Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.

Jialiang Deng

Bo Li

Zhuqin Duan

Lei Shi

Yu Wang

Yanlan Liu

Yuesong Pan

Xiaojiang Guo

Hongtao Liu

Yi Zhang

Chenhui Li

Zhenjia Chen

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for operating a memory device having multiple storage modes. In one example method, a portion of a memory array is selected, wherein the portion of the memory array is programmable in a first storage mode or a second storage mode. The second storage mode has a lower storage density than the first storage mode, and the first storage mode corresponds to a first erase operation. A switch erase operation is performed to switch the portion of the memory array from the first storage mode to a switched second storage mode, wherein the switched second storage mode has the same storage density as the second storage mode and corresponds to the switch erase operation. The switch erase operation is different from the first erase operation on the memory array in the first storage mode.

Erase and program operations for memory devices having multiple storage modes

A memory device includes a plurality of planes. A method of programming the memory device includes applying a first program pulse to one or more memory cells of a first plane of the plurality of planes, verifying whether each one of the memory cells reaches a predetermined program state, and in response to a preset number of the memory cells in the first plane failing to reach the predetermined program state after the memory cells being verified for a predetermined number of times, bypassing the first plane when applying a second program pulse after the first program pulse.

Method of programming multi-plane memory device

In certain aspects, a memory device includes a plurality of memory cells and a peripheral circuit coupled to the plurality of memory cells. The peripheral circuit includes a page buffer, which includes a page buffer circuit and control logic coupled to the page buffer circuit. The page buffer circuit includes a dynamic storage unit and a first non-dynamic storage unit. The control logic is configured to determine whether an information swapping process is performed between the dynamic storage unit and the first non-dynamic storage unit based on a type of an operation to be performed on the page buffer circuit and an information storage manner between the dynamic storage unit and the first non-dynamic storage unit. The control logic is further configured to perform the operation on the page buffer circuit based on the determining whether the information swapping process is performed.

Memory device, memory system, and operation method thereof

In certain aspects, a memory device includes an array of memory cells, including a first memory cell and a second memory cell, and a peripheral circuit. The peripheral circuit includes a page buffer circuit and control logic. The control logic is configured to suspend a program operation on the first memory cell responsive to receiving a suspension command indicative of executing a read operation on the second memory cell, control the page buffer circuit to release a sensing storage unit and a cache storage unit of the page buffer circuit from being occupied by a suspension of the program operation through a usage of a dynamic storage unit of the page buffer circuit during the suspension of the program operation, and initiate a read operation on the second memory cell using the sensing storage unit and the cache storage unit.

Memory device and read operation during suspension of program operation thereof

In certain aspects, a memory device includes an array of memory cells and a peripheral circuit. The array of memory cells includes a first memory cell and a second memory cell. The peripheral circuit includes a page buffer circuit and control logic. The page buffer circuit is coupled to the first and second memory cells, respectively, and includes a sense out (SO) node and a cache storage unit. The control logic is coupled to the page buffer and configured to suspend a program operation on the first memory cell responsive to receiving a suspension command indicative of executing a read operation on the second memory cell. The control logic is further configured to control the page buffer circuit to store suspended program information associated with a suspension of the program operation, and initiate the read operation on the second memory cell through the SO node and the cache storage unit.

A memory device includes N memory planes (N is an integer greater than 1), M asynchronous multi-plane independent (AMPI) read units (M is an integer smaller than or equal to N), a first microcontroller unit (MCU), and a multiplexing circuit coupled to the N memory planes, the first MCU, and the M AMPI read units. Each AMPI read unit is configured to provide an AMPI read control signal for a respective memory plane to control an AMPI read operation on the respective memory plane. The first MCU is configured to provide a non-AMPI read control signal for each memory plane to control a non-AMPI read operation on each memory plane. The multiplexing circuit is configured to, in a non-AMPI read operation, direct a non-AMPI read control signal to each memory plane from the first MCU, and in an AMPI read operation, direct each AMPI read control signal of M AMPI read control signals to the respective memory plane from the corresponding AMPI read unit.

Memory device and asynchronous multi-plane independent read operation thereof

In certain aspects, a memory device includes an array of memory cells, including a first memory cell and a second memory cell, and a peripheral circuit. The peripheral circuit includes a page buffer circuit and control logic. The control logic is configured to suspend a program operation on the first memory cell responsive to receiving a suspension command, control the page buffer circuit to store suspended program information associated with a suspension of the program operation, control the page buffer circuit to release a sensing storage unit and a cache storage unit of the page buffer circuit from being occupied by the suspension of the program operation through a storage of a piece of program information from the suspended program information in a memory controller, and initiate a read operation on the second memory cell using the sensing storage unit and the cache storage unit.

In certain aspects, a memory device includes an array of memory cells columns and rows, word lines respectively coupled to rows of the memory cells, bit lines respectively coupled to the columns of the memory cells, and a peripheral circuit coupled to the array of memory cells through the bit lines and the word lines and configured to program a select row of the rows of the memory cells based on a current data page. Each memory cell is set to one of 2levels corresponding a piece of N-bits data, where N is an integer greater than 2. The peripheral circuit includes page buffer circuits respectively coupled to the bit lines. Each page buffer circuit includes one cache storage unit, N−1 data storage units, and a multipurpose storage unit. The cache storage unit is configured to sequentially receive N bits of the current data page and N bits of a next data page, and sequentially store one of the N bits of the current data page and each of the N bits of the next data page. The data storage units each is configured to sequentially store a respective one of the N bits of the current data page and a respective one of the N bits of the next data page. The multipurpose storage unit is configured to store at least one of the N bits of the current data page.

Memory device and program operation thereof

In certain aspects, a method for operating a memory device is disclosed. The memory device includes a plurality of memory planes. Whether an instruction is an asynchronous multi-plane independent (AMPI) read instruction or a non-AMPI read instruction is determined. In response to the instruction being an AMPI read instruction, an AMPI read control signal is generated based on the AMPI read instruction, and the AMPI read control signal is directed to a corresponding memory plane of the memory planes. In response to the instruction being a non-AMPI read instruction, a non-AMPI read control signal is generated based on the non-AMPI read instruction, and the non-AMPI read control signal is directed to each memory plane of the memory planes.

In certain aspects, a method for operating a memory device is disclosed. The memory device includes memory planes and multiplexers (MUXs). Each MUX includes an output coupled to a respective one of the memory planes, a first input receiving a non-asynchronous multi-plane independent (AMPI) read control signal, and a second input receiving an AMPI read control signal. Whether an instruction is an AMPI read instruction or a non-AMPI read instruction is determined. In response to the instruction being an AMPI read instruction, an AMPI read control signal is generated based on the AMPI read instruction, and a corresponding MUX is controlled to enable outputting the AMPI read control signal from the second input to the corresponding memory plane. In response to the instruction being a non-AMPI read instruction, a non-AMPI read control signal is generated based on the non-AMPI read instruction, and each MUX is controlled to enable outputting the non-AMPI read control signal from the respective first input to the respective memory plane.

A memory device includes a plurality of planes, a row driver and a controller. A method of programming the memory device includes in a program operation, the row driver applying a program pulse to a plurality of memory cells of a first plane of the plurality of planes; after the row driver applies the program pulse to the plurality of memory cells, the controller verifying if the plurality of memory cells have reached a predetermined program state; and if a preset number of the plurality of memory cells have failed to reach the predetermined program state after the plurality of memory cells have been verified for a predetermined number of times, the controller disabling the first plane.

Growing community of inventors

Wuhan, China

Jialiang Deng