Semiconductor Memory Compression Component ECC Operation Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
NAND-type flash memory devices with on-chip ECC circuits face increased operation times due to high circuit density, particularly during read and programming operations, which necessitates a reduction in data input/output times while maintaining reliability.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor memory device incorporating a compression component between the external input/output terminal and the ECC component to compress and extend data, thereby reducing the operational time of the ECC circuit and overall data input/output time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the circuit density of the semiconductor memory is increased, then the memory capacity is improved, but the operation time of the ECC circuit increases proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ECC operation into two stages: first performing ECC on compressed data (reduced data volume), then performing ECC on the full data after decompression. This segmentation allows the time-consuming ECC operation to be performed on a smaller data set initially, reducing overall operation time while maintaining data integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies compression before ECC operation as a preliminary action. By compressing the data first, the volume of data requiring ECC processing is reduced, which directly decreases the ECC operation time. The compression step is performed in advance to prepare the data for more efficient ECC processing.
2Loss of time
If compression component is added to reduce ECC operation time, then the data input/output time is decreased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the compression component into the existing memory controller architecture, allowing it to serve multiple functions: data compression before ECC, data decompression after ECC, and potential participation in write operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Loss of time
If compression is applied to data before ECC, then the ECC operation time is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces compression and decompression as intermediary processes between data storage and ECC operation. These intermediary steps transform the data into a more manageable form for ECC processing, reducing the direct impact of manufacturing variations on the ECC operation time. The compression acts as a buffer that mitigates the effects of physical defects.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory array; a data-maintaining component, maintaining data read from the memory array or maintaining data used for writing to the memory array; an external input/output terminal; an error correction component, coupling the data-maintaining component and performing error-detection or correcting the data input to the data-maintaining component or output data from the data-maintaining component; a compressing component, coupling between the external input/output terminal and the error correction component and compressing or extending data. The compressing component compresses data provided by the external input/output terminal, provides the compressed data to the error correction component, extends the data provided by the error correction component, and provides the extended data to the external input/output terminal.