# US 12,002,516 B2 · Memory block characteristic determination

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- Number: US 12,002,516 B2
- Document ID: US12002516B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/831,350
- Filed: 2022-06-02
- Published: 2023-12-07
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-06-02
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Zhongyuan Lu; Niccolo' Righetti
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002516B2

## CPC

- G11C 16/16: for erasing blocks, e.g. arrays, words, groups
- G11C 16/349: {Arrangements for evaluating degradation, retention or wearout, e.g. by counting erase cycles}
- G11C 7/04: with means for avoiding disturbances due to temperature effects
- G11C 16/08: Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
- G11C 16/26: Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
- G11C 16/32: Timing circuits
- G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series}
- G11C 16/10: Programming or data input circuits
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

Bake temperatures for memory blocks can be determined as part of an operation to allocate memory blocks for us by a memory device. If a temperature of a particular memory block among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds a threshold operational temperature corresponding to a memory device containing the plurality of memory blocks, the particular memory block can be allocated for receipt and/or storage of data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
determining, for a plurality of memory blocks, respective temperatures corresponding to each of the memory blocks;
determining whether a temperature of a first memory block among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to a memory device containing the plurality of memory blocks;
writing information to a particular memory block based on the determination that the temperature of the first memory block meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device; and
updating the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device to a second threshold operational temperature that is less than the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device based on determining that none of the memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a sorted list of each of the plurality of memory blocks based on the determined respective temperatures corresponding to each of the plurality of memory blocks.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the sorted list of each of the plurality of memory blocks in response to writing the information to the particular memory block.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising writing the information to a random memory block based, at least in part, on determining that the temperature of the first memory block does not meet or exceed the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining whether a temperature of a memory block among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device; and
writing information to the memory block that meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature of the memory device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining that the temperature of the first memory block is the same as a temperature of a second memory block;
determining a time period that the first memory block and the second memory block have experienced their respective temperatures; and
writing information to the first memory block or the second memory block that has experienced their respective temperature for a greater time period.

### Claim 7

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a controller coupled to the memory device, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine respective temperatures for empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
generate a list comprising address locations corresponding to each of the empty memory blocks, wherein the list is organized according to the determined respective temperatures of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
determine whether a temperature of a particular empty memory block among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device;
control writing of information to an address location corresponding to the particular empty memory block based, at least in part, on the determination that the temperature of the particular empty memory block meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device; and
update the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device to a second threshold operational temperature that is less than the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device based on determining that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to update the list comprising the address locations corresponding to each of the plurality of empty memory blocks in response to writing the information to the particular empty memory block.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to control writing of the information to an address location corresponding to a random empty memory block in the list based, at least in part, on a determination that the temperature of the particular empty memory block does not meet or exceed the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine whether a temperature of an empty memory block among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device; and
write information to the empty memory block in the list that exceeds the second threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device responsive to the determination.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine respective time periods that the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks have been exposed to the temperature;
generate the list comprising the address locations corresponding to each of the empty memory blocks, wherein the list is further organized according to the determined respective time periods that the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks have been exposed to the temperature;
determine whether a time period that the particular empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds a threshold time period associated with exposure to the temperature among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list; and
control writing of information to the address location corresponding to the particular empty memory block based, at least in part, on the determination that the time period that the particular empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds the threshold time period associated with exposure to the temperature among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine the respective temperatures for the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks by:
activating one or more word lines coupled to the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks; and
determining activity associated with the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks based on activation of the one or more word lines coupled to the empty memory blocks.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine the respective temperatures for the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks by accessing one or more system records corresponding to temperatures of the plurality of memory blocks.

### Claim 14

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a processing device coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device is configured to:
determine that the memory device has reached or exceeded an operational temperature threshold;
generate a list of memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
sort the list of memory blocks such that the memory blocks associated with the list are ranked based on a determined temperature of each memory block among the plurality of memory blocks, or a determined amount of time that each memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the list has experienced the determined temperature, or both;
determine whether a temperature of an empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device or whether the determined amount of time that the empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds a threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both;
control writing of information to the empty memory block based on:
a determination that the temperature of the empty memory block in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device, or
a determination that the amount of time that the empty memory block in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both; and
update the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device to a second threshold operational temperature that is less than the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device based on:
a determination that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device, or
a determination that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processing device is configured to update the ranked list in response to writing the information to the empty memory block.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processing device is configured to:
determine that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device, or
determine that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature; and
control writing of information to a random empty memory block based on the determination that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device or the determination that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processing device is configured to delete a record in the ranked list corresponding to the empty memory block to which the information was written subsequent to control of writing the information to the empty memory block.

