# US 12,224,027 B2 · Memory system and information processing system for testing storage areas of nonvolatile memory > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,027 B2 - Document ID: US12224027B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/939,180 - Filed: 2022-09-07 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-16 - Assignees: Kioxia Corporation - Applicants: Kioxia Corporation - Inventors: Masayoshi Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224027B2 ## CPC - G11C 29/46: Test trigger logic - G11C 29/1201: {comprising I/O circuitry} - G11C 29/18: Address generation devices; Devices for accessing memories, e.g. details of addressing circuits - G11C 29/38: Response verification devices - G11C 29/56: External testing equipment for static stores, e.g. automatic test equipment [ATE]; Interfaces therefor - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a controller configured to manage second test information including status information indicating that a test related to a write operation and a read operation on a second storage area has not been executed. In response to receiving a command for acquiring information related to the second storage area from a host, the controller transmits the second test information to the host. When execution of the test on the second storage area is requested by the host, the controller executes the test related to the write operation and the read operation on the second storage area, and updates the status information of the second test information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A memory system comprising: a nonvolatile memory that includes storage areas; and a controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory, wherein the storage areas include at least a first storage area for which a test related to a write operation and a read operation has been executed before shipment of the memory system, and a second storage area for which the test has not been executed before the shipment of the memory system, and the controller is configured to: manage first test information and second test information, the first test information including status information indicating that the test for the first storage area has been executed before the shipment of the memory system, the second test information including status information indicating that the test for the second storage area has not been executed before the shipment of the memory system; in response to receiving, from a host, a command to acquire information related to the second storage area, transmit the second test information that corresponds to the second storage area to the host; when execution of the test for the second storage area is requested by the host, execute the test for the second storage area; and when the test for the second storage area has been completed, update the status information of the second test information with a first value indicating that the test for the second storage area has been executed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The memory system of claim 1, wherein the second test information further includes first information and second information, the first information indicating content of a write test that is related to the write operation to be executed on the second storage area, the second information indicating content of a read test that is related to the read operation to be executed on the second storage area, and the controller is configured to: receive, from the host, write commands that are issued by the host and are based on the first information included in the second test information; execute, as the write test for the second storage area, operations of writing first write data from the host into the second storage area in accordance with the received write commands; receive, from the host, read commands that are issued by the host and are based on the second information included in the second test information; and execute, as the read test for the second storage area, operations of reading data from the second storage area and operations of transmitting the read data to the host in accordance with the received read commands. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The memory system of claim 2, wherein the first information includes information indicating a start logical address and an end logical address of a range of logical addresses on which the write operation is to be executed, and information indicating a number of logical addresses to which data is written in accordance with a write command, and the second information includes information indicating a start logical address and an end logical address of a range of logical addresses on which the read operation is to be executed, and information indicating a number of logical addresses from which data is read in accordance with a read command. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The memory system of claim 2, wherein the second test information further includes third information that indicates a wait time that is inserted between the write test and the read test, and the read commands are issued by the host after elapse of the wait time from completion of writing data into the second storage area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The memory system of claim 2, wherein the first information includes status information that indicates whether the write test has been executed, the second information includes status information that indicates whether the read test has been executed, and the controller is configured to: when the write test for the second storage area has been completed, update the status information included in the first information with a first value indicating that the write test for the second storage area has been executed; and when the read test for the second storage area has been completed, update the status information included in the second information with a first value indicating that the read test for the second storage area has been executed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The memory system of claim 1, wherein the first storage area is a storage area corresponding to a first namespace that is used by the host to access the memory system, and the second storage area is a storage area corresponding to a second namespace that is used by the host to access the memory system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The memory system of claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile memory includes a NAND flash memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The memory system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to connect to the host through a PCI Express™ bus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The memory system of claim 1, wherein the first and second test information are stored in the nonvolatile memory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The memory system of claim 1, further comprising another memory, wherein the controller is further configured to manage the first and second test information using the another memory. ### Claim 11 An information processing system comprising: a memory system comprising a nonvolatile memory that includes storage areas, and a controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory; and a host, wherein the storage areas include at least a first storage area for which a test related to a write operation and a read operation has been executed before shipment of the memory system, and a second storage area for which the test has not been executed before the shipment of the memory system, the controller manages first test information and second test information, the first test information including status information indicating that the test for the first storage area has been executed before the shipment of the memory system, the second test information including status information indicating that the test for the second storage area has not been executed before the shipment of the memory system, the host is configured to: acquire the first test information and the second test information from the memory system; and when the status information of the second test information indicates that the test for the second storage area has not been executed, request the memory system to execute the test for the second storage area, and the controller is configured to: in response to receiving, from the host, a command to acquire information related to the second storage area, transmit the second test information that corresponds to the second storage area to the host; when execution of the test for the second storage area is requested by the host, execute the test for the second storage area; and when the test for the second storage area has been completed, update the status information of the second test information with a first value indicating that the test for the second storage area has been executed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the second test information further includes first information and second information, the first information indicating content of a write test related to the write operation to be executed on the second storage area, and the second information indicating content of a read test related to the read operation to be executed on the second storage area, the host is configured to: transmit, to the memory system, write commands that are based on the first information included in the second test information; and transmit, to the memory system, read commands that are based on the second information included in the second test information, the controller is configured to: execute, as the write test for the second storage area, operations of writing first write data from the host into the second storage area in accordance with the write commands; and execute, as the read test for the second storage area, operations of reading data from the second storage area and operations of transmitting the read data to the host in accordance with the read commands, and the host is configured to determine whether the second storage area is used to write data depending on whether the data transmitted from the memory system matches the first write data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The information processing system of claim 12, wherein the first information includes information indicating a start logical address and an end logical address of a range of logical addresses on which the write operation is to be executed, and information indicating a number of logical addresses to which data is written in accordance with a write command, and the second information includes information indicating a start logical address and an end logical address of a range of logical addresses on which the read operation is to be executed, and information indicating a number of logical addresses from which data is read in accordance with a read command. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The information processing system of claim 12, wherein the second test information further includes third information that indicates a wait time that is inserted between the write test and the read test, and the host is configured to transmit the read commands to the memory system after elapse of the wait time from completion of execution of the write commands. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The information processing system of claim 12, wherein the first information includes status information that indicates whether the write test for the second storage area has been executed, the second information includes status information that indicates whether the read test for the second storage area has been executed, and the controller is configured to: when the write test for the second storage area has been completed, update the status information included in the first information with a first value indicating that the write test for the second storage area has been executed; and when the read test for the second storage area has been completed, update the status information included in the second information with a first value indicating that the read test for the second storage area has been executed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the first storage area is a storage area corresponding to a first namespace that is used by the host to access the memory system, and the second storage area is a storage area corresponding to a second namespace that is used by the host to access the memory system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the nonvolatile memory includes a NAND flash memory. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to connect to the host through a PCI Express™ bus. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The information processing system of claim 11, wherein the first and second test information are stored in the nonvolatile memory. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The information processing system of claim 11, further comprising another memory, wherein the controller is further configured to manage the first and second test information using the another memory.