IP Library Granted Patent US 10,529,433
Granted Patent B1
US 10,529,433 · App. 16/102,092 · Granted Jan 7, 2020

Offset memory component automatic calibration (AUTOCAL) error recovery for a memory sub-system

Inventors: Bruce A. Liikanen (Berthoud, CO); Gerald L. Cadloni (Longmont, CO); Gary F. Besinga (Boise, ID); Michael G. Miller (Boise, ID); Renato C. Padilla (Folsom, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C16/3404G11C7/18G11C8/14G11C16/0483G11C16/26G11C29/52G11C2207/2254
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,529,433
App. No.
16/102,092
Granted
Jan 7, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

Several embodiments of memory devices and systems with offset memory component automatic calibration error recovery are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system includes at least one memory region and calibration circuitry. The memory region has memory cells that read out data states in response to application of a current read level signal. The calibration circuitry is operably coupled to the at least one memory region and is configured to determine a read level offset value corresponding to one or more of a plurality of offset read level test signals, including a base offset read level test signal. The base offset read level test signal is offset from the current read level signal by a predetermined value. The calibration circuitry is further configured to output the determined read level offset value.

Claims (45)

1. A system comprising:

a memory region comprising a plurality of memory cells; and

calibration circuitry operably coupled to the memory region configured to:

measure, for a portion of the memory region, a performance characteristic for each of a plurality of read level test signals,

determine a read level offset value corresponding to an extrapolated level between two of the plurality of read level test signals based on the measured performance characteristics, and

output the read level offset value,

wherein the memory region comprises a memory block including a plurality of word line groups, each word line group having a plurality of memory pages, and wherein the portion comprises two endmost memory pages and an inner memory page from each word line group, and

wherein the read level offset value is determined by averaging a plurality of offset values corresponding to the two endmost memory pages and a middle memory page.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the performance characteristic comprises a number of memory cells outputting a predetermined data state in response to the corresponding read level test signal.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the calibration circuitry is configured to output the read level offset value in response to receiving a calibration command.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calibration circuitry is located on a same memory die as the memory region.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of read level test signals include a read level signal of the memory region, at least two signals offset above the read level signal, and at least two signals offset below the read level signal;

measuring the performance characteristic includes:

applying each of the plurality of read level test signals to a subset of memory cells within the memory region, and

detecting counts of memory cells in the subset of memory cells that output a preselected data state in response to each of the read level test signals; and

determining the read level offset value includes:

measuring count differences between adjacent counts of memory cells,

calculating relative differences at least between the count differences adjacent to the smallest count difference and the smallest count difference,

extrapolating the extrapolated level between the relative differences, and

determining the read level offset value as a distance between the extrapolated level and the read level signal of the memory region.

6. A method for calibrating a memory region of a system, the method comprising:

measuring, for a portion of the memory region, a performance characteristic for each of a plurality of read level test signals;

determining a read level offset value corresponding to an extrapolated level between two of the plurality of read level test signals based on the measured performance characteristics; and

outputting the read level offset value,

wherein the memory region comprises a memory block including a plurality of word line groups, each word line group having a plurality of memory pages, and wherein the portion comprises two endmost memory pages and a middle memory page from each word line group, and

wherein determining the read level offset value includes averaging a plurality of offset values corresponding to the two endmost memory pages and a middle memory page.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the plurality of read level test signals include a read level signal of the memory region, at least two signals offset above the read level signal, and at least two signals offset below the read level signal; and

measuring a performance characteristic includes:

applying each of the plurality of read level test signals to a subset of memory cells within the portion of the memory region, and

detecting counts of memory cells in the subset of memory cells that output a preselected data state in response to each of the plurality of read level test signals.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the read level offset includes:

measuring count differences between adjacent counts of memory cells,

calculating relative differences at least between the count differences adjacent to the smallest count difference and the smallest count difference,

extrapolating the extrapolated level between the relative differences, and

determining the read level offset value as a distance between the extrapolated level and the read level signal of the memory region; and

wherein the measuring and determining occurs internal to a memory component comprising the memory region.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the averaging includes omitting outlier offset values from the plurality of offset values before determining the read level offset value.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the measuring, determining, and outputting are scheduled to be performed after the memory region has experienced a first predetermined number of program cycles, a second predetermined number of erase cycles, or a third predetermined number of either program cycles or erase cycles.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising updating a read level signal of the memory region using the read level offset value.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein updating the read level signal includes updating a calibration value corresponding to the read level offset value.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising storing the updated calibration value as persistent data in a table stored on the memory device, wherein—

the calibration value represents a voltage value to add to or subtract from a corresponding read level signal of the memory region, and

the persistent data is loaded upon each power up of the memory device.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0835 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050719/0550 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047630/0756 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 10 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048102/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2018
From: LIIKANEN, BRUCE A.; CADLONI, GERALD L.; BESINGA, GARY F.; MILLER, MICHAEL G.; PADILLA, RENATO C.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046629/0021 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,293,096