Dynamic allocation for efficient management of variable sized data within a nonvolatile memory

Abstract

A method of storing data in a nonvolatile memory includes the step of receiving the data to be stored. A storage structure is selected for the data according to the relative size (z) of the data with respect to a plurality of thresholds including: a minimum number of instances (m), a maximum single instance size (s*g), and an allocation granularity (g). The data is then stored in the selected structure within the nonvolatile memory. If z is less than a first threshold, the data is stored within a multiple instance object structure. If z is less than a second threshold, the data is stored as a single instance object. If z exceeds the second threshold, the data is fragmented. The fragmented data can then be stored among the plurality of blocks of nonvolatile memory. If the number of fragments is less than a maximum sequence table size, then a sequence table indicative of the order and the locations of the data fragments is stored in the nonvolatile memory. If the number of data fragments exceeds the maximum sequence table size, then a plurality of sequence table fragments and a group table are stored in the nonvolatile memory. The group table indicates the order and the location of the sequence table fragments which in turn indicate the order and the location of the data fragments within the nonvolatile memory.