Micron Technology Incorporated

Other

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Politecnico Di Milano

Micro Technology, Inc.

Christophe Laurent

Paolo Amato

Marco Sforzin

Riccardo Muzzetto

Graziano Mirichigni

Corrado Villa

Andrea Martinelli

Stefan Frederik Schippers

Marco Massimo Ferrari

Alessandro Tomasoni

Sandro Bellini

Daniele Vimercati

Richard Edward Fackenthal

Claudio Nava

Operating an array of memory cells can include storing user data in memory cells of the memory array, storing parity data associated with the user data in a number of parity cells of the memory array, the parity data corresponding to selectable Error Correction Code (ECC) correction capabilities from a minimum ECC correction capability to a maximum ECC correction capability, calculating an ECC syndrome from the stored user data and parity data, based on the ECC syndrome, determining a number of errors in the data, and, based on the determined number of errors, selecting an ECC correction capability of the plurality of ECC correction capabilities. Related memory devices and systems are also herein disclosed.

Methods and systems for reducing ECC power consumption

The present disclosure relates to a memory device comprising an array of memory cells and an operating circuit for managing the operation of the array, the operating circuit comprising an encoding unit configured to generate a codeword, the codeword comprising payload data stored in a plurality of memory cells of the array, parity data associated with the payload data stored in parity cells of the memory array, wherein a number of parity cells to be used to store the parity data is selectable based on a status of the plurality of memory cells and is related to a selected Error Correction Code (ECC) protection level, and extra payload data stored in unused parity cells, the device further comprising a decoding unit configured to perform an ECC operation on the stored codeword based on the selected ECC protection level. The encoding unit and the decoding unit comprise respective circuit portions configured to be selectively activable based on the selected ECC protection level, and each circuit portion is configured to manage a respective predetermined payload and parity quantity of the codeword.

Memory device having an improved ECC architecture

The present disclosure relates to operating an array of memory cells, including storing user data in a plurality of memory cells of the memory array, storing parity data associated with the user data in parity cells of the memory array, in which a number of used parity cells is selected based on a status of the memory cells and is related to a selected Error Correction Code (ECC) correction capability, and performing an ECC operation on the plurality of memory cells, the ECC correction capability being based on the selected number of used parity cells. Related memory devices and systems are also herein disclosed.

Methods and systems for improving ECC operation of memories

The present disclosure relates to a method for operating an array of memory cells, the method comprising storing user data in a plurality of memory cells of the array, storing parity data associated with the user data in a plurality of parity cells of the array, and, based on the stored parity data, selecting an Error Correction Code (ECC) correction capability and/or an ECC granularity according to which an ECC operation is to be performed, wherein the selection of the ECC correction capability and/or the ECC granularity is determined by the steps of updating a first register, said first register comprising values which indicate a required ECC correction capability and/or a required ECC granularity to be applied to the memory cells based on a current status of said memory cells, wherein the values of the first register are updated based on a variation of the current status of the memory cells, and wherein an update of the values of the first register corresponds to a variation of the required ECC correction capability and/or a required ECC granularity to be applied to said memory cells, and based on the updated values of the first register, executing an ECC switch command, wherein the ECC switch command is such as to vary a previously selected ECC correction capability and/or a previously selected ECC granularity, the method further comprising: updating a second register according to the varied ECC correction capability and/or ECC granularity, said second register comprising values indicating the selected ECC correction capability and the selected ECC granularity applied to the memory cells based on the current status thereof. Related apparatuses and systems are also herein disclosed.

ECC configuration in memories

The present disclosure relates to a method comprising the steps of defining a minimum number of parity cells for storing parity data, the minimum number of parity cells corresponding to a minimum Error Correction Code (ECC) correction capability, defining a maximum number of parity cells for storing the parity data, the maximum number of parity cells corresponding to a maximum ECC correction capability, storing payload content in a plurality of memory cells of a memory array, and, based on a current status of the memory cells storing the payload, selecting a number of parity cells to be used for storing the parity data between the minimum number and the maximum number. The payload is stored in at least part of the parity cells which are not selected to store parity data. Related memory devices and systems are also herein disclosed.

Methods and systems for managing memory with dynamic ECC protection

The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for unbalanced programmed data states in memory. An embodiment includes a memory having a group of memory cells, and circuitry configured to determine a quantity of the memory cells of the group to program to a first data state, wherein the determined quantity of memory cells is less than or greater than half of the memory cells of the group, program the determined quantity of the memory cells of the group to the first data state, and program a remaining quantity of the memory cells of the group to a second data state.

Unbalanced programmed data states in memory

A memory array and a method of writing to a unidirectional non-volatile storage cell are disclosed whereby a user data word is transformed to an internal data word and written to one or more unidirectional data storage cells according to a cell coding scheme. A check word may be generated that corresponds to the internal data word. In some embodiments, the check word may be generated by inverting one or more bits of an intermediate check word. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Error correction code for unidirectional memory

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to methods and/or apparatuses, such as an apparatus that includes first and second groups of memory cells. The first group of memory cells stores multiple digits of program data per memory cell. The second group of memory cells stores a parity symbol per memory cell. Other apparatuses and/or methods are disclosed.

Error protection for memory devices

Subject matter, for example, disclosed herein relates to an embodiment of a process, system, device, or article involving error correction codes. In a particular embodiment, an error-correcting device may comprise an input port to receive an error correcting code (ECC) based, at least in part, on contents of a memory array; a nonlinear computing block to process the ECC to provide a plurality of signals representing a nonlinear portion of an error locator polynomial; and a linear computing block to process the ECC concurrently with processing the ECC to provide a plurality of signals representing the nonlinear portion of the error locator polynomial, to provide a plurality of signals representing a linear portion of the error locator polynomial.

Error-correcting code and process for fast read-error correction

A method for accessing a non volatile memory device including at least one group or sector of memory cells divided into regions programmable with two different data storage densities and accessible with at least two reading modes, for example a two-level mode and a multilevel mode. The memory regions are being organized into pages including a sub-group of memory cells for storing error correction codes of the data stored in the multilevel mode. The method includes providing at the beginning of each page at least one first cell wherein the information concerning the ECC protection or not of the whole page is to be stored. In the sub-group of cells at least one second cell intended for the storage of information concerning the programmed or erased state of the same page is provided. The content of the first and of the second cell is read before accessing, in programming, the corresponding page of the memory region.

Optimized flash memory access method and device

A transmission system for a digital signal includes a transmitter and a receiver connected thereto by a transfer bus. The transmission system includes at least one conductive line capacitively coupled with the transfer bus.

Growing community of inventors

Agrate Brianza, Italy

Christophe Laurent