Method for error correction decoding in a magnetoresistive solid-state storage device

A method for error correction decoding of ECC encoded data stored in a magnetoresistive solid-state storage device having a plurality of magnetoresistive storage cells, comprising the steps of:

• reading a codeword of ECC encoded data from a set of the storage cells, the read codeword having been formed by an error correction block code and comprising a plurality of symbols;
• error correction decoding the read codeword in a first decoder arranged to reliably identify and correct up to a predetermined threshold number of failed symbols in the read codeword, to provide a corrected codeword or else determining an unrecoverable error;
• and
• in response to the unrecoverable error, error correction decoding the read codeword in a second decoder arranged to reliably correct greater than the predetermined threshold number of failed symbols in the codeword.

A magnetoresistive solid-state storage device, comprising:

• a plurality of magnetoresistive storage cells arranged in at least one array;
• a controller arranged to read a codeword of ECC encoded data from a set of the storage cells, the read codeword having been formed by an error correction block code and comprising a plurality of symbols;
• a first decoder arranged to