The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 12, 2019
Filed:
Dec. 31, 2016
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Ming-Yu Tai, Irvine, CA (US);
Yun-Tzuo Lai, Irvine, CA (US);
Yung-Li Ji, Santa Ana, CA (US);
Haining Liu, Irvine, CA (US);
WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for retiring computer memory blocks. Two overall schemes are provided for separating poorly functioning blocks from normally functioning blocks. In a first scheme, after data relocation is finished, firmware remembers the old physical memory block. As soon as the system writes to the old physical memory block with new data, firmware issues a read again and receives back a count of error bits. If the returned error bits are still high, then the system identifies the block as being weak and retires the block. In a second scheme, firmware tracks statistics for data relocates, block reads, activity timers, among other statistics. If some blocks have abnormal activities (e.g., too many data relocates, too many reads, etc.), then the system may identify the block as being weak and may retire the physical memory block.