Memory Controller FIFO Streaming for ECC Codeword Quality Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional memory controllers do not utilize quality metrics generated during ECC decode operations in real-time, leading to inefficiencies and performance losses due to the need to interrupt the ECC decode process to collect and save these metrics, which are crucial for error avoidance and validation operations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a quality metrics first in first out (FIFO) circuit within the memory controller to stream quality metrics in real-time during read operations, allowing continuous ECC decoding without interruptions, and storing them for post-processing, thereby reducing the overhead of collecting and processing quality metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional memory controllers collect and save quality metrics during ECC decode operations, then quality metrics are available for error avoidance and validation operations, but the ECC decode process must be interrupted causing performance losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the quality metrics collection function from the main ECC decode data path by introducing a separate FIFO circuit. The FIFO circuit independently collects and stores quality metrics without interrupting the primary ECC decoding operations, allowing metrics to be gathered in parallel while maintaining decode throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The FIFO circuit acts as an intermediary buffer between the ECC decode operations and the quality metrics processing. It temporarily stores metrics as they are generated during decoding, allowing the main decode process to continue uninterrupted while metrics are accumulated and made available for later error avoidance operations.
2Loss of information
If quality metrics are collected and saved during read operations, then metrics are available for post-processing and validation, but additional overhead is introduced to the read operation
Solution Approach 1:
The FIFO circuit enables continuous collection of quality metrics throughout the entire read operation without pausing or interrupting the data flow. Metrics are accumulated continuously as decoding progresses, ensuring complete metrics availability while maintaining uninterrupted read operation timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The FIFO circuit prepares and stores quality metrics in advance during the read operation, making them immediately available for post-processing without requiring additional time after the read completes. This preliminary collection eliminates the need for separate metric gathering steps that would extend read operation overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Several embodiments of systems incorporating memory devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a memory device can include a controller and a memory component operably coupled to the controller. The controller can include a memory manager, a quality metrics first in first out (FIFO) circuit, and an error correction code (ECC) decoder. In some embodiments, the ECC decoder can generate quality metrics relating to one or more codewords saved in the memory component and read into the controller. In these and other embodiments, the ECC decoder can stream the quality metrics to the quality metrics FIFO circuit, and the quality metrics FIFO circuit can stream the quality metrics to the memory manager. In some embodiments, the memory manager can save all or a subset of the quality metrics in the memory component and/or can use the quality metrics in post-processing, such as in error avoidance operations of the memory device.