IP Library Granted Patent US 11,327,544
Granted Patent B2
US 11,327,544 · App. 16/810,929 · Granted May 10, 2022

Memory system and operation method thereof

Inventors: Jeong-Ho Jeon (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Dal-Gon Kim (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
G06F1/28G06F3/0619G06F3/0659G06F3/0679G11C16/30G06F1/3203G11C16/0483
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,327,544
App. No.
16/810,929
Granted
May 10, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory system may include: a memory device suitable for storing data; a controller suitable for controlling the memory device; a power manager suitable for receiving external power, and supplying operation power to the memory device and the controller; and a plurality of auxiliary power circuits suitable for receiving the operation power from the power manager, storing the received power, and supplying auxiliary power to the power manager when the external power is removed. The power manager may group and manage selected auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits as a test group, and perform a full discharge test on the selected auxiliary power circuits.

Claims (35)

1. A memory system comprising:

a memory device suitable for storing data;

a controller suitable for controlling the memory device;

a power manager suitable for receiving external power, and supplying operation power to the memory device and the controller; and

a plurality of auxiliary power circuits suitable for receiving the operation power from the power manager, storing the received power, and supplying auxiliary power to the power manager when the external power is removed,

wherein the power manager is suitable for grouping and manages selected auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits as a test group, and performs a full discharge test on the selected auxiliary power circuits,

wherein the power manager comprises:

an auxiliary power controller suitable for performing the full discharge test on the selected auxiliary power circuits,

wherein the auxiliary power controller is suitable for grouping and managing remaining auxiliary power circuits, which are the auxiliary power circuits other than the selected auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits, as an operation group for supplying the auxiliary power, and

wherein the auxiliary power controller is suitable for periodically changing the test group and the operation group such that the full discharge test is performed on all of the auxiliary power circuits as time elapses, and performing the full discharge test for each test group.

2. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the power manager is configured in the controller.

3. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the power manager further comprises:

a power supply suitable for supplying the operation power to the memory device and the controller.

4. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary power controller is suitable for grouping the plurality of auxiliary power circuits as the operation group and the test group in response to the full discharge test result.

5. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary power controller is suitable for grouping, as the operation group, a minimum number of auxiliary power circuits which are required for storing information of the controller in the memory device when the external power is removed, among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits, and grouping, as the test group, auxiliary power circuits excluding the operation group among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits.

6. The memory system of claim 5 , wherein the auxiliary power controller disables auxiliary power circuits which do not pass the full discharge test.

7. The memory system of claim 6 , wherein, when the number of enabled auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits is less than or equal to the minimum number, the auxiliary power controller performs a partial discharge test on the enabled auxiliary power circuits.

8. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary power controller is suitable for grouping, as the operation group, a minimum number of auxiliary power circuits required for using the auxiliary power as the operation power, among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits, and grouping, as the test group, auxiliary power circuits excluding the operation group among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits.

9. An operating method of a memory system which includes a plurality of auxiliary power circuits for supplying auxiliary power to the memory system when external power is removed, the operating method comprising:

grouping, as a test group, selected auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits;

performing a full discharge test on the selected auxiliary power circuits,

grouping remaining auxiliary power circuits, which are the auxiliary power circuits other than the selected auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits, as an operation group for the supplying the auxiliary power; and

grouping the plurality of auxiliary power circuits as the operation group and the test group in response to the full discharge test result.

10. The operating method of claim 9 , further comprising periodically changing the test group and the operation group such that the full discharge test is performed on all of the plurality of auxiliary power circuits as time elapses.

11. The operating method of claim 10 , wherein the grouping of the remaining auxiliary power circuits as the operation group for the supplying the auxiliary power comprises grouping, as the operation group, a minimum number of auxiliary power circuits required for storing information of an internal volatile memory in the memory device, among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits, when the external power is removed.

12. The operating method of claim 11 , further comprising disabling the auxiliary power circuit which does not pass the full discharge test.

13. The operating method of claim 12 , further comprising performing a partial discharge test on the enabled auxiliary power circuits, when the number of enabled auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits is less than or equal to the minimum number of auxiliary power circuits.

14. The operating method of claim 10 , wherein the grouping of the remaining auxiliary power circuits as the operation group for the supplying the auxiliary power comprises grouping, as the operation group, a minimum number of auxiliary power circuits required for using the auxiliary power as the operation power, among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits.

15. A memory system comprising:

a memory device suitable for storing data;

a controller suitable for controlling the memory device;

a power manager suitable for receiving external power, and supplying operation power to the memory device and the controller; and

a plurality of auxiliary power circuits suitable for receiving the operation power from the power manager, storing the received power, and supplying auxiliary power to the power manager when the external power is removed,

wherein the power manager is suitable for grouping and managing selected auxiliary power circuits among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits as a test group, and performing a full discharge test on the selected auxiliary power circuits, and

wherein the power manager is suitable for grouping, as an operation group, a minimum number of auxiliary power circuits which are required for storing information of the controller in the memory device when the external power is removed, among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits, and grouping, as the test group, auxiliary power circuits excluding the operation group among the plurality of auxiliary power circuits.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: SK HYNIX INC.
To: MIMIRIP LLC
Reel/Frame 067335/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2020
From: JEON, JEONG-HO; KIM, DAL-GON
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 052034/0662 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2019-0082001 · Jul 8, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210011537A1 · Jan 14, 2021