IP Library Granted Patent US 10,553,270
Granted Patent B2
US 10,553,270 · App. 16/032,492 · Granted Feb 4, 2020

Data storage device and operating method thereof

Inventors: Jin Woong Kim (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Ji Hoon Yim (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
G11C11/40618G06F3/0619G06F3/0634G06F3/0679G11C16/3418
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,553,270
App. No.
16/032,492
Granted
Feb 4, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A data storage device includes a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory blocks; and a device controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory device such that, when a first refresh scan command is received from a host device, a first refresh scan operation for the plurality of memory blocks is performed and then a first refresh scan result for the first refresh scan operation is transmitted to the host device, and when a first refresh operation command is received from the host device, a first refresh operation for the nonvolatile memory device is performed.

Claims (31)

1. A data storage device comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory blocks; and

a device controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory device such that, when a first refresh scan command is received from a host device, a first refresh scan operation for the plurality of memory blocks is performed and then a first refresh scan result for the first refresh scan operation is transmitted to the host device, and when a first refresh operation command is received from the host device, a first refresh operation for the nonvolatile memory device is performed.

2. The data storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the first refresh scan operation includes an operation of checking a failed bit count, a read count, and a program-erase count for each of the plurality of memory blocks.

3. The data storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the device controller compares the failed bit count, the read count, and the program-erase count for each of the plurality of memory blocks with a first threshold failed bit count, a first threshold read count, and a first threshold program-erase count, respectively, determines whether a refresh operation for the nonvolatile memory device is necessary and a degree of urgency based on a result of the compare operations, and transmits a determination result to the host device as the first refresh scan result.

4. The data storage device according to claim 3 , wherein the first refresh scan result indicates a normal state when it is determined that the refresh operation is not necessary, a low state when it is determined that the refresh operation is necessary but need not be performed urgently, and a high state when it is determined that the refresh operation is necessary and need be performed urgently.

5. The data storage device according to claim 4 , wherein the low state is a state in which a refresh operation is necessary for memory blocks of less than a first percentage among the plurality of memory blocks, and the high state is a state in which a refresh operation is necessary for memory blocks of greater than or equal to the first percentage and less than a second percentage among the plurality of memory blocks.

6. The data storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the device controller performs a second refresh scan operation for the nonvolatile memory device in the absence of the first refresh scan command.

7. The data storage device according to claim 6 , wherein the second refresh scan operation includes checking a read count and a program-erase count for each memory block.

8. The data storage device according to claim 7 , wherein the device controller compares the read count and the program-erase count for each memory block with a second threshold read count and a second threshold program-erase count, respectively, and, when the read count or the program-erase count for at least one memory block among the plurality of memory blocks is greater than the second threshold read count or the second threshold program-erase count, respectively, performs a second refresh operation for the corresponding at least one memory block.

9. A method for operating a data storage device, comprising:

performing a first refresh scan operation for each of a plurality of memory blocks in a nonvolatile memory device in response to a first refresh scan command transmitted from a host device;

transmitting a first refresh scan result for the first refresh scan operation to the host device; and

performing a first refresh operation for the nonvolatile memory device in response to a first refresh operation command transmitted from the host device.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the performing of the first refresh scan operation comprises:

checking a failed bit count, a read count, and a program-erase count for each of the plurality of memory blocks.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising, after the performing of the first refresh scan operation:

comparing a failed bit count, a read count, and a program-erase count for each of the plurality of memory blocks with a first threshold failed bit count, a first threshold read count, and a first threshold program-erase count, respectively; and

determining whether it is necessary to perform the first refresh operation for the nonvolatile memory device and a degree of urgency based on a result of the comparing operations.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first refresh scan result indicates a normal state when it is determined that the first refresh operation is not necessary, a low state when it is determined that the first refresh operation is necessary but need not be performed urgently, and a high state when it is determined that the first refresh operation is necessary and need be performed urgently.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the low state is a state in which a refresh operation is necessary for memory blocks of less than a first percentage among the plurality of memory blocks, and the high state is a state in which a refresh operation is necessary for memory blocks of greater than or equal to the first percentage and less than a second percentage among the plurality of memory blocks.

14. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

performing a second refresh scan operation for each of the plurality of memory blocks;

comparing a read count and a program-erase count for each of the plurality of memory blocks with a second threshold read count and a second threshold program-erase count, respectively; and

performing, when the read count or the program-erase count for at least one memory block among the plurality of memory blocks is greater than the second threshold read count or the second threshold program-erase count, respectively, a second refresh operation for the corresponding at least one memory block.

15. A nonvolatile memory system comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device including memory blocks; and

a controller configured to:

control the nonvolatile memory device to perform a background refresh operation when one or more of the memory blocks meet a set condition; and

control the nonvolatile memory device to perform a foreground refresh operation in response to a refresh request provided from a host,

wherein the controller provides the host with conditions of the memory blocks in response to a scan request provided from the host.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2018
From: KIM, JIN WOONG; YIM, JI HOON
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 046526/0851 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2017-0174249 · Dec 18, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190189193A1 · Jun 20, 2019