Memory Controller ECC Validation for Temperature Data Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memory sub-systems lack effective methods to detect defective dies or channels, leading to potential incorrect temperature data readings that can trigger unnecessary thermal-related operations, impacting performance by causing throttling or shutdown.
Innovation Solution
A memory sub-system controller performs error-correcting code (ECC) checks on temperature data from memory dice and channels to identify reliable readings, with a confirmation check to differentiate between data retention issues and actual defects, ensuring accurate thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temperature data is read from memory dice without error protection, then thermal-related operations can be triggered, but incorrect temperature values may cause unnecessary throttling or shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary ECC checks on temperature data before using it for thermal management decisions. By checking the reliability of temperature readings in advance through ECC validation and confirmation procedures, the system prevents incorrect data from triggering unnecessary thermal throttling or shutdown, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring reliability.
2Reliability
If ECC checks are performed on temperature data, then data reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The memory subsystem utilizes its existing ECC infrastructure to validate temperature data. The same ECC check mechanisms already present in the system for protecting memory data are repurposed to verify temperature readings, eliminating the need for separate dedicated verification hardware and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ECC checking mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions: it protects both regular memory data and temperature sensor data. This multi-functionality allows the system to validate temperature readings using the same error correction infrastructure already in place, avoiding additional complexity while improving temperature data reliability.
3Measurement precision
If confirmation checks are performed to differentiate data retention issues from actual defects, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs confirmation checks selectively rather than universally. ECC checks are always performed on temperature data, but full confirmation procedures to differentiate data retention issues from actual defects are only triggered when ECC errors are detected. This partial action approach maintains measurement precision for defect detection while minimizing time loss by avoiding unnecessary confirmation checks on error-free data.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a plurality of memory dice and a processing device coupled to the plurality of memory dice. The processing device is to determine whether an error correcting code (ECC) check of ECC-protected data read from a die of the plurality of memory dice results in detecting an error. In response to detecting the error from the ECC-protected data, the processing device performs a confirmation check that the error is a result of a defect in the die. In response to the confirmation check confirming the die is defective, the processing device ignores a temperature value from the die when determining whether to trigger a thermal-related operation.