Recurring Error Bit Position Detection in Nonvolatile Memory

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data storage technologies face inefficiencies in error correction due to recurring errors in nonvolatile memory elements, which consume time and computing resources, and are not effectively addressed by traditional error correction codes.

Innovation Solution

Identifying and storing recurring error bit positions within nonvolatile memory devices, allowing for pre-correction of data before error correction decoding, thereby simplifying the error correction process and reducing computational load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional error correction codes are used to correct errors in nonvolatile memory, then data reliability is improved, but error correction time and computing resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoiderror correction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification of recurring error bit positions during an initial read operation and stores this error map in a buffer. When subsequent read operations occur, the pre-identified error positions are used to directly correct errors without performing full error correction decoding, thereby reducing error correction time while maintaining data reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If traditional error correction decoding is performed on all data reads, then data accuracy is improved, but computing resources and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidcomputing resources and power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and isolates the recurring error bit positions from the overall error correction process by creating a separate error map that identifies specific problematic bit locations. This extracted error information is then used to针对性地 correct only the erroneous bits without performing comprehensive error correction decoding on the entire data word, thereby reducing computing resources and power consumption while maintaining data accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If error correction is applied to all data bits, then data integrity is improved, but processing speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different processing qualities to different parts of the data by identifying specific recurring error bit positions and applying correction only to those localized positions rather than uniformly processing all data bits. This localized approach to error correction maintains data integrity at the error-prone positions while significantly improving overall processing speed by avoiding unnecessary computation on error-free bits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8996936B2Enhanced error correction in memory devices

Publication Date: 2015.03.31 SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

A method of correcting stored data includes reading data stored in a portion of a nonvolatile memory. The method includes, for each particular bit position of the read data, updating a count of data error instances associated with the particular bit position in response to detecting that the read data differs from a corresponding reference value of the particular bit position. The reading of the first portion and the updating of the counts of data error instances are performed for a particular number of repetitions. The method includes identifying each bit position having an associated count of data error instances equal to the particular number of repetitions as a recurring error bit position.