Flash Memory Exhaustion Level Self-Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
NAND type flash memory systems lack a reliable self-diagnosis function to predict and manage the limited number of store/erase operations, leading to potential data loss and inefficient usage, as they do not have mechanical components to monitor like HDDs, and are susceptible to heat and aged deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A memory system that includes a first memory for electrical writing/erasing, a second memory to count and monitor erase operations, and a controller to retrieve and output these counts via a connection interface, allowing for self-diagnosis and notification of exhaustion levels, enabling efficient usage and data preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If wear leveling is performed to distribute erase operations evenly across blocks, then the number of store/erase operations is averaged and memory lifetime is extended, but the system still lacks a self-diagnosis function to predict remaining lifetime and notify users of exhaustion levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by providing a self-diagnosis function that reads the erase operation count from a counter memory and outputs it through a connection interface. This allows the system to monitor its own state and notify users about memory exhaustion levels, transforming the open-loop wear leveling process into a closed-loop system with state feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the memory system to perform self-diagnosis by internally counting erase operations and making this information accessible through a standard interface. The system serves itself by automatically tracking its own usage state without requiring external monitoring equipment, thus achieving self-service capability.
2Reliability
If the number of erase operations is counted and monitored, then exhaustion levels can be determined and notified, but additional memory resources and circuitry are required to implement the counter and interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves multi-functionality by integrating the counter memory and self-diagnosis interface into the existing memory system architecture. The same connection interface used for normal memory operations is also utilized to output exhaustion level information, allowing the system to perform both memory storage and self-diagnosis functions through a single interface structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the exhaustion level detection function with the existing memory interface by reading the counter memory contents through the same connection interface used for normal memory operations. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated interface circuits, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a memory system which determines a memory state such as an exhaustion level and allows a memory to be efficiently used.The memory system includes a NAND type flash memory 1 in which data can be electrically written/erased, a nonvolatile memory 2 which counts the number of erase operations of the NAND type flash memory 1 and retains the number of erase operations and a maximum number of erase operations, and a controller 3 which has a connection interface 31 to be given a self-diagnosis command from a computer 4, and retrieves the number of erase operations and the maximum number of erase operations from the nonvolatile memory 2 based on the self-diagnosis command and outputs the number of erase operations and the maximum number of erase operations to the computer 4 through the connection interface 31.