Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Marco A Cabassi

Jeffrey C Cunningham

Fuchen Mu

Ronald J Syzdek

Ross Sinclair Scouller

Horacio P Gasquet

Adaptive error correction for non-volatile memories is disclosed that dynamically adjusts sense amplifier read detection windows. Memory control circuitry uses error correction code (ECC) routines to detect bit errors that are non-correctable using these ECC routines. The memory control circuitry then dynamically adjusts sense amplifier read detection windows to allow for correct data to be determined. Corrected data can then be output to external circuitry. The corrected data can also be stored for later access when subsequent read operations attempt to access address locations that previously suffered bit failures. The adaptive error correction can also be used with respect to memories that are not non-volatile memories.

Adaptive error correction for non-volatile memories

A set of reference cells is used for sensing the data values stored at bit cells of a memory device. In response to an event, the reference cell providing the highest output of the set is selected as the reference cell to be used for subsequent memory access operations. The remaining reference cells are disabled so that they can recover back to or near their original non-degraded states. At each successive event, the set of reference cells can be reassessed to identify the reference cell that provides the highest output at that time and the memory device can be reconfigured to utilize the reference cell so identified. By utilizing the reference cell having the highest output to provide the read reference and disabling the remaining reference cells, the likelihood of the read reference falling below a minimum threshold can be reduced.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Marco A Cabassi