Memory Segment Fault Management for Yield Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-volatile memory systems face challenges in utilizing full capacity due to manufacturing defects that result in faulty columns, leading to reduced storage capacity and increased costs, as existing methods often discard memory dies with excessive faulty columns rather than reconfiguring them for partial use.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that identify faulty columns in memory segments, disable the segment with the highest number of faults, and redistribute data across remaining segments to maintain partial storage capacity, allowing for continued use of memory dies with reduced capacity, thereby improving yield and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If memory dies with excessive faulty columns are discarded, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced yield and increased waste
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is divided into multiple independently manageable segments. By segmenting the memory die into separate operational units, the system can disable only the faulty segments while keeping healthy segments functional, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring reliability of the remaining operational segments.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of completely discarding memory dies with faulty columns, the system recovers partial functionality by identifying and disabling only the specific faulty segments. This approach retrieves value from otherwise discarded components, improving manufacturing yield while maintaining acceptable reliability through selective segment disablement.
2Ease of manufacture
If memory dies with excessive faulty columns are discarded, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but loss of substance increases due to wasted memory material
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers memory material that would otherwise be discarded by enabling partial operation of memory dies with faulty columns. By disabling only the faulty segments and keeping healthy segments operational, the system reduces material waste while maintaining cost-effective manufacturing through automated segment management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the memory device by dynamically adjusting which segments are enabled or disabled based on fault detection. This parameter adjustment allows the same physical memory material to operate at different capacity levels, reducing waste without requiring additional manufacturing resources.
3Reliability
If faulty segments are identified and disabled, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional management overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The memory system performs self-diagnosis and self-management by automatically detecting faulty columns and disabling affected segments without external intervention. This self-service capability improves reliability through automated fault isolation while minimizing the complexity burden on external control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the status of memory segments is continuously monitored and used to dynamically adjust operational configuration. This feedback loop enables automatic adaptation to faults, improving reliability while managing complexity through centralized control logic that makes real-time decisions based on segment health status.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory management method includes identifying memory segments of a memory device. The method also includes identifying, for each memory segment, a number of faulty columns and determining a total number of faulty columns for the memory device. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the total number of faulty columns is greater than a threshold, identifying a memory segment having a highest number of faulty columns. The method also includes disabling the memory segment. Another method includes identifying, for each memory segment, a number of faulty memory blocks and determining a total number of faulty memory blocks. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the total number of faulty memory blocks is greater than a threshold, identifying a memory segment having a highest number of faulty memory blocks. The method also includes disabling the memory segment.