Virtual timer for data retention
US10185609B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jan 22, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C2029/5002
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for improving data retention using a virtual timer. A memory controller may use a raw bit error rate (RBER) to find an equivalent temperature-accelerated data age of a data item. The data age is computed by using the initial RBER of virtual timing data (VTD) as a virtual write in time of the data item compared to a present time using the current RBER of the VTD. When the data age is determined to exceed a data retention threshold, a data refresh is performed on the data item at the memory block on the memory device. The data age may be stored as virtual timing data on the memory block.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.