# US 12,001,305 B2 · Resource allocation for a memory built-in self-test > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,305 B2 - Document ID: US12001305B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/820,128 - Filed: 2022-08-16 - Published: 2024-02-22 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-16 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Scott E. Schaefer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001305B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/1048: {using arrangements adapted for a specific error detection or correction feature} - G06F 11/27: Built-in tests - G06F 9/5044: {considering hardware capabilities} - G11C 29/14: Implementation of control logic, e.g. test mode decoders - G11C 29/42: using error correcting codes [ECC] or parity check - G11C 29/4401: {for self repair} - G11C 29/76: {using address translation or modifications} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract Implementations described herein relate to resource allocation for a memory built-in self-test. A memory device may read one or more bits, associated with a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device. The memory device may identify one or more memory resources of the memory device, based on reading the one or more bits, that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. The one or more memory resources of the memory device may be addressable memory resources configured for performing standard memory operations of the memory device. The memory device may perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A memory device, comprising: one or more components configured to: read one or more bits, before performing a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device, wherein the one or more bits indicate one or more memory resources of the memory device that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test; identify the one or more memory resources of the memory device based on reading the one or more bits, wherein the one or more memory resources of the memory device are addressable memory resources configured for performing standard memory operations of the memory device; and perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device, wherein the one or more memory resources of the memory device are not used for performing the standard memory operations of the memory device based on the one or more bits indicating that the one or more memory resources of the memory device are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The memory device of claim 1, wherein each memory resource, of the one or more memory resources of the memory device, corresponds to one or more rows of the memory device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The memory device of claim 2, wherein the one or more rows of the memory device are a first set of one or more rows of the memory device or a last set of one or more rows of the memory device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The memory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more components, to read the one or more bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device, are configured to read a plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device, wherein each bit of the plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device indicates a number of memory resources of the memory device that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The memory device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device includes at least a first bit that indicates a first number of memory resources that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test and a second bit that indicates a second number of memory resources that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The memory device of claim 5, wherein the first number of memory resources corresponds to a first memory section of the memory device and the second number of memory resources corresponds to a second memory section of the memory device that includes the first memory section of the memory device and one or more other memory sections of the memory device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The memory device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of bits includes a single bit that is set to a first value and one or more other bits that are set to a second value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The memory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more components, to perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device, are configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device and one or more other memory resources of the memory device that are configured only for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The memory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more components, to perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device, are configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections, but fewer than all memory sections, of a plurality of memory sections associated with the memory device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The memory device of claim 9, wherein the one or more components, to perform the memory built-in self-test for the one or more memory sections of the memory device, are configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections of the memory device that do not include the one or more memory resources of the memory device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The memory device of claim 1, wherein the mode register of the memory device includes a plurality of other bits, wherein a first value of the plurality of other bits indicates that the memory built-in self-test is to be disabled, a second value of the plurality of other bits indicates that the memory built-in self-test is enabled with on-die error-correcting code disabled, a third value of the plurality of other bits indicates that the memory built-in self-test is enabled with on-die error-correcting code enabled, and a fourth value of the plurality of other bits indicates that a repair mode of the memory device is enabled. ### Claim 12 A system, comprising: a host device configured to: identify one or more memory resources of a memory device, wherein the one or more memory resources of the memory device are addressable memory resources configured for performing standard memory operations of the memory device; and transmit, to the memory device, a mode register write command to write one or more bits, to a mode register of the memory device, to indicate that the one or more memory resources of the memory device are to be used for performing a memory built-in self-test; and the memory device, wherein the memory device is configured to: read the one or more bits from the mode register of the memory device before performing the memory built-in self-test; identify the one or more memory resources of the memory device based on reading the one or more bits; and perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device, wherein the one or more memory resources of the memory device are not used for performing the standard memory operations of the memory device based on the one or more bits indicating that the one or more memory resources of the memory device are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more memory resources of the memory device are no longer addressable memory resources of the memory device based on the host device transmitting the mode register write command. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each memory resource, of the one or more memory resources of the memory device, corresponds to one or more rows of the memory device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the memory device, to read the one or more bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device, is configured to read a plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device, wherein each bit of the plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device indicates a number of memory resources of the memory device that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device includes at least a first bit that indicates a first number of memory resources that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test and a second bit that indicates a second number of memory resources that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the first number of memory resources corresponds to a first memory section of the memory device and the second number of memory resources corresponds to a second memory section of the memory device that includes the first memory section of the memory device and one or more other memory sections of the memory device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of bits includes a single bit that is set to a first value and one or more other bits that are set to a second value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the memory device, to perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device, is configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device and one or more other memory resources of the memory device that are configured only for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the memory device, to perform the memory built-in self-test for the memory device using the one or more memory resources of the memory device, is configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections, but fewer than all memory sections, of a plurality of memory sections associated with the memory device. ### Claim 21 A method comprising: reading one or more bits, before performing a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of a memory device, wherein the one or more bits indicate one or more rows of the memory device that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test; identifying the one or more rows of the memory device based on reading the one or more bits, wherein the one or more rows of the memory device are addressable rows configured for performing standard memory operations of the memory device; and performing the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections, but fewer than all memory sections, of a plurality of memory sections associated with the memory device, wherein the one or more rows of the memory device are not used for performing the standard memory operations of the memory device based on the one or more bits indicating that the one or more rows of the memory device are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more rows of the memory device are a first set of one or more rows of the memory device or a last set of one or more rows of the memory device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein reading the one or more bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device comprises reading a plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device, wherein each bit of the plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device indicates a number of rows of the memory device that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of bits that are stored in the mode register of the memory device includes at least a first bit that indicates a first number of rows that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test and a second bit that indicates a second number of rows that are to be used for performing the memory built-in self-test. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein performing the memory built-in self-test for the one or more memory sections of the memory device comprises performing the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections of the memory device that do not include the one or more rows of the memory device.