IP Library Granted Patent US 10,325,668
Granted Patent B2
US 10,325,668 · App. 15/479,356 · Granted Jun 18, 2019

Operation of mixed mode blocks

Inventors: Kishore K. Muchherla (Fremont, CA); Ashutosh Malshe (Fremont, CA); Preston A. Thomson (Boise, ID); Michael G. Miller (Boise, ID); Gary F. Besinga (Boise, ID); Scott A. Stoller (Boise, ID); Sampath K. Ratnam (Boise, ID); Renato C. Padilla (Folsom, CA); Peter Feeley (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C16/349G11C2211/5641
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,325,668
App. No.
15/479,356
Granted
Jun 18, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for operating mixed mode blocks. One example method can include tracking single level cell (SLC) mode cycles and extra level cell (XLC) mode cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks, maintaining a mixed mode cycle count corresponding to the mixed mode blocks, and adjusting the mixed mode cycle count differently for mixed mode blocks operated in a SLC mode than for mixed blocks operated in a XLC mode.

Claims (41)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory comprising mixed mode blocks of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to:

track single level cell (SLC) mode cycles and extra level cell (XLC) mode cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks;

maintain a mixed mode cycle count corresponding to the mixed mode blocks; and

adjust the mixed mode cycle count differently for mixed mode blocks operated in a SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in a XLC mode, wherein the controller being configured to adjust the mixed mode cycle count includes the controller being configured to increment the mixed mode cycle count, and wherein an increment difference between SLC mode cycles and XLC mode cycles is based on a determined wear ratio of SLC operation wear to XLC operation wear.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mixed mode cycle count is a scaled cycle count having a different value than an actual quantity of physical cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform wear leveling based on the mixed mode cycle count as opposed to based on an unscaled cycle count corresponding to a quantity of actual physical cycles experienced by the mixed mode blocks.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a solid state drive (SSD).

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to report a drive health indicator of the SSD to a host based on the mixed mode cycle count as opposed to based on an unscaled cycle count corresponding to a quantity of actual physical cycles experienced by the mixed mode blocks.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a difference by which the controller adjusts the mixed mode cycle count for mixed mode blocks operated in the SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in the XLC mode is based on a wear ratio of SLC operation wear to XLC operation wear resulting from adjusted trim settings.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the mixed mode cycle count is a mixed mode erase count.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the mixed mode cycle count is a mixed mode program count.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory comprising mixed mode blocks of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to:

track single level cell (SLC) mode cycles and extra level cell (XLC) mode cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks;

maintain a mixed mode cycle count corresponding to the mixed mode blocks; and

adjust the mixed mode cycle count differently for mixed mode blocks operated in a SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in a XLC mode, wherein the mixed mode cycle count is a scaled cycle count having a different value than an actual quantity of physical cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory comprising mixed mode blocks of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to:

track single level cell (SLC) mode cycles and extra level cell (XLC) mode cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks;

maintain a mixed mode cycle count corresponding to the mixed mode blocks;

adjust the mixed mode cycle count differently for mixed mode blocks operated in a SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in a XLC mode; and

perform wear leveling based on the mixed mode cycle count as opposed to based on an unscaled cycle count corresponding to a quantity of actual physical cycles experienced by the mixed mode blocks.

11. A solid state drive (SSD), comprising:

a memory comprising mixed mode blocks of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to:

track single level cell (SLC) mode cycles and extra level cell (XLC) mode cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks;

maintain a mixed mode cycle count corresponding to the mixed mode blocks;

adjust the mixed mode cycle count differently for mixed mode blocks operated in a SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in a XLC mode; and

report a drive health indicator of the SSD to a host based on the mixed mode cycle count as opposed to based on an unscaled cycle count corresponding to a quantity of actual physical cycles experienced by the mixed mode blocks.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory comprising mixed mode blocks of memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to:

track single level cell (SLC) mode cycles and extra level cell (XLC) mode cycles performed on the mixed mode blocks;

maintain a mixed mode cycle count corresponding to the mixed mode blocks; and

adjust the mixed mode cycle count differently for mixed mode blocks operated in a SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in a XLC mode, wherein a difference by which the controller adjusts the mixed mode cycle count for mixed mode blocks operated in the SLC mode than for mixed mode blocks operated in the XLC mode is based on a wear ratio of SLC operation wear to XLC operation wear resulting from adjusted trim settings.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the mixed mode cycle count is a mixed mode erase count.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the mixed mode cycle count is a mixed mode program count.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050702/0451 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 4 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 042405/0909 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2017
From: MUCHHERLA, KISHORE K.; MALSHE, ASHUTOSH; THOMSON, PRESTON A.; MILLER, MICHAEL G.; BESINGA, GARY F.; STOLLER, SCOTT A.; RATNAM, SAMPATH K.; PADILLA, RENATO C.; FEELEY, PETER
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 041853/0886 →
Continuity (1)
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