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US 11,688,459 B2Granted
Determining soft data
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsViolante Moschiano, Andrea D'Alessandro, Andrea Giovanni Xotta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for determining soft data. A number of embodiments include determining soft data associated with a data state of a memory cell. In a number of embodiments, the soft data may be determined by performing a single stepped sense operation on the memory cell.
Claims18
An apparatus, comprising:
- an array of NAND flash memory cells;
- and
- a controller configured to operate sense circuitry to:
- sense a current on a data line to which a memory cell of the array is coupled, wherein the sensed current is directly correlated to a threshold voltage of the memory cell;
- and
- determine, based on the sensed current:
- a data state of the memory cell;
- and
- soft data associated with the data state of the memory cell.
6 more elements
A method for operating memory, comprising:
- sensing a current on a data line to which a NAND flash memory cell is coupled, wherein the sensed current is directly correlated to a threshold voltage of the NAND flash memory cell;
- determining, based on the sensed current, a voltage associated with a capacitance coupled to the NAND flash memory cell;
- and
- determining, based on the determined voltage:
- a data state of the NAND flash memory cell;
- and
- soft data associated with the data state of the NAND flash memory cell.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- an array of NAND flash memory cells;
- sense circuitry comprising boost circuitry and a capacitance;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- operate the sense circuitry to:
- sense a current on a data line to which a memory cell of the array is coupled, wherein the sensed current is directly correlated to a threshold voltage of the memory cell;
- and
- determine, based on the sensed current, a voltage associated with the capacitance;
- and
- operate the boost circuitry to convert the voltage associated with the capacitance to a digital value that corresponds to:
- a data state of the memory cell;
- and
- soft data associated with the data state of the memory cell.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.