# US 12,603,144 B2 · Block health detector for block retirement in a memory sub-system

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- Number: US 12,603,144 B2
- Document ID: US12603144B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/749,234
- Filed: 2024-06-20
- Published: 2025-01-16
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2023-07-12
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Fanqi Wu; Kevin R. Brandt; Zhenlei Shen; Tingjun Xie; Yang Liu; Jiangli Zhu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603144B2

## CPC

- G11C 29/44: Indication or identification of errors, e.g. for repair
- G11C 29/42: using error correcting codes [ECC] or parity check
- G11C 29/52: Protection of memory contents; Detection of errors in memory contents
- G11C 2029/0409: {Online test}
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A processing device in a memory sub-system identifies a read error associated with a block and initiates a diagnostic memory access operation on the block. The processing device determines whether the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the block. Responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the block, the processing device initiates a diagnostic read operation on the block. The processing device determines whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the block. Responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the block, the processing device identifies the block as a healthy block.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A memory sub-system comprising:
a memory device comprising a plurality of blocks of memory cells;
a processing device, operatively coupled with the memory device, to perform operations comprising:
identifying a read error associated with a first block of the plurality of blocks;
initiating a diagnostic memory access operation on the first block;
determining whether the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the first block;
responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the first block, initiating a diagnostic read operation on the first block;
determining whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block; and
responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block, identifying the first block as a first healthy block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The memory sub-system of claim 1 wherein initiating the diagnostic memory access operation on the first block comprises:
erasing the first block of the plurality of blocks; and
programming diagnostic data to the first block of the plurality of blocks.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The memory sub-system of claim 2, wherein determining whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block further comprises:
determining whether data returned by the diagnostic read operation corresponds to the diagnostic data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The memory sub-system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first block as the first healthy block comprises:
assigning the first block to a healthy block pool.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The memory sub-system of claim 1, further comprising:
copying data stored at the first block of the plurality of blocks to a second block of the plurality of blocks.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The memory sub-system of claim 1, further comprising:
responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was not successfully performed on the first block of the plurality of blocks, identifying the first block as a retirement candidate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The memory sub-system of claim 1, further comprising:
responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was not successfully performed on the first block of the plurality of blocks, identifying the first block as a retirement candidate.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
identifying a read error associated with a first block of a plurality of blocks of a memory device;
initiating a diagnostic memory access operation on the first block;
determining whether the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the first block;
responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the first block, initiating a diagnostic read operation on the first block;
determining whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block; and
responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block, identifying the first block as a healthy block.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein initiating the diagnostic memory access operation on the first block comprises:
erasing the first block of the plurality of blocks; and
programming diagnostic data to the first block of the plurality of blocks.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block further comprises:
determining whether data returned by the diagnostic read operation corresponds to the diagnostic data.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
assigning the first block to a healthy block pool.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
copying data stored at the first block of the plurality of blocks to a second block of the plurality of blocks.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was not successfully performed on the first block of the plurality of blocks, identifying the first block as a retirement candidate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was not successfully performed on the first block of the plurality of blocks, identifying the first block as a retirement candidate.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
identifying a read error associated with a first block of a plurality of blocks of a memory device;
initiating a diagnostic memory access operation on the first block;
determining whether the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the first block;
responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was successfully performed on the first block, initiating a diagnostic read operation on the first block;
determining whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block; and
responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the first block, identifying the first block as a healthy block.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein initiating the diagnostic memory access operation on the first block comprises:
erasing the first block of the plurality of blocks; and
programming diagnostic data to the first block of the plurality of blocks.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein determining whether the diagnostic read operation was successfully performed on the block further comprises:
determining whether data returned by the diagnostic read operation corresponds to the diagnostic data.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:
copying data stored at the first block of the plurality of blocks to a second block of the plurality of blocks.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:
responsive to determining the diagnostic memory access operation was not successfully performed on the first block of the plurality of blocks, identifying the first block as a retirement candidate.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:
responsive to determining the diagnostic read operation was not successfully performed on the first block of the plurality of blocks, identifying the first block as a retirement candidate.