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Samsung patents storage controller that saves data during sudden power loss

This patent describes a storage controller that detects when power suddenly cuts out to a drive. It uses two separate paths to quickly move important data from temporary memory to permanent storage before the power runs out completely.

Why it mattersThis improves data safety for hard drives and SSDs, ensuring files are not lost if a computer or server loses power unexpectedly.

In the filing’s own words

A storage controller included in a storage device, the storage controller including an interrupt circuit that detects a sudden power off (SPO) with respect to the storage device, and issues a SPO notification and an emergency flush request; a central processing unit that receives the SPO notification and issues a program request; and a volatile memory device including a plurality of memory areas. A first non-volatile memory (NVM) interfacing circuit of the storage device programs data stored in a first memory area from among the plurality of memory areas to an external first non-volatile memory device in response to receiving the program request, and programs data stored in a second memory from area among the plurality of memory areas to the first non-volatile memory device in response to receiving the emergency flush request.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A storage controller in a storage device, the storage controller comprising: an interrupt circuit configured to detect a sudden power off (SPO) with respect to the storage device, and issue a SPO notification and an emergency flush request; a central processing unit configured to receive the SPO notification and issue a program request in response to the SPO notification; a volatile memory device comprising a plurality of memory areas; and a first non-volatile memory (NVM) interfacing circuit configured to program data stored in a first memory area among the plurality of memory areas to an external first non-volatile memory device in response to receiving the program request through a first path, and configured to program data stored in a second memory area among the plurality of memory areas to the external first non-volatile memory device in response to receiving the emergency flush request through a second path, wherein the first path is formed between the central processing unit and the first NVM interfacing circuit, and the second path is formed between the interrupt circuit and the first NVM interfacing circuit, wherein the interrupt circuit is configured to issue the SPO notification at a first time point when the SPO is detected and issue the emergency flush request based on failure of a power-loss protection (PLP) operation with respect to the volatile memory device performed based on the program request during a first time length after the first time point.

Facts

Company
Samsung (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.)
Official title
Storage controller and operation method thereof
Patent number
US12730564B2
Application number
18761913
Filed
Jul 2, 2024
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
13

Classified under

G06F 3/0619 Physics & computingG06F 3/0659 Physics & computingG06F 3/0679 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.