IP Library Granted Patent US 8,078,940
Granted Patent B2
US 8,078,940 · App. 11/877,287 · Granted Dec 13, 2011

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,078,940
App. No.
11/877,287
Granted
Dec 13, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arrayed capable of storing information in accordance with variations in threshold voltage. A likelihood calculator has a plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms for deriving a likelihood value about a stored data bit from a threshold value read out of the memory cell. An error correction unit executes error correction through iterative processing using the likelihood value obtained at the likelihood calculator. A likelihood calculator controller changes among the likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator based on a certain value of the number of iterations in the iterative processing obtained from the error correction unit.

Claims (37)

1. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arrayed capable of storing information in accordance with variations in threshold voltage;

a likelihood calculator having a plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms for deriving a likelihood value about a stored data bit from a quantized value of the threshold voltage read out of the memory cell;

an error correction unit configured to execute error correction through iterative processing using the likelihood value obtained at the likelihood calculator; and

a likelihood calculator controller configured to change among the likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator based on a certain value of the number of iterations in the iterative processing obtained from the error correction unit.

2. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein if the number of iterations in the iterative processing exceeds a certain value for all the plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator controller, a refresh operation is applied to the memory cell.

3. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the error correction unit includes a counter operative to measure the number of iterations in the iterative processing.

4. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1 , wherein if the number of iterations associated with a changed likelihood calculation algorithm is less than a certain value, the likelihood calculator stores the changed likelihood calculation algorithm.

5. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arrayed capable of storing information in accordance with variations in threshold voltage;

a likelihood calculator having a plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms for deriving a likelihood value about a stored data bit from a quantized value of the threshold voltage read out of the memory cell;

an error correction unit configured to execute error correction through iterative processing using the likelihood value obtained at the likelihood calculator; and

a likelihood calculator controller configured to change among the likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator based on a certain value of the number of errors corrected in the error correction unit.

6. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein if the number of corrected errors exceeds a certain value for all the plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator controller, a refresh operation is applied to the memory cell.

7. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein the error correction unit includes a counter operative to measure the number of corrected errors.

8. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 5 , wherein if the number of corrected errors associated with a changed likelihood calculation algorithm is less than a certain value, the likelihood calculator stores the changed likelihood calculation algorithm.

9. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arrayed capable of storing information in accordance with variations in threshold voltage;

a likelihood calculator having a plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms for deriving a likelihood value about a stored data bit from a quantized value of the threshold voltage read out of the memory cell;

an error correction unit configured to execute error correction through iterative processing using the likelihood value obtained at the likelihood calculator;

a rewrite controller operative to measure and store the number of rewrite operations executed at each address in the memory cell array; and

a likelihood calculator controller configured to change among the likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator based on a certain value of the number of rewrite operations stored in the rewrite controller.

10. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 9 , wherein the memory cell array includes a rewrite-count storage region for storing the number of rewrite operations.

11. The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 9 , wherein the likelihood calculator stores the changed likelihood calculation algorithm.

12. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arrayed capable of storing information in accordance with variations in threshold voltage;

a likelihood calculator having a plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms for deriving a likelihood value about a stored data bit from a quantized value of the threshold voltage read out of the memory cell;

an error correction unit configured to execute error correction through iterative processing using the likelihood value obtained at the likelihood calculator;

a memory cell information storage unit operative to store the characteristic concerning a threshold voltage of a memory cell at each address in the memory cell array; and

a likelihood calculator controller configured to read the characteristic information stored in the memory cell information storage unit based on address information about the read-executed memory cell and set a likelihood calculation algorithm based on the characteristic information.

13. A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arrayed capable of storing information in accordance with variations in threshold voltage;

a likelihood calculator having a plurality of likelihood calculation algorithms for deriving a likelihood value about a stored data bit from a quantized value of the threshold voltage read out of the memory cell;

an error correction unit configured to execute error correction through iterative processing using the likelihood value obtained at the likelihood calculator; and

a likelihood calculator controller configured to change among the likelihood calculation algorithms in the likelihood calculator;

wherein the memory cell includes pilot memory cells in which a threshold voltage to be programmed is determined in advance per address, and

the likelihood calculator controller changes among the likelihood calculation algorithms based on a quantized value of the threshold voltage read out from the pilot memory cell.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: K.K PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057016/0551 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K PANGEA
Reel/Frame 057016/0586 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057016/0611 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043709/0035 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2008
From: UCHIKAWA, HIRONORI; ISHIKAWA, TATSUYUKI; HONMA, MITSUAKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 020365/0294 →