Generating soft read values which optimize dynamic range

1. A system, comprising:

a bin mapper configured to generate bin identification information for a cell; and

a soft information generator configured to:

receive the bin identification information;

receive an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

determine a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein the soft information generator is configured to use a same estimation function independent of a number of program erase cycles (PEC).

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes a semiconductor device, including one or more of the following: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bin identification information includes a left bin edge and a right bin edge.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimation function includes a linear function.

5. A system, comprising:

a bin mapper configured to generate bin identification information for a cell, wherein the bin identification information includes a left bin edge and a right bin edge; and

a soft information generator configured to:

receive the bin identification information;

receive an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

determine a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein:

the left bin edge and the right bin edge are offsets with respect to an optimal read threshold estimate; and

the bin mapper is further configured to:

set the left bin edge to be a difference between a first read threshold and the optimal read threshold estimate; and

set the right bin edge to be a difference between a second read threshold and the optimal read threshold estimate.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:

the bin mapper is further configured to:

map a raw left bin edge to a left predefined bin edge; and

map a raw right bin edge to a right predefined bin edge; and

the soft information generator is configured to determine the soft read value, including by using a lookup table of stored soft read values and the left and the right predefined bin edges.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second read threshold is associated with a read at a point in time earlier than a read associated with the first read threshold.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the system includes a semiconductor device, including one or more of the following: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

9. A system, comprising:

a bin mapper configured to generate bin identification information for a cell; and

a soft information generator configured to:

receive the bin identification information;

receive an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

determine a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein the soft information generator is configured to use a same estimation function independent of retention time associated with stored data.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system includes a semiconductor device, including one or more of the following: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

11. A method, comprising:

generating bin identification information for a cell;

receiving an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

using a soft information generator to determine a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein using the soft information generator includes using a same estimation function independent of a number of program erase cycles (PEC).

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method is performed by a semiconductor device, including one or more of the following: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the bin identification information includes a left bin edge and a right bin edge.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the estimation function includes a linear function.

15. A method, comprising:

generating bin identification information for a cell;

receiving an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

using a soft information generator to determine a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein using the soft information generator includes using a same estimation function independent of retention time associated with stored data.

16. A method, comprising:

generating bin identification information for a cell, wherein the bin identification information includes a left bin edge and a right bin edge;

receiving an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

using a soft information generator to determine a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein:

the left bin edge and the right bin edge are offsets with respect to an optimal read threshold estimate; and

the method further includes:

setting the left bin edge to be a difference between a first read threshold and the optimal read threshold estimate; and

setting the right bin edge to be a difference between a second read threshold and the optimal read threshold estimate.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

mapping a raw left bin edge to a left predefined bin edge; and

mapping a raw right bin edge to a right predefined bin edge, wherein using the soft information generator includes using a lookup table of stored soft read values and the left and the right predefined bin edges.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second read threshold is associated with a read at a point in time earlier than a read associated with the first read threshold.

19. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

generating bin identification information for a cell;

receiving an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

determining a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein determining the soft read value includes using a same estimation function independent of a number of program erase cycles (PEC).

20. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

generating bin identification information for a cell, wherein the bin identification information includes a left bin edge and a right bin edge;

receiving an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

determining a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein:

the left bin edge and the right bin edge are offsets with respect to an optimal read threshold estimate; and

the computer program product further includes computer instructions for:

setting the left bin edge to be a difference between a first read threshold and the optimal read threshold estimate; and

setting the right bin edge to be a difference between a second read threshold and the optimal read threshold estimate.

21. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

generating bin identification information for a cell;

receiving an estimation function, wherein the estimation function trends toward a maximum soft read value at a first end and trends toward a minimum soft read value at a second end; and

determining a soft read value for the cell based at least in part on the bin identification information and the estimation function, wherein determining the soft read value includes using a same estimation function independent of retention time associated with stored data.