Memory EOM Error Counting Excluding Non-Data Symbols

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Eye Open Monitor (EOM) methods fail to accurately reflect channel characteristics due to the inclusion of non-data symbols in error counting, leading to degraded reliability of EOM results.

Innovation Solution

An operating method for a memory device that selectively counts errors only for data symbols during the EOM operation, excluding errors from non-data symbols, and transmits an EOM response signal with the error count to the host device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If errors from all symbols (including non-data symbols) are counted in the EOM operation, then the error count covers all transmitted symbols, but the reliability of the EOM result is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of EOM resultVSAvoidaccuracy of channel characteristics reflection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the symbol stream into data symbols and non-data symbols, applying different error counting rules to each segment. Error counting is performed only for data symbols while non-data symbols are excluded, thereby segmenting the measurement process to improve reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different quality characteristics to different parts of the symbol stream. Data symbols are measured with error counting to reflect actual channel characteristics, while non-data symbols are excluded from error counting to maintain reliability. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If errors from non-data symbols are included in the error count, then the error count reflects all symbol transmission quality, but the actual channel characteristics are not properly reflected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of channel characteristics reflectionVSAvoidreliability of EOM result
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and excludes non-data symbols from the error counting process. By taking out the problematic non-data symbols (control symbols, filler symbols) from the measurement set, the EOM result properly reflects actual channel characteristics without the degradation caused by these special symbols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the EOM operation processes all symbols uniformly, then the processing is simple and consistent, but the EOM results do not properly reflect actual channel characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of EOM resultVSAvoidcomplexity of error counting logic
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic control to the error counting process by using a control signal that changes state based on the symbol type. The error counting circuit is dynamically enabled or disabled based on whether the current symbol is a data symbol or a non-data symbol, allowing the system to adapt its behavior to the current symbol type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control where the identification of symbol type (data vs. non-data) feeds back to control the error counting operation. This feedback mechanism ensures that error counting is performed only when appropriate (on data symbols) and stopped when inappropriate (on non-data symbols), resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4080513B1Memory device and operating method of the memory device and host device
Publication Date: 2025.01.22 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4080513B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4080513B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4080513B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A memory device, and an operating method of the memory device and a host device are provided. The method of operating a memory device includes receiving a command for requesting an Eye Open Monitor (EOM) operation performance from a host device, receiving pattern data including data and non-data from the host device, performing the EOM operation which performs an error count to correspond to the data, and does not perform the error count on the non-data, and transmitting an EOM response signal including the error count result to the host device.