IP Library Granted Patent US 11,656,801
Granted Patent B2
US 11,656,801 · App. 17/736,806 · Granted May 23, 2023

Systems and methods for data relocation using a signal development cache

Inventors: Shanky Kumar Jain (Folsom, CA); Dmitri A. Yudanov (Rancho Cordova, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G06F3/0659G06F3/0604G06F3/0673G06F9/546G06F12/0246G06F12/0802G06F12/0873G06F12/0875G06F12/0893G06F12/1045G11C7/08G11C7/109G11C7/1012G11C7/1063G11C8/08G11C11/221G11C11/2257G11C11/2259G11C11/2273G11C11/2275G11C11/2297G11C11/406G11C11/4074G11C11/4085G11C11/4091G11C11/4096G11C11/40603G06F2212/60G06F2212/608G06F2212/72G06F2212/7201
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,656,801
App. No.
17/736,806
Granted
May 23, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices related to data relocation via a cache are described. In one example, a memory device in accordance with the described techniques may include a memory array, a sense amplifier array, and a signal development cache configured to store signals (e.g., cache signals, signal states) associated with logic states (e.g., memory states) that may be stored at the memory array (e.g., according to various read or write operations). In some cases, the memory device may transfer data from a first address of the memory array to the signal development cache. The memory device may transfer the data stored in the signal development cache to a second address of the memory array based on a parameter associated with the first address of the memory array satisfying a criterion for performing data relocation.

Claims (55)

1. A method, comprising:

transferring data from a first memory address to a signal development cache, wherein the first memory address is associated with a first access frequency; and

transferring the data from the signal development cache to a second memory address that is associated with a second access frequency, wherein the transferring the data from the signal development cache to the second memory address is based at least in part on a comparison of the first access frequency with the second access frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data is transferred from the signal development cache to the second memory address based at least in part on the second access frequency being less than the first access frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transferring second data from the second memory address to the first memory address based at least in part on the comparison of the first access frequency with the second access frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

transferring the data from the first memory address to the signal development cache comprises coupling a first set of one or more memory cells with a set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache different than the first set of one or more memory cells; and

transferring the data from the signal development cache to the second memory address comprises coupling the set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache with a second set of one or more memory cells different than the set of one or more storage elements.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

each memory cell of the first set of one or more memory cells, of the second set of one or more memory cells, or of both the first set of one or more memory cells and the second set of one or more memory cells comprises a respective ferroelectric capacitor; and

each storage element of the set of one or more storage elements comprises a respective linear capacitor.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, to a control device, a first message indicating the second memory address; and

receiving, from the control device, a second message confirming relocation of the data to the second memory address, wherein transferring the data stored in the signal development cache to the second memory address is based at least in part on receiving the second message.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating an address mapping to map a virtual address previously mapped to the first memory address to the second memory address based at least in part on transferring the data to the second memory address.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first memory address is associated with a first memory array and the second memory address is associated with a second memory array different than the first memory array.

9. A method, comprising:

performing an access operation at a memory device, wherein the access operation comprises:

transferring first data from a first address of the memory device to a signal development cache of the memory device;

transferring second data from a second address of the memory device to the first address of the memory device after transferring the first data from the first address to the signal development cache; and

transferring the first data from the signal development cache to the second address of the memory device after transferring the second data from the second address to the first address.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

transferring the first data from the first address to the signal development cache comprises coupling a first set of one or more memory cells with a set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache; and

transferring the first data from the signal development cache to the second address comprises coupling the set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache with a second set of one or more memory cells different than the first set of one or more memory cells.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein transferring the second data from the second address to the first address comprises:

coupling the second set of one or more memory cells with a second set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache before transferring the first data from the signal development cache to the second set of one or more memory cells; and

coupling the second set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache with the first set of one or more memory cells after transferring the first data from the first address to the signal development cache.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

each memory cell of the first set of one or more memory cells, of the second set of one or more memory cells, or of both the first set of one or more memory cells and the second set of one or more memory cells comprises a respective ferroelectric capacitor; and

each storage element of the set of one or more storage elements, of the second set of one or more storage elements, or of both the set of one or more storage elements and the second set of one or more storage elements comprises a respective linear capacitor.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the first address is associated with a first access frequency;

the second address is associated with a second access frequency; and

transferring the second data from the second address to the first address, transferring the first data from the signal development cache to the second address, or both, is based at least in part on a comparison of the first access frequency and the second access frequency.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein transferring the second data from the second address to the first address, transferring the first data from the signal development cache to the second address, or both, is based at least in part on the second access frequency being less than the first access frequency.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein performing the access operation comprises:

determining to transfer the second data from the second address to the first address, to transfer the first data from the signal development cache to the second address, or both based at least in part on determining to perform the access operation as a data relocation operation.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory array comprising a plurality of memory cells;

a signal development cache comprising a plurality of storage elements different than the plurality of memory cells; and

a controller coupled with the signal development cache and the memory array and operable to cause the apparatus to:

transfer data from a first address of the memory array to the signal development cache, wherein the first address is associated with a first access frequency; and

transfer the data from the signal development cache to a second address of the memory array that is associated with a second access frequency, wherein the transferring the data from the signal development cache to the second address is based at least in part on a comparison of the first access frequency associated with the second access frequency.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further operable to cause the apparatus to:

transfer second data from the second address to the first address based at least in part on the comparison of the first access frequency with the second access frequency.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:

to transfer the data from the first address to the signal development cache, the controller is operable to cause the apparatus to couple a first set of one or more memory cells of the plurality of memory cells with a set of one or more storage elements of the plurality of storage elements; and

to transfer the data from the signal development cache to the second address, the controller is operable to cause the apparatus to couple the set of one or more storage elements of the signal development cache with a second set of one or more memory cells of the plurality of memory cells that is different than the first set of one or more memory cells.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:

each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells comprises a respective ferroelectric capacitor; and

each storage element of the plurality of storage elements comprises a respective linear capacitor.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further operable to cause the apparatus to:

update an address mapping to map a virtual address previously mapped to the first address to the second address based at least in part on transferring the data to the second address.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 16722981 · Dec 20, 2019
Provisional Application 62783388 · Dec 21, 2018
Related Publication 20220261191A1 · Aug 18, 2022