Flash Memory Sector Randomization with Multi-Seed Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
MLC Flash memories in portable devices face issues with unstable characteristics, leading to write/program and read errors due to repetitive data patterns, which conventional randomizers fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a controller that uses different seeds for encoding and decoding data within Flash memory blocks, pages, and sectors to generate and adjust random sequences, ensuring data randomness and reducing error probability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional randomizer with a single seed value is used for encoding Flash memory data, then the device complexity is reduced and cost is lowered, but the data randomness is insufficient leading to write/program errors and read errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the Flash memory into multiple sectors and assigns a different seed value to each sector. This segmentation approach transforms the single-seed randomizer into a multi-seed system where each sector has its own unique seed, thereby improving data randomness and reducing errors without requiring a completely new randomizer architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different seed values to different sectors of the Flash memory, making each sector have unique local characteristics. This local quality differentiation ensures that data patterns in one sector do not repeat in another sector, effectively preventing write/program errors and read errors caused by repetitive patterns
2Ease of operation
If the same seed value is used for all sectors in the Flash memory, then the ease of manufacture and operation is improved, but the data pattern randomness deteriorates causing write/program errors and read errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic seed selection based on sector identification. Instead of using a static single seed for all sectors, the system dynamically selects appropriate seed values according to the target sector, thereby maintaining operational simplicity while achieving the desired data randomness and error reduction
Data Source
AI summary
A method for accessing a Flash memory and an associated Flash memory system are provided, where the Flash memory includes a plurality of blocks, each of the blocks includes a plurality of pages, and each of the pages includes a plurality of sectors. The method includes: receiving a page of data from a host; encoding a first portion of the page of data by a randomizer that operated under a first seed to generate a first encoded data; encoding a second portion of the page of data by the randomizer that operated under a second seed to generate a second encoded data, wherein the first seed is different from the second seed; and storing the first encoded data and the second encoded data to the Flash memory. An associated method and an associated Flash memory system are also provided.