control of the filter manager. 
     
     
         12 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein each of the stream filters configures a virtual index on the searched and projected data of each of the stream filters under the control of the filter manager. 
     
     
         13 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the merge filter merges the virtual index configured by the stream filters under the control of the filter manager. 
     
     
         14 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the filter manager, the stream filters, and the merge filter are formed by hardware within the controller. 
     
     
         15 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the data format information and the filtering condition are freely set up by the host. 
     
     
         16 . A storage device, comprising:
 a flash memory;   a buffer for temporarily storing buffer data generated during an operation; and   a memory controller for controlling the flash memory and the buffer,   wherein the memory controller includes:
 a filter manager configured to store data format information and a filtering condition provided from a host; 
 a flash interface which includes stream filters configured to search and project data stored in memory controller memories in parallel in response to a control of the filter manager to produce searched and projected data; 
 at least one microprocessor; and 
 a host interface which includes a merge filter configured to merge the searched and projected data of the stream filters in response to the control of the filter manager. 
   
     
     
         17 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more stream filters includes:
 a selection unit selecting searched data corresponding to the filtering condition among the data stored in a corresponding memory according to the control of the filter manager;   a projection unit projecting projected data corresponding to the filtering condition among the data stored in the corresponding memory according to the control of the filter manager; and   an aggregation unit combining or calculating searched data and projected data from the selection unit and the projection unit into a merged result according to the control of the filter manager.   
     
     
         18 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the merge filter re-calculates results from the stream filters so as to be merged into one value, under the control of the filter manager. 
     
     
         19 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein each of the stream filters configures a virtual index on the searched and projected data of each of the stream filters under the control of the filter manager. 
     
     
         20 . The storage device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the merge filter merges the virtual index configured by the stream filters under the control of the filter manager.