ECC Quality Metrics FIFO Streaming for Memory Sub-Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional memory controllers do not efficiently utilize quality metrics generated during ECC decode operations, leading to performance losses due to interruptions in the ECC decode process to collect and save these metrics, resulting in delayed availability and lack of real-time output 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 decode processing without interruptions, and storing them for post-processing, thereby reducing overhead and enhancing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If quality metrics are collected and saved during ECC decode operations in conventional memory controllers, then error validation and debugging capabilities are improved, but the ECC decode process is interrupted causing performance loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the quality metrics collection and storage function from the main ECC decode process by implementing a separate quality metrics register that operates independently. This allows the ECC decode operations to proceed continuously without being interrupted by metrics collection, thereby maintaining high throughput while still capturing error validation data.
Solution Approach 2:
The quality metrics register acts as an intermediary component between the ECC decode operations and the error validation/debugging processes. It captures and stores quality metrics from the decode operations without blocking the data flow, enabling concurrent operation of decode and validation functions.
2Reliability
If quality metrics are collected during ECC decode operations, then error debugging capability is improved, but time delay occurs in metric availability
Solution Approach 1:
The quality metrics are captured and stored in the quality metrics register during the ECC decode operation itself, rather than being collected after the operation completes. This preliminary capture ensures that metrics are immediately available for real-time error validation and debugging without subsequent delays.
3Reliability
If quality metrics are stored in conventional memory controllers, then error validation is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The quality metrics register is designed to serve multiple functions: it stores quality metrics for error validation, provides debugging information, and maintains data without interfering with normal ECC decode operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
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.