Outer Codewords in Volatile Memory for NVM Data Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-volatile memory (NVM) systems face data integrity issues due to program disturbs, which can lead to uncorrectable errors, and existing error correction methods often require storing parity data within NVM, reducing available storage space.
Innovation Solution
The use of outer codewords stored in volatile memory allows for data recovery by verifying and correcting user data in NVM, specifically by associating these codewords with various portions of the NVM and updating them during programming to correct errors detected in super blocks or pages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If parity data is stored within NVM to correct data errors, then data reliability is improved, but storage capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the error correction data (outer codewords) from the NVM storage system and places it in volatile memory instead. This separation allows the NVM to be used entirely for user data storage while the volatile memory handles error correction operations, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces volatile memory as an intermediary component between the user data in NVM and the error correction process. This intermediary holds the outer codewords during programming operations, enabling error correction without consuming NVM storage space, thereby maintaining both high reliability and full storage capacity.
2Quantity of substance
If outer codewords are stored in volatile memory, then storage capacity is optimized, but data recovery complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating and storing outer codewords in volatile memory before NVM programming operations occur. This pre-positioning of error correction data simplifies the recovery process, as the codewords are already available when needed rather than requiring complex retrieval and generation during error correction events.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for data recovery using outer codewords stored in volatile memory. Outer codewords can be associated with one or more horizontal portions or vertical portions of a non-volatile memory (“NVM”). In some embodiments, an NVM interface of an electronic device can program user data to a super block of the NVM. The NVM interface can then determine if a program disturb has occurred in the super block. In response to detecting that a program disturb has occurred in the super block, the NVM interface can perform garbage collection on the super block. The NVM interface can then use outer codewords associated with the super block to recover from any uncorrectable error correction code errors detected in the super block.