Block management schemes in hybrid SLC/MLC memory
US8886990B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 2012 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C2211/5641
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for data storage includes storing data in a memory including multiple analog memory cells arranged in blocks. A first subset of the blocks is defined for storing first data with a first storage density, and a second subset of the blocks is defined for storing second data with a second storage density, larger than the first storage density. In each of the first and second subsets, one or more blocks are allocated to serve as spare blocks and blocks that become faulty are replaced with the spare blocks. Upon detecting that a number of the spare blocks in the second subset has decreased below a predefined threshold, the data is copied from at least one block in the second subset to the first subset, and the at least one block is added to the spare blocks of the second subset.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.