IP Library Granted Patent US 8,804,435
Granted Patent B2
US 8,804,435 · App. 13/531,791 · Granted Aug 12, 2014

Non-volatile semiconductor storage device

Inventor: Naoki Matsunaga (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,804,435
App. No.
13/531,791
Granted
Aug 12, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, there is provided a non-volatile semiconductor storage device including a non-volatile memory, a monitoring section, a determining section, and a notification processing section. The non-volatile memory includes a plurality of memory cells driven by word lines and a voltage generating section that generates a read voltage to be applied to the word lines. The monitoring section monitors a change in a threshold distribution of the plurality of memory cells upon performing a read processing to read data from the plurality of memory cells by applying the read voltage to the word lines. The determining section determines a degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a monitoring result by the monitoring section. The notification processing section notifies a life of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a determining result by the determining section.

Claims (43)

1. A non-volatile semiconductor storage device comprising:

a non-volatile memory including a plurality of memory cells driven by word lines and a voltage generating section that generates a read voltage to be applied to the word lines;

a monitoring section that monitors a change in a threshold distribution of the plurality of memory cells upon performing a read processing to read data from the plurality of memory cells by applying the read voltage to the word lines;

a determining section that determines a degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a monitoring result by the monitoring section; and

a notification processing section that notifies a life of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a determining result by the determining section.

2. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a fourth mode, the monitoring section monitors a number of reading until the read processing fails in repeatedly performing the read processing by gradually changing the read voltage respectively in a rising direction and a lowering direction.

3. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 2 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a predetermined threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

4. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 3 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a reading number threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the comparison result thereof.

5. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 4 , wherein

the determining section identifies a distribution of the monitored number of reading, compares a frequency of the monitored number of reading with a frequency threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the comparison result thereof.

6. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a fourth mode, the monitoring section monitors the read voltage when the read processing fails while gradually changing the read voltage respectively in a rising direction and a lowering direction.

7. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 6 , wherein

the determining section compares an amount of change of the monitored read voltage from a default value with a predetermined threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

8. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 7 , wherein

the determining section compares the amount of change of the monitored read voltage from the default value with a change amount threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the comparison result thereof.

9. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein

the determining section identifies a distribution of the amount of change, compares a frequency of the amount of change that is at or more than the change amount threshold with a frequency threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the comparison result thereof.

10. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a first mode, the monitoring section monitors a number of reading until the read processing succeeds while repeatedly performing the read processing under a state in which the read voltage is kept constant.

11. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 10 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a predetermined threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

12. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 11 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a reading number threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the comparison result thereof.

13. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 12 , wherein

the determining section identifies a distribution of the monitored number of reading, compares a frequency of the monitored number of reading that is at or more than the reading number threshold with a frequency threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

14. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a second mode, the monitoring section monitors a number of reading until the read processing succeeds in repeatedly performing the read processing by gradually changing the read voltage in one of a rising direction and a lowering direction.

15. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 14 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a predetermined threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

16. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 15 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a reading number threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the comparison result thereof.

17. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 16 , wherein

the determining section identifies a distribution of the monitored number of reading, compares a frequency of the monitored number of reading that is at or more than the reading number threshold with a frequency threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

18. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a second mode, the monitoring section monitors the read voltage when the read processing succeeds while gradually changing the read voltage in one of a rising direction and a lowering direction.

19. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 12 , wherein

the determining section compares the monitored number of reading with a predetermined threshold, and determines the degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a comparison result thereof.

20. The non-volatile semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a third mode, the monitoring section monitors a number of bit errors in data in the plurality of memory cells in performing the read processing.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
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 Jun 25, 2012
From: MATSUNAGA, NAOKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 028435/0548 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-269942 · Dec 9, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130148435A1 · Jun 13, 2013