Providing time-stamps for a memory device and method for managing the same

A memory device, comprising:

• a non-volatile memory;
• and
• a controller of the non-volatile memory, wherein the controller is configured to:
• receive a first time-stamp, wherein the first time-stamp is a power-down time-stamp of a memory device that is received while the memory device is powering down to be turned off, wherein a date and a time for the first time-stamp is provided by a clock unit on the memory device;
• store the first time-stamp and associate the first time-stamp with a region of the non-volatile memory;
• receive a second time-stamp, wherein the second time-stamp is a power-up time-stamp of the memory device that is received while the memory device is powering up from a previous power down in which the memory device was turned off, wherein a date and a time for the second time-stamp is provided by a clock unit on the memory device;
• associate the second time-stamp with the region of the non-volatile memory;
• determine a difference time, wherein the difference time is a period of time between the first time-stamp and the second time-stamp;
• increment a time-counter by the difference time;
• and
• based on a value of the time-counter after the time-counter has been incremented by the difference time, perform a refresh operation of the region of the non-volatile memory.

A method, comprising:

• providing a first time-stamp at a power-down of a memory device in which the memory device is turned off, wherein the first time-stamp is a power-down time-stamp of the memory device, wherein a date and a time for the first time-stamp is provided by a clock unit on the memory device;
• storing the first time-stamp in a non-volatile memory of the memory device and associating the first-time stamp with a region of the non-volatile memory;
• providing a second time-stamp at a subsequent power-up of the memory device from a previous power down in which the memory device was turned off, wherein the second time-stamp is a power-up time-stamp of the memory device, wherein a date and a time for the second time-stamp is provided by the clock unit on the memory device;
• associating the second-time stamp with the region of the non-volatile memory;
• determining a difference time, wherein the difference time is an off-time of the memory device between the first time-stamp and the second time-stamp;
• incrementing a time-counter by the difference time;
• and
• based on a value of the time-counter after the time-counter has been incremented by the difference time, perform a refresh operation of the region of the non-volatile memory.