An energy-efficient I/O request mechanism for multi-bank flash-memory storage systems

ABSTRACT

Emerging critical issues for flash-memory storage systems, especially with regard to implementation within many embedded systems, are the programmed I/O nature of data transfers and their energy-efficient nature. We propose an I/O request mechanism in the Memory-Technology-Device (MTD) layer to exploit the programmed I/O-based data transfers for flash-memory storage systems. We propose to revise the waiting function in the Memory-Technology-Device (MTD) layer to relieve the microprocessor from busy-waiting, in order to make more CPU cycles available for other tasks. An energy-efficient mechanism based on the I/O request mechanism is also presented for multi-bank flash-memory storage systems, which particularly focuses on switching the power state of each flash-memory bank. We demonstrate that the energy-efficient I/O request mechanism not only saves more CPU cycles to execute other tasks, but also reduces the energy consumption of flash-memory, based on experiments incorporating realistic system workloads.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.3 SPECIAL-PURPOSE AND APPLICATION-BASED SYSTEMS
      Subjects: Real-time and embedded systems

Additional Classification:
  B. Hardware
  B.3 MEMORY STRUCTURES
      B.3.2 Design Styles
          Subjects: Mass storage (e.g., magnetic, optical, RAID)

  D. Software
  D.4 OPERATING SYSTEMS
      D.4.2 Storage Management
          Subjects: Secondary storage

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Performance

Keywords:
Flash Memory, embedded systems, energy-efficient, programmed I/O, storage systems