Method for detecting temperature in a flash memory device and the flash memory device thereof

1 . A method for detecting temperature in a flash memory device, the method comprising:

receiving an Input/Output (I/O) request from a host device;

determining an on-cell count value for a targeted page within an active block of the flash memory device upon receiving the I/O request, the determining of the on-cell count value comprising:

applying a read voltage to the targeted page; and

counting a number of memory cells in the targeted page that are turned on in response to the read voltage;

comparing the on-cell count value of the targeted page, with a stored on-cell count data of a pre-stored on-cell count table in the flash memory device; and

determining the temperature of the flash memory device corresponding to the on-cell count value based on the comparison,

wherein the pre-stored on-cell count table defines a relationship between the number of memory cells turned on in response to the read voltage and the temperature of the flash memory device, and

wherein a notification signal is transmitted to the host device, based on the temperature of the flash memory device and a threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the I/O request is a data write request or a data read request.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stored on-cell count data is in the flash memory device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to receiving the I/O request from the host device, the method comprises:

receiving a command from the host device at each of a plurality of temperatures;

measuring the on-cell count value for each targeted page of a block in the flash memory device for each of the plurality of temperatures upon receiving the command; and

storing the on-cell count value and corresponding temperature for each targeted page of the block in the flash memory device as the stored on-cell count data of the pre-stored on-cell count table in the flash memory device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transmission of the notification signal to the host device based on the temperature of the flash memory device and the threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device comprises:

transmitting the notification signal indicating a high operating temperature of the flash memory device, to the host device when the temperature of the flash memory device is above the threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device; and

transmitting the notification signal indicating a low operating temperature of the flash memory device, to the host device when the temperature of the flash memory device is below the threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flash memory device is a NAND based device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the targeted page refers to a page within a block in the flash memory device that is to be checked for the on-cell count value.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the active block refers to a block in the flash memory device associated with the I/O request.

9 . A flash memory device for detecting temperature in the flash memory device, the flash memory device comprising:

a memory;

a communication interface for communicating with a host device; and

a processor configured to:

receive an Input/Output (I/O) request from the host device through the communication interface;

determine an on-cell count value for a targeted page within an active block of the flash memory device upon receiving the I/O request, wherein the determining of the on-cell count value comprises:

applying a read voltage to the targeted page; and

counting a number of memory cells in the targeted page that are turned on in response to the read voltage;

compare the on-cell count value of the targeted page with a stored on-cell count data of a pre-stored on-cell count table in the flash memory device; and

determine the temperature of the flash memory device corresponding to the on-cell count value based on the comparison,

wherein the pre-stored on-cell count table defines a relationship between the number of memory cells turned on in response to the read voltage and the temperature of the flash memory device, and

wherein a notification signal is transmitted to the host device, based on the temperature of the flash memory device and a threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device.

10 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the I/O request is a data write request or a data read request.

11 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the stored on-cell count data is in the flash memory device.

12 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a command from the host device at each of a plurality of temperatures;

measure the on-cell count value for each targeted page of a block in the flash memory device for each of the plurality of temperatures upon receiving the command; and

store the on-cell count value and corresponding temperature for each targeted page of the block in the flash memory device as the stored on-cell count data of the pre-stored on-cell count table in the flash memory device.

13 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:

transmit the notification signal indicating a high operating temperature of the flash memory device, to the host device based on the temperature of the flash memory device being above the threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device; and

transmit the notification signal indicating a low operating temperature of the flash memory device, to the host device based on the temperature of the flash memory device being below the threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device.

14 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the flash memory device is a NAND based device.

15 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the targeted page refers to a page within a block in the flash memory device that is to be checked for the on-cell count value.

16 . The flash memory device of claim 9 , wherein the active block refers to a block in the flash memory device associated with the I/O request.

17 . A flash memory device for detecting temperature in the flash memory device, the flash memory device comprising:

a memory including data stored therein and a plurality of modules;

an Input/Output (I/O) interface for communicating with a host device; and a processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of modules,

wherein the plurality of modules includes a transceiver module, a determining module, and a comparing module,

wherein the transceiver module is configured to receive a command from the host device, wherein the determining module is configured to:

measure an on-cell count value for each targeted page of a block in the flash memory device for each of a plurality of temperatures upon receiving the command from the host device;

store the on-cell count value and corresponding temperature for each targeted page of the block in the flash memory device as stored on-cell count data of a pre-stored on-cell count table in the flash memory device;

determine the on-cell count value for a targeted page within an active block of the flash memory device, the determining of the on-cell count value comprising:

applying a read voltage to the targeted page; and

counting a number of memory cells in the targeted page that are turned on in response to the read voltage; and

determine the temperature of the flash memory device corresponding to the stored on-cell count value based on a comparison between the on-cell count value of the targeted page and the stored on-cell count data of the pre-stored on-cell count table in the flash memory device,

wherein the pre-stored on-cell count table defines a relationship between the number of memory cells turned on in response to the read voltage and the temperature of the flash memory device, and

wherein the determined temperature is directly from the pre-stored on-cell count table.

18 . The flash memory device of claim 17 , wherein the determining module is configured to generate a notification signal, which is to be transmitted to the host device, based on the temperature of the flash memory device and a threshold operating temperature of the flash memory device.

19 . The flash memory device of claim 17 , wherein the comparing module is configured to perform the comparison between the on-cell count value of the targeted page, which is within the active block of the flash memory device, and the stored on-cell count data.

20 . The flash memory device of claim 17 , wherein the on-cell count value for the targeted page, which is within the active block of the flash memory device, is determined in response to an I/O request from the host device.