IP Library Granted Patent US 9,466,370
Granted Patent B2
US 9,466,370 · App. 14/331,893 · Granted Oct 11, 2016

Non-volatile semiconductor storage device

Inventor: Naoki Matsunaga (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
G11C16/06G11C11/5628G11C16/0483G11C16/3404G11C16/349
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,466,370
App. No.
14/331,893
Granted
Oct 11, 2016
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 storage system comprising:

a controller; and

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; wherein

the controller 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, and

the controller determines a degree of deterioration of the non-volatile memory in accordance with a result of the monitoring.

2. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

in a fourth mode, the controller further monitors a number of reading operations in the read processing until the read processing fails in repeatedly performing the read processing by gradually changing the read voltage respectively in an increasing direction and a lowering direction.

3. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein

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

4. The storage system according to claim 3 , wherein

the controller compares the monitored number of reading operations in the read processing 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 storage system according to claim 4 , wherein

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

6. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

in a fourth mode, the controller monitors the read voltage when the read processing fails while gradually changing the read voltage respectively in an increasing direction and a lowering direction.

7. The storage system according to claim 6 , wherein

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

8. The storage system according to claim 7 , wherein

the controller 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 storage system according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller 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 storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

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

11. The storage system according to claim 10 , wherein

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

12. The storage system according to claim 11 , wherein

the controller compares the monitored number of reading operations in the read processing 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 storage system according to claim 12 , wherein

the controller identifies a distribution of the monitored number of reading operations in the read processing, compares a frequency of the monitored number of reading operations 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 storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

in a second mode, the controller monitors a number of reading operations in the read processing until the read processing succeeds in repeatedly performing the read processing by gradually changing the read voltage in one of an increasing direction and a lowering direction.

15. The storage system according to claim 14 , wherein

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

16. The storage system according to claim 15 , wherein

the controller compares the monitored number of reading operations in the read processing 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 storage system according to claim 16 , wherein

the controller identifies a distribution of the monitored number of reading operations in the read processing, compares a frequency of the monitored number of reading operations 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 storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

in a second mode, the controller monitors the read voltage when the read processing succeeds while gradually changing the read voltage in one of an increasing direction and a lowering direction.

19. The storage system according to claim 12 , wherein

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

20. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

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

Assignments (4)
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 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-269942 · Dec 9, 2011 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13531791 · Jun 25, 2012
Related Publication 20140328129A1 · Nov 6, 2014