### Claim 18

A method, comprising:
determining, for a plurality of memory blocks, respective temperatures corresponding to each of the memory blocks;
determining whether a temperature of a first memory block among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to a memory device containing the plurality of memory blocks;
determining that none of the memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device;
updating the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device to a second threshold operational temperature that is less than the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device;
determining whether a temperature of a memory block among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device; and
writing information to the memory block that meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature of the memory device.

### Claim 19

A method, comprising:
determining, for a plurality of memory blocks, respective temperatures corresponding to each of the memory blocks;
determining a temperature of a first memory block among the plurality of memory blocks meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to a memory device containing the plurality of memory blocks;
determining that the temperature of the first memory block is the same as a temperature of a second memory block;
determining a time period that the first memory block and the second memory block have experienced their respective temperatures; and
writing information to the first memory block or the second memory block that has experienced their respective temperature for a greater time period.

### Claim 20

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a controller coupled to the memory device, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine respective temperatures for empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
generate a list comprising address locations corresponding to each of the empty memory blocks, wherein the list is organized according to the determined respective temperatures of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
determine whether a temperature of a particular empty memory block among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device;
determine that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device;
update the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device to a second threshold operational temperature that is less than the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device;
determine whether a temperature of an empty memory block among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device; and
control writing of information to the empty memory block in the list based, at least in part, on the determination that the temperature of the empty memory block meets or exceeds the second threshold operational temperature of the memory device.

### Claim 21

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a controller coupled to the memory device, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine respective temperatures for empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
determine respective time periods that the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks have been exposed to the temperature;
generate a list comprising address locations corresponding to each of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks, wherein the list is organized according to the determined respective temperatures of the empty memory blocks and the determined respective time periods that the empty memory blocks have been exposed to the temperature;
determine whether a temperature of a particular empty memory block among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device;
determine whether a time period that the particular empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds a threshold time period associated with exposure to the temperature among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list; and
control writing of information to an address location corresponding to the particular empty memory block based, at least in part, on the determination that the temperature of the particular empty memory block meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device and the time period that the particular empty memory block meets or exceeds the threshold time period.

### Claim 22

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a controller coupled to the memory device, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine respective temperatures for empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks by:
activating one or more word lines coupled to the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks; and
determining activity associated with the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks based on activation of the one or more word lines coupled to the empty memory blocks;
generate a list comprising address locations corresponding to each of the empty memory blocks, wherein the list is organized according to the determined respective temperatures of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
determine whether a temperature of a particular empty memory block among the plurality of empty memory blocks in the list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device; and
control writing of information to an address location corresponding to the particular empty memory block based, at least in part, on the determination that the temperature of the particular empty memory block meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device.

### Claim 23

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a processing device coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device is configured to:
determine that the memory device has reached or exceeded an operational temperature threshold;
generate a list of memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
sort the list of memory blocks such that the memory blocks associated with the list are ranked based on a determined temperature of each memory block among the plurality of memory blocks, or a determined amount of time that each memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the list has experienced the determined temperature, or both;
determine whether a temperature of an empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device or whether the determined amount of time that the empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds a threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both;
determine that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device, or
determine that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature; and
control writing of information to a random empty memory block based on the determination that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device or the determination that none of the empty memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both.

### Claim 24

An apparatus, comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of memory blocks; and
a processing device coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device is configured to:
determine that the memory device has reached or exceeded an operational temperature threshold;
generate a list of memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks;
sort the list of memory blocks such that the memory blocks associated with the list are ranked based on a determined temperature of each memory block among the plurality of memory blocks, or a determined amount of time that each memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the list has experienced the determined temperature, or both;
determine whether a temperature of an empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list meets or exceeds a first threshold operational temperature corresponding to the memory device or whether the determined amount of time that the empty memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds a threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both;
control writing of information to the empty memory block based on:
a determination that the temperature of the empty memory block in the ranked list meets or exceeds the first threshold operational temperature of the memory device, or a determination that the amount of time that the empty memory block in the ranked list has experienced the determined temperature meets or exceeds the threshold amount of time corresponding to the determined temperature, or both; and
delete a record in the ranked list corresponding to the empty memory block to which the information was written subsequent to control of writing the information to the empty memory block.