Nonvolatile Memory Discrimination Area Rewriting Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rewritable nonvolatile memory technologies, such as EEPROM, face limitations in the number of rewriting times due to higher integration and voltage requirements, particularly in complementary type memory configurations where initial values need to be written, leading to a loss in rewriting capacity.
Innovation Solution
A nonvolatile memory system with memory blocks containing data storage and discrimination areas, where the discriminative data is reversed upon writing, allowing for efficient determination of storage destinations and increasing rewriting times without the need for initial value writing, even in complementary type memory without a reference circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the configuration of dividing a sector into multiple memory blocks with discrimination areas is applied to complementary type memory, then the data storage capability is improved, but the number of rewriting times decreases due to the need to write initial values in advance
Solution Approach 1:
The memory block automatically determines its own writing state by comparing its discriminative data with adjacent blocks, eliminating the need for external initial value writing. The system self-manages the discrimination area by using relative comparison between neighboring blocks to identify unwritten states, allowing immediate use upon erasure without preliminary initialization.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using absolute values to determine writing state, the invention inverts the approach by using relative differences between adjacent blocks. The unwritten state is identified not by a fixed value but by the presence of a difference relation with neighboring blocks, reversing the conventional method of state detection.
2Use of energy by moving object
If higher integration is implemented to reduce voltage requirements, then the power consumption is reduced, but the number of rewriting times cannot be increased due to voltage limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter used for state detection from absolute voltage levels to relative voltage differences between adjacent blocks. This parameter transformation allows the system to operate effectively at lower voltages while maintaining the ability to track rewriting states, thus enabling increased rewriting times without compromising power efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If initial values are written in the discrimination area in advance, then the writing state detection is simplified, but the number of rewriting times is reduced due to the loss of rewrite capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by erasing the discrimination area along with the data storage area, preparing both for future writes. Instead of pre-writing initial values, the system preliminarily clears all data and uses the erasure state combined with relative comparison to subsequently determine writing states, maximizing rewriting capacity from the first use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system determines writing states through self-service by comparing discriminative data with adjacent blocks rather than relying on pre-written initial values. This self-determination mechanism eliminates the need for preliminary initialization while maintaining accurate tracking of writing states throughout the memory's operational life.
Data Source
AI summary
A nonvolatile memory includes memory blocks each including a data storage area for storing user data and a discrimination area that is provided so as to correspond to the each data storage area on a one-to-one basis and stores discriminative data indicating a writing state of data to the data storage area. The nonvolatile memory further includes a control circuit which determines the data storage area that will be a storage destination of the user data based on a relative difference relation among the discriminative data of the respective memory blocks, and changes the discriminative data of the discrimination area corresponding to the data storage area in which the user data was written to a value different from that before the writing.