IP Library Granted Patent US 11,586,383
Granted Patent B2
US 11,586,383 · App. 16/579,153 · Granted Feb 21, 2023

Command block management

Inventors: Aaron P. Boehm (Boise, ID); Scott E. Schaefer (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G06F3/0659G06F3/0604G06F3/0673G06F21/79G06F12/1441G06F12/1466
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,586,383
App. No.
16/579,153
Granted
Feb 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for command block management are described. A memory device may receive a command (e.g., from a host device). The memory device may determine whether the command is defined by determining if the command is included within a set of defined commands. In the case that a received command is absent from the set of defined commands (e.g., the command is undefined), the memory device may block the command from being decoded for execution by the memory device. In some cases, the memory device may switch from a first operation mode to a second operation mode based on receiving an undefined command. The second operation mode may restrict an operation of the memory device, while the first mode may be less restrictive, in some cases. Additionally or alternatively, the memory device may indicate the undefined command to another device (e.g., the host device).

Claims (66)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a memory device comprising a memory die, a command from a host device;

identifying a set of valid commands for a memory array of the memory die;

determining that the command is absent from the set of valid commands based at least in part on evaluating the command and the set of valid commands;

setting a mode register to a value based at least in part on determining that the command is absent from the set of valid commands, the value indicating a safe mode of operation for the memory device, the safe mode allowing execution of a read command and restricting execution of a write command; and

blocking, based at least in part on determining that the command is absent from the set of valid commands, the command from being decoded into an instruction and an address by a memory controller of the memory die.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

switching from a first mode of operation of the memory device to the safe mode of operation of the memory device based at least in part on setting the mode register to the value and based at least in part on a time window associated with the command.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

restricting access to at least one address of the memory array based at least in part on switching to the safe mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

operating at least one bank of the memory array in a self-refresh mode based at least in part on switching to the safe mode of operation.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

restricting execution for at least one command of the set of valid commands based at least in part on switching to the safe mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving, from the host device while operating in the safe mode, a command sequence for resetting the memory device to the first mode; and

switching the memory device from the safe mode to the first mode based at least in part on receiving the command sequence.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the host device, an indication that the command is absent from the set of valid commands.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of valid commands is preconfigured in the memory device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the host device, a signal indicating the set of valid commands.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the command comprises the instruction and the address.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a host device at a memory device comprising a memory array, a command for an operation by the memory device;

determining a validity of the command by comparing the command to a set of valid commands;

changing a value at a register based at least in part on determining the validity of the command, the value corresponding to a quantity of commands determined to be invalid and a time window associated with receiving the quantity of commands; and

transmitting, to the host device, feedback including the command and an indication of the validity of the command based at least in part on changing the value at the register, the feedback indicating a safe mode of operation for the memory device, the safe mode allowing execution of a read command and restricting execution of a write command.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

transmitting the indication based at least in part on the quantity of commands determined to be invalid satisfying a threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving a signal indicating the threshold from the host device.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a memory device comprising a memory die, a plurality of commands from a host device;

determining whether each command of the plurality of commands is included in a set of defined commands for a memory array of the memory die;

decoding a first command of the plurality of commands for execution on the memory array of the memory die based at least in part on determining that the first command is included in the set of defined commands;

setting a mode register to a value based at least in part on determining that a second command of the plurality of commands is absent from the set of defined commands, the value indicating a safe mode of operation for the memory device, the safe mode allowing execution of a read command and restricting execution of a write command; and

blocking the second command of the plurality of commands from being decoded into an instruction and an address by a memory controller of the memory die based at least in part on determining that the second command is absent from the set of defined commands.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining a quantity of commands of the plurality of commands that are absent from the set of defined commands; and

comparing the quantity to a threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

switching from a first mode of operation of the memory device to a second the safe mode of operation of the memory device based at least in part on determining that the quantity satisfies the threshold and a time window associated with receiving the quantity of commands.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the host device, an indication that the quantity satisfies the threshold.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving, from the host device, a signal indicating the threshold.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

storing one or more commands of the plurality of commands based at least in part on determining that the one or more commands are absent from the set of defined commands; and

transmitting, to the host device, an indication of the one or more commands.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

storing the set of defined commands at the memory device.

21. A method, comprising:

transmitting, to a memory device, a command for an operation on a memory array of the memory device;

receiving, at a host device, from the memory device in response to the command and based at least in part on a time window associated with the command, feedback including the command and an indication that the command as received at the memory device is absent from a set of valid commands for the memory device, the feedback indicating a safe mode of operation for the memory device, the safe mode allowing execution of a read command and restricting execution of a write command;

processing a second command for the memory device based at least in part on the indication; and

transmitting, to the memory device, the second command.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

receiving, from the memory device, an indication that the memory device has switched from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation based at least in part on the command.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the memory device while the memory device is operating in the second mode, a command sequence for resetting the memory device to the first mode.

24. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the memory device, a command sequence that includes the second command, the command sequence for adding the command to the set of valid commands.

25. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

transmitting, to the memory device, a request for a representation of the command as received by the memory device; and

receiving, from the memory device, an indication of the representation of the command.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2020
From: BOEHM, AARON P.; SCHAEFER, SCOTT E.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC
Reel/Frame 052053/0205 →