Toshiba Memory Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Yoshio Furuyama

Shunsuke Kodera

Shinya Takeda

Tetsuya Iwata

Kenichirou Kada

Nobuhiro Tsuji

Toshihiko Kitazume

Hirosuke Narai

Mikio Takasugi

Kiyotaka Hayashi

Wangying Lin

A memory device includes a semiconductor memory unit, a controller circuit configured to communicate with a host through a serial interface, store write data to be written into a page of the semiconductor memory unit in a data buffer, and an error-correcting code (ECC) circuit configured to generate an error correction code from the write data if the ECC circuit is enabled. The controller circuit writes the error correction code with the write data into the page if the ECC circuit is enabled. A maximum column address of the page which is accessible from the host changes depending on whether or not the ECC circuit is enabled.

Memory device that changes a writable region of a data buffer based on an operational state of an ECC circuit

A memory system includes a controller that recognizes, as a command, a signal received immediately after a chip select signal is received from a host device, and a memory that includes a plurality of blocks. When the command is a first command, the controller outputs to the host device, information indicating whether at least one of a write operation and an erase operation with respect to at least one particular block is prohibited.

Memory system storing block protection information

A storage device includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory module, and a host interface for connection to a host that is external to the storage device. The host interface includes a first interface circuit conforming to Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) and a second interface circuit conforming to an interface standard different from SPI. Output terminals of the first interface circuit are connected to input terminals of the second interface circuit, and output terminals of the second interface circuit are connected to input terminals of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory module.

Storage device compatible with selected one of multiple interface standards

A memory device includes a semiconductor memory unit, a controller configured to communicate with a host through a serial interface and read data stored in a page of the semiconductor memory unit in response to a read command received through the serial interface, and an error-correcting code (ECC) circuit configured to carry out error correction with respect to data read from each unit region of the page. The controller is further configured to transmit, through the serial interface to the host, information that indicates whether or not a number of error bits detected by the ECC circuit in the data read from each unit region of the page through the error correction is greater than a predetermined value.

Memory device that communicates error correction results to a host

A memory system includes a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory blocks, including a first block storing data and a second block storing backup data, a plurality of pins, and a controller configured to output a control signal to the semiconductor memory in accordance with the command. When the controller receives from outside of the memory system, a read command for the data in the first block, and the data in the first block are available, the controller is configured to transmit the data in the first block to the outside of the memory system. When the controller receives from outside of the memory system, a read command for the data in the first block, and the data in the first block are not available, the controller is configured to transmit the backup data in the second block to the outside of the memory system.

Memory system that stores data redundantly

A memory system includes a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of blocks, and a controller configured to register a block designated in a protection command as a protected block in a storage region. When the control circuit receives from a host a command to erase the protected block or write to the protected block, the control circuit does not issue a corresponding erase or write command to the semiconductor memory device and notifies the host of the failure to execute the command.

Memory system having a semiconductor memory device with protected blocks

A memory device includes a semiconductor memory unit and a controller circuit configured to communicate with a host through a serial interface and access the semiconductor memory unit in response to commands received through the serial interface. The controller circuit, in response to a host command to read parameters of the memory device, updates at least one of parameters of the memory device stored in the memory device based on operational settings of the memory device, and transmits the updated parameters through the serial interface to the host.

Memory device that updates parameters transmitted to a host based on operational settings

A storage device includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory module, a first interface circuit, and a second interface circuit conforming to an interface standard different from an interface standard of the first interface circuit. One of the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit is connected to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory module via first wiring, and to terminals of the storage device for connection to a host via second wiring. The other one of the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit is not connected to either the nonvolatile semiconductor memory module or the terminals.

A memory system includes a semiconductor memory device, a controller configured to access the semiconductor module, a plurality of pins for connection to the outside of the memory system, the pins configured to receive and output serial data, and a test circuit. When one of the pins receives serial test data, the test circuit converts the serial test data into parallel test data, and outputs the parallel test data to the semiconductor memory device for writing therein, and when the test circuit receives parallel test data written in the semiconductor memory device, the test circuit converts the parallel test data to serial test data, and outputs the serial test data through one of the pins for test of the memory system.

Memory system including test circuit

A memory system includes first through fifth pins connectable to a host device to output to the host device a first signal through the third pin and to receive from the host device a first chip select signal through the first pin, a second chip select signal through the second pin, a second signal through the fourth pin, and a clock signal through the fifth pin, an interface circuit configured to recognize, as a command, the second signal received through the fourth pin immediately after detecting the first or second chip select signal, and first and second memory cell arrays. The interface circuit and the first and second memory cell arrays are provided in one common package, and is configured to access the first memory cell array when detecting the first chip select signal, and to access the second memory cell array when detecting the second chip select signal.

Memory system

A memory system includes a plurality of pins for connection to the outside of the memory system, one of the pins being configured to receive a command signal, a memory cell array including a plurality of first memory blocks and a second memory block in which status data indicating which of the first memory blocks is defective, is stored, and a control circuit configured to determine whether or not a first memory block targeted by the command signal is indicated as being defective in the status data. The control circuit allows an operation to be performed on the targeted first memory block in accordance with the command signal when the targeted first memory block is not indicated as being defective, and blocks the operation to be performed on the targeted first memory block when the targeted first memory block is indicated as being defective.

Memory system that handles access to bad blocks

A memory device includes a semiconductor memory unit, and a controller configured to communicate with a host through a serial interface and access the memory semiconductor unit in response to commands received through the serial interface. The controller, in response to a first read command received through the serial interface to read data in a first page of the semiconductor memory unit, issues a first command to the semiconductor memory unit to read data in the first page and, in addition, a second command to read data in a second page that is consecutive to the first page and not specified in the first read command.

Growing community of inventors

Yokosuka Kanagawa, Japan

Yoshio Furuyama