Solid state storage device

Claim 2

A solid state storage device, comprising: (a) input means for receiving input data in the form of input data blocks having a fixed size; (b) memory means having a plurality of memory devices for storing reordered write data blocks; and (c) write reorder matrix means, having a plurality of pipelines, for (1) receiving the input data blocks from the input means, (2) sequentially reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits through a shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the bits across the memory devices of the memory means; and (3) producing the reordered write data blocks from the reordered input data.

Claim 3

The solid state storage device of claim 1 wherein the memory means further comprises: (a) additional memory means comprising hot spare memory devices to electrically replace at least one of the plurality of memory devices; (b) a flaw map of the memory means and the additional memory means; (c) memory replacement means connected to the flaw map for electrically replacing at least one of the plurality of memory devices with at least one of the hot spare memory devices; and (d) memory select means electrically connected to the write reorder matrix means and the additional memory means for reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits of the input data blocks shifted through the shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the reordered bits across the memory devices of the additional memory means.

Claim 4

The solid state storage device of claim 2 wherein the memory means comprises: (a) two or more independent banks of DRAM semiconductor memory means for storing data blocks; and (b) bidirection data bus means for reading words out of and writing words into the memory means.

Claim 5

The solid state storage device of claim 3 wherein the device reads and writes a first bank of the memory means during a first half of a reference cycle and synchronously performs a memory refresh on a second bank of the memory means during the first half of the reference cycle, and reads and writes the second bank of the memory means during the second half of the reference cycle and synchronously performs a memory refresh on the first bank of the memory means during the second half of the reference cycle, such that at least one bank of the memory means is available for reading and writing at any time.

Claim 6

The solid state storage device of claim 4 wherein the write reorder matrix means further comprises: (a) a first output buffer for presenting a first reordered partial word; (b) a second output buffer for presenting a second reordered partial word; (c) a shift matrix connected to the first and second output buffers having depth and having two ports; (d) transfer means for transferring sequential partial words in pipeline fashion through the shift matrix to the first output buffer such that bits located in a first position within separate sequential partial words are reordered into sequential bits in a single word of the first output buffer; and (e) transfer means for transferring sequential partial words in pipeline fashion through the shift matrix to the second output buffer such that bits located in a second position within separate sequential partial words are reordered into sequential bits in a single word of the second output buffer.

Claim 7

The solid state storage device of claim 5 wherein the device comprises read reorder matrix means comprising the first output buffer, second output buffer, and the shift matrix of the write reorder matrix means.

Claim 8

A solid state storage device, comprising: (a) input means for receiving input data in the form of input data blocks having a fixed size; (b) main memory means having a plurality of memory ranks for storing reordered write data blocks, (1) each memory rank including at least on DRAM bank, (2) each DRAM bank including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors; and (c) write reorder matrix means, having a plurality of pipelines, for (1) receiving the input data blocks from the input means, (2) sequentially reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits through a shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the bits across the memory ranks of the main memory means; and (3) producing the reordered write data blocks from the reordered input data.

Claim 9

A solid state storage device, comprising: (a) input means for receiving input data in the form of input data blocks having a fixed size; (b) main memory means having a plurality of memory ranks for storing reordered write data blocks, (1) each memory rank including at least on DRAM bank, (2) each DRAM bank including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors; and (c) write reorder matrix means, having a plurality of pipelines, for (1) receiving the input data blocks from the input means, (2) sequentially reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits through a shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the bits across the memory ranks of the main memory means; and (3) producing the reordered write data blocks from the reordered input data.

Claim 10

The solid state storage device of claim 7 wherein the memory means further comprises: (a) additional memory means comprising a plurality of hot spare memory devices for electrically replacing failing DRAM semiconductors, each hot spare memory device including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors assigned to a portion of the DRAM semiconductors in the memory means; (b) a flaw map of the memory means and the additional memory means; (c) memory replacement means connected to the flaw map for electrically replacing at least one of the plurality of DRAM semiconductors in the memory means with at least one of the plurality of hot spare DRAM semiconductors; and (d) memory select means electrically connected to the write reorder matrix means and the additional memory means for reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits of the input data blocks shifted through the shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the reordered bits across the memory devices of the additional memory means.

Claim 11

The solid state storage device of claim 8 wherein the memory means comprises: (a) two or more independent banks of DRAM semiconductor memory means for storing data blocks; and (b) bidirectional data bus means for reading words out of and writing words into the memory means.

Claim 12

The solid state storage device of claim 9 wherein the device reads and writes a first bank of the main memory means during a first half of a reference cycle and synchronously performs a memory refresh on a second bank of the main memory means during the first half of the reference cycle, and reads and writes the second bank of the main memory means during a second half of a reference cycle and synchronously performs a memory refresh on the first bank of the main memory means during the second half of the reference cycle, such that at least one bank of the main memory means is available for reading and writing at any time.

Claim 13

The solid state storage device of claim 10 wherein the write reorder matrix means further comprises: (a) a first output buffer for presenting a first reordered partial word; (b) a second output buffer for presenting a second reordered partial word; (c) a shift matrix connected to the first and second output buffers having depth of at least four words and having two ports; (d) transfer means for transferring at least four sequential partial words in pipeline fashion through the shift matrix to the first output buffer such that bits located in a first position within separate sequential partial words are reordered into sequential bits in a single word of the first output buffer; and (e) transfer means for transferring at least four sequential partial words in pipeline fashion through the shift matrix to the second output buffer such that bits located in a second position within separate sequential partial words are reordered into sequential bits in a single word of the second output buffer.

Claim 14

The solid state storage device of claim 11 wherein the device comprises read reorder matrix means comprising the first output buffer, second output buffer, and the shift matrix of the write reorder matrix means.

Claim 15

A solid state storage device, comprising: (a) input means for receiving input data in the form of input data blocks having a fixed size; (b) main memory means having a plurality of memory ranks for storing reordered write data blocks, (1) each memory rank including at least two DRAM banks, (2) each DRAM bank including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors, (3) the plurality of semiconductors connected to a tri-state TTL bidirectional data bus means for reading words out of and writing words into the main memory means; (c) write reorder matrix means, having a plurality of pipelines, for (1) receiving the input data blocks from the input means, (2) sequentially reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits through a shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the bits across the memory ranks of the main memory means; (3) producing the reordered write data blocks from the reordered input data; (d) additional memory means comprising a plurality of hot spare memory devices for electrically replacing failing DRAM semiconductors, each hot spare memory device including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors assigned to a portion of the DRAM semiconductors in the main memory means; (e) a flaw map of the main memory means and the additional memory means; (f) memory replacement means connected to the flaw map for electrically replacing at least one of the plurality of DRAM semiconductors in the main memory means with at least one of the plurality of hot spare DRAM semiconductors; (g) memory select means electrically connected to the write reorder matrix means and the additional memory means for reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits of the input data blocks shifted through the shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the reordered bits across the memory devices of the additional memory means; and (h) maintenance port means for carrying flaw map information out of and into the memory replacement means.

Claim 16

A solid state storage device, comprising: (a) input means for receiving input data in the form of input data blocks having a fixed size; (b) main memory means having a plurality of memory ranks for storing reordered write data blocks, (1) each memory rank including at least two DRAM banks, (2) each DRAM bank including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors, (3) the plurality of semiconductors connected to a tri-state TTL bidirectional data bus means for reading words out of and writing words into the main memory means; (c) write reorder matrix means, having a plurality of pipelines, for (1) receiving the input data blocks from the input means, (2) sequentially reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits through a shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the bits across the memory ranks of the main memory means; (3) producing the reordered write data blocks from the reordered input data; (d) additional memory means comprising a plurality of hot spare memory devices for electrically replacing failing DRAM semiconductors, each hot spare memory device including a plurality of DRAM semiconductors assigned to a portion of the DRAM semiconductors in the main memory means; (e) a flaw map of the main memory means and the additional memory means; (f) memory replacement means connected to the flaw map for electrically replacing at least one of the plurality of DRAM semiconductors in the main memory means with at least one of the plurality of hot spare DRAM semiconductors; (g) memory select means electrically connected to the write reorder matrix means and the additional memory means for reordering the input data by transferring adjacent bits of the input data blocks shifted through the shift matrix in pipelined operation and distributing the reordered bits across the memory devices of the additional memory means; and (h) maintenance port means for carrying flaw map information out of and into the memory replacement means.

Claim 17

The solid state storage device of claim 13 wherein the device reads and writes a DRAM bank during a first half of a reference cycle and performs a memory refresh on the DRAM bank during a second half of the reference cycle, each DRAM bank being 180 degrees out of phase with the other so that a read and write is performed on one DRAM bank while a memory refresh is synchronously performed on the other DRAM bank, such that at least one DRAM bank is available for reading and writing at any time.

Claim 18

The solid state storage device of claim 14 wherein the write reorder matrix means further comprises: (a) a first output buffer for presenting a first reordered partial word; (b) a second output buffer for presenting a second reordered partial word; (c) a shift matrix connected to the first and second output buffers having depth of at least eight words and having two ports; (d) transfer means for transferring at least eight sequential partial words in pipeline fashion through the shift matrix to the first output buffer such that bits located in the same position within separate sequential partial words are reordered into sequential bits in a single word of the first output buffer; and (e) transfer means for transferring at least eight sequential partial words in pipeline fashion through the shift matrix to the second output buffer such that bits located in the same position within separate sequential partial words are reordered into sequential bits in a single word of the second output buffer.

Claim 19

The solid state storage device of claim 15 wherein the device comprises read reorder matrix means comprising the first output buffer, second output buffer, and the shift matrix of the write reorder matrix means.