Flash Memory Refresh Control via Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flash memory devices experience increased data errors over time, especially in high-temperature environments, leading to potential data loss due to reduced refresh processing frequency, even when power is shut off to conserve energy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that releases a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device from a low power consumption state based on elapsed time and estimated ambient temperature, allowing for error check and refresh processing to prevent data loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the frequency of performing refresh processing is reduced to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but data error increases and data may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of refresh processing frequency based on real-time temperature monitoring. When temperature exceeds a threshold, the refresh frequency is increased automatically. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain data integrity during high-temperature periods while reducing refresh operations during normal conditions, thereby optimizing the balance between power consumption and data reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the refresh processing parameters (frequency and timing) based on environmental temperature conditions. By monitoring temperature and adjusting the refresh interval accordingly, the system ensures that data is refreshed more frequently when heat accelerates error formation, while allowing longer intervals when temperature is stable, thus resolving the contradiction between power savings and data protection.
2Use of energy by moving object
If power is shut off for flash memory devices not in use to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but the device cannot perform refresh processing and data errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by monitoring temperature trends and predicting when the flash memory device will be needed. Based on temperature data and usage patterns, the system proactively wakes up the device and performs refresh processing before the device is actually needed, ensuring data integrity is maintained even though the device was in a low-power state. This prevents data loss while still allowing the device to remain powered off for extended periods when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where temperature monitoring data is continuously fed back to the control logic, which then determines whether to wake the flash memory device from low-power mode. When temperature exceeds thresholds or error rates increase, the feedback triggers a wake-up and refresh operation, ensuring that power-saving mode does not compromise data integrity. This closed-loop control resolves the contradiction by dynamically responding to actual conditions.
3Productivity
If refresh processing frequency is reduced based on rewriting frequency, then processing overhead is reduced, but data errors increase in high temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic temperature-based adjustment to the refresh processing frequency. Instead of using only rewriting frequency as the basis for refresh timing, the system now dynamically adapts the refresh interval based on real-time temperature measurements. When temperature rises, the refresh frequency increases automatically regardless of rewriting activity, ensuring data integrity is maintained in high-temperature environments while still allowing processing efficiency optimizations during normal conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
It is assumed that at least one of the plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device (hereinafter, referred to as a first memory device) in a low power consumption state in which error check processing and refresh processing cannot be performed. A storage apparatus releases a low power consumption state of a first memory device at a timing according to a lapsed time after the first memory device is in the low power consumption state and an estimated ambient temperature of the first memory device at the lapsed time. When the low power consumption state is released, the first memory device executes the error check processing and the refresh processing.