Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Solid State Storage Technology Corporation

Mediatek Corporation

Lite-on Technology Corporation

Kuan-Chun Chen

Chien-Yin Liu

Hsueh-Chih Yang

Yu-Der Chih

Yi-Chun Shih

Shih-Jia Zeng

Jen-Chien Fu

Shih-Lien Linus Lu

Chia-Fu Lee

Jonathan Tehan Chen

Tsu-Han Lu

Yue-Der Chih

Chih-Hong Lou

Chun-Wei Kuo

A method of screening weak bits in a memory array includes dividing the memory array into a first and a second memory array, storing a first set of data in the first memory array, performing a first baking process on the first memory array or applying a first magnetic field to the first memory array, determining that a first portion of the first set of data stored in the first memory array is altered by the first baking process or the first magnetic field, and at least one of replacing memory cells of a first set of memory cells that are storing the first portion of the first set of data with corresponding memory cells in the second memory array of the memory array, or not using the memory cells of the first set of memory cells storing the first portion of the first set of data.

Method of correcting errors in a memory array and method of screening weak bits in the same

A method includes: retrieving a first word comprising a plurality of data bits and a plurality of parity bits that correspond to the first word, wherein the plurality of data bits form N&#x2212;1 groups and the plurality of parity bits form a first group different from the N&#x2212;1 groups, and N is a positive integer greater than 2; receiving a request to update respective data bits of a first one of the N&#x2212;1 groups; and providing a second word comprising updated data bits that form a second one of the N&#x2212;1 groups and a plurality of updated parity bits that correspond to the second word, wherein the plurality of updated parity bits form a second group that has a same group index as the first one of the N&#x2212;1 groups.

Memory device

A method of screening weak bits in a memory array. The method includes storing a first set of data in a first memory array of the memory array, performing a first baking process on at least the first memory array or applying a first magnetic field to at least the first memory array, tracking an address of at least a first memory cell of a first set of memory cells of the first memory array, if the first memory cell of the first set of memory cells stores altered data, and at least one of replacing the first memory cell of the first set of memory cells storing the altered data with a corresponding memory cell in a second memory array of the memory array, or discarding the first memory cell of the first set of memory cells storing the altered data.

A failure mode detection method is provided. A first default read voltage is changed to a first read retry voltage by a first increment, and a second default read voltage is changed to a second read retry voltage by a second increment. A memory cell array of a solid state storage device is successfully read according to the first and second read retry voltages. If an absolute value of the first increment minus an absolute value of the second increment is larger than a predetermined voltage value, the memory cell array is in a data retention failure mode. If the absolute value of the first increment minus the absolute value of the second increment is smaller than the predetermined voltage value, the memory cell array is in a low temperature write high temperature read failure mode.

Failure mode detection method and error correction method for solid state storage device

A solid state storage device is in communication with a host. The solid state storage device includes a control circuit and a non-volatile memory. The control circuit is in communication with the host. The control circuit includes an error correction circuit and a prediction model storage circuit. A prediction model is stored in the prediction model storage circuit. The non-volatile memory includes a memory cell array. The memory cell array includes plural blocks. Each of the blocks includes a corresponding state parameter. The control circuit determines a selected block from the memory cell array. The control circuit judges whether to perform a specified operation on the selected block according to the state parameter of the selected block and the prediction model.

Solid state storage device and control method with prediction model to increase read speed

A read table management method for a solid state storage device includes the following steps. If the lowest computation value in a hot group is lower than the highest computation value in a cold group when a read table adjusting process is enabled, a first read voltage set corresponding to the lowest computation value in the hot group and a second read voltage set corresponding to the highest computation value in the cold group are swapped with each other. Consequently, the second read voltage set becomes to belong to the hot group, and the first read voltage set becomes to belong to the cold group.

Solid state storage device and read table management method thereof

A voltage regulator apparatus includes operational amplifier, first resistor, second resistor, driving transistor, amplifier circuit, and output circuit. The operational amplifier has first input terminal coupled to reference voltage, second input terminal, and output terminal. The first resistor has first terminal coupled to second input terminal. The second resistor is coupled between first resistor and ground level. The driving transistor has control terminal coupled to output terminal of operational amplifier and first terminal coupled to second terminal of first resistor. The amplifier circuit is coupled to output terminal of operational amplifier and configured to sense output voltage of voltage regulator apparatus to amplify the sensed voltage with specific gain to regulate a transistor of output circuit. The transistor has control terminal controlled by amplifier circuit. The output voltage is generated at first terminal of the transistor.

Voltage regulator apparatus offering low dropout and high power supply rejection

A method of correcting errors in a memory array. The method includes configuring a first memory array with a first error correction code (ECC) to provide error correction of data stored in the first memory array, configuring a second memory array with a second ECC to provide error correction of the data stored in the first memory array, performing a reflow process on the first and second memory array, and correcting data stored in the first memory array based on at least the first ECC or the second ECC. The first memory array includes a first set of memory cells arranged in rows and columns. The second memory array includes a second set of memory cells arranged in rows and columns.

Method of correcting errors in a memory array and a system for implementing the same

A control method of a solid state storage device includes the following steps. Firstly, a block of a memory cell array is checked. Then, a judging step is performed to judge whether a data storage time period of the block exceeds a threshold period. If the data storage time period of the block exceeds the threshold period, the block is tagged or a data of the block is refreshed.

Control method of solid state storage device

The present disclosure discloses a data storage device having error detection and correction capabilities. The data storage device includes an information encoder/decoder having error checking circuitry to determine whether one or more errors present in an input datastream. When the one or more errors are present in the input datastream, the information encoder/decoder activates error correction circuitry to correct the one or more errors when present in the input datastream. Otherwise, when the one or more errors are not present in the input datastream, the information encoder/decoder deactivates the error correction circuitry. This activation and deactivation conserves power when compared to conventional data storage devices. Any error correction circuitry, if present, in these conventional data storage devices continuously remain active even when the one or more errors are not present in the input datastream.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Kuan-Chun Chen