Patent · US Active

Adaptive dynamic reading of flash memories

US7876621B2 · kind B2 · utility

33Cited by
4References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 18, 2007
Grant dateJan 25, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 27, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2211/5634
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Each of a plurality of flash memory cells is programmed to a respective one of L≧2 threshold voltage states within a threshold voltage window. A histogram is constructed by determining how many of some or all of the cells have threshold voltages in each of two or more of m≧2 threshold voltage intervals within the threshold voltage window. Reference voltages for reading the cells are selected based on estimated values of shape parameters of the histogram. Alternatively, the cells are read relative to reference voltages that define m≧2 threshold voltage intervals that span the threshold voltage window, to determine numbers of at least a portion of the cells whose threshold voltages are in each of two or more of the threshold voltage intervals. Respective threshold voltage states are assigned to the cells based on the numbers without re-reading the cells.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.