Patent classifications
G06F11/1008
Intelligent post-packaging repair
Techniques are provided for storing a row address of a defective row of memory cells to a bank of non-volatile storage elements (e.g., fuses or anti-fuses). After a memory device has been packaged, one or more rows of memory cells may become defective. In order to repair (e.g., replace) the rows, a post-package repair (PPR) operation may occur to replace the defective row with a redundant row of the memory array. To replace the defective row with a redundant row, an address of the defective row may be stored (e.g., mapped) to an available bank of non-volatile storage elements that is associated with a redundant row. Based on the bank of non-volatile storage elements the address of the defective row, subsequent access operations may utilize the redundant row and not the defective row.
Masking Defective Bits in a Storage Array
A method of failure mapping is provided. The method includes determining that a non-volatile memory block in the memory has a defect and generating a mask that indicates the non-volatile memory block and the defect. The method includes reading from the non-volatile memory block with application of the mask, wherein the reading and the application of the mask are performed by the non-volatile solid-state storage.
CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR IMPRINT REDUCTION IN FRAM MEMORIES
Disclosed embodiments include a memory device having a memory array that includes a first memory cell coupled to a first bit line and a second memory cell coupled to a second bit line and a sense amplifier that includes first and second transistors arranged in a cross-coupled configuration with third and fourth transistors, the first and second transistors being of a first conductivity type and the third and fourth transistors being of a second conductivity type, a first inverter having an input coupled to a first common drain terminal of the first and third transistors and an output coupled to the first bit line, and a second inverter having an input coupled to a second common drain terminal of the second and fourth transistors and an output coupled to the second bit line.
MEMORY SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING NONVOLATILE MEMORY
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The controller manages a plurality of namespaces for storing a plurality of kinds of data having different update frequencies. The controller encodes write data by using first coding for reducing wear of a memory cell to generate first encoded data, and generates second encoded data to be written to the nonvolatile memory by adding an error correction code to the first encoded data. The controller changes the ratio between the first encoded data and the error correction code based on the namespace to which the write data is to be written.
MEMORY CONTROLLER, OPERATING METHOD THEREOF, AND COMPUTING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME
A memory controller includes: a map data storage for storing map data; and a read operation controller for receiving, from a host, a read request and a target logical address corresponding to the read request, acquiring a first physical address mapped to the target logical address, based on the map data, and obtaining data stored at the first physical address. When an uncorrectable error is present in the data stored at the first physical address, the read operation controller acquires a second physical address previously mapped to the target logical address before the first physical address, obtains data stored at the second physical address, and provides the host with the data stored at the second physical address and information representing occurrence of the uncorrectable error.
Techniques for managing context information for a storage device while maintaining responsiveness
Disclosed are techniques for managing context information for data stored within a computing device. According to some embodiments, the method can include the steps of (1) loading, into a volatile memory of the computing device, the context information from a non-volatile memory of the computing device, where the context information is separated into a plurality of portions, and each portion of the plurality of portions is separated into a plurality of sub-portions, (2) writing transactions into a log stored within the non-volatile memory, and (3) each time a condition is satisfied: identifying a next sub-portion to be processed, where the next sub-portion is included in the plurality of sub-portions of a current portion being processed, identifying a portion of the context information that corresponds to the next sub-portion, converting the portion from a first format to a second format, and writing the portion into the non-volatile memory.
Dedicated interface for coupling flash memory and dynamic random access memory
The present application describes embodiments of an interface for coupling flash memory and dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a processing system. Some embodiments include a dedicated interface between a flash memory and DRAM. The dedicated interface is to provide access to the flash memory in response to instructions received over a DRAM interface between the DRAM and a processing device. Some embodiments of a method include accessing a flash memory via a dedicated interface between the flash memory and a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in response to an instruction received over a DRAM interface between the DRAM and a processing device.
Data encoding using spare channels in a memory system
Implementations of encoding techniques are disclosed. The encoding technique, such as a Data bus Inversion (DBI) technique, is implementable in a vertically-stacked memory module, but is riot limited thereto. The module can be a plurality of memory integrated circuits which are vertically stacked, and which communicate via a bus formed in one embodiment of channels comprising Through-Wafer Interconnects (TWIs), but again is not limited thereto. One such module includes spare channels that are normally used to reroute a data signal on the bus away from faulty data channels. In one disclosed technique, the status of a spare channel or channels is queried, and if one or more are unused, they can be used to carry a DBI bit, thus allowing at least a portion of the bus to be assessed in accordance with a DBI algorithm. Depending on the location and number of spare channels needed for rerouting, DBI can be apportioned across the bus in various manners. Implementations can also be used with other encoding techniques not comprising DBI.
Semiconductor memory device and method of controlling the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of detecting code generators configured to generate a plurality of detecting codes to detect errors in a plurality of data items, respectively, a plurality of first correcting code generators configured to generate a plurality of first correcting codes to correct errors in a plurality of first data blocks, respectively, each of the first data blocks containing one of the data items and a corresponding detecting code, a second correcting code generators configured to generate a second correcting code to correct errors in a second data block, the second data block containing the first data blocks, and a semiconductor memory configured to nonvolatilely store the second data block, the first correcting codes, and the second correcting code.
Physical media aware spacially coupled journaling and replay
An indirection mapping data structure can maintain a mapping between logical block addresses used by a host computer and physical data storage locations on a solid state drive. Changes to the indirection mapping data structure can be stored in journals. When a journal is full, the journal can be stored to a predetermined location on the cluster block determined based on the number of entries stored by the journal, leading to a number of journals scattered throughout the cluster block at predetermined locations. Each physical chunk of media, whether written with data or marked as defective is journaled. Such a journaling scheme, where the journal locations are predetermined and each physical chunk of media is journaled is referred to as physical media-aware spatially coupled journaling. During replay the spatially coupled journals can be retrieved from the predefined locations within cluster blocks and used to rebuild the indirection mapping data structure.