JEDEC Announces Updates to Universal Flash Storage and Memory Interface Standards
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 8, 2025 -- JEDEC Solid State Technology Association today announced the publication of JESD220G: Universal Flash Storage 4.1. In addition, an update to the complementary JESD223F UFS Host Controller Interface (UFSHCI) version 4.1 standard has also been published.
Developed for mobile applications and computing systems requiring high performance with low power consumption, UFS 4.1 offers faster data access and improved performance over the earlier version of the standard while maintaining hardware compatibility to UFS 4.0. Both standards are available for download from the JEDEC website.
UFS offers high-performance, embedded storage with low power consumption, making it ideal for use in applications where power efficiency is essential. This includes computing and mobile systems like smartphones and tablets, as well as an expanding role in automotive applications and high-end IOT devices. Its high-speed serial interface and optimized protocol enable significant throughput for power-efficient system performance. UFS 4.1 and UFSHCI 4.1 together define the following improvements over prior versions of the standard:
- Host-Initiated Defragmentation: New mechanisms for optimizing read traffic through host-initiated data defragmentation facilitate more effective memory maintenance.
- WriteBooster Buffer Resize and Partial Flush: Allows the host to request buffer resizing, data pinning, and more granular flushing to maximize system throughput.
- Permanent Bootable Logical units: Logical units can now be configured as permanently bootable.
- RPMB Authentication: Secures vendor-specific command execution with RPMB authentication
- Enhanced exception Types: Provides faster recovery, improved health notifications, and prompt error handling.
- Increased precision for enhanced memory logical Units: Prepares the way for Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND implementations.
- Backward Compatibility: Maintains compatibility with UFS 3.1 and 3.0 for mixed systems applications.
“JEDEC members are continually innovating to shape the standards that will drive the next generation of mobile devices and advanced applications, and the committee’s dedication to ongoing improvements to the UFS series is paving the way for future innovation,” said Mian Quddus, Chairman of the JEDEC Board of Directors and the JC-64 Committee for Embedded Memory Storage and Removable Memory Cards.
Collaboration with the MIPI Alliance
To achieve the highest performance and most power efficient data transport, JEDEC UFS leverages industry–leading specifications from the MIPI Alliance to form its Interconnect Layer. This collaboration continues with UFS 4.1, which leverages the M-PHY version 5.0 specification and the UniPro version 2.0 specification to double the UFS interface bandwidth and enable up to ~4.2 GB/s for read and write traffic.
About JEDEC
JEDEC is the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry. Thousands of volunteers representing over 360 member companies work together with more than 100 JEDEC committees and task groups to meet the needs of every segment of the industry, for manufacturers and consumers alike. The publications and standards generated by JEDEC committees are accepted throughout the world. All JEDEC standards are available for download from the JEDEC website. For more information, visit https://www.jedec.org.
Source: JEDEC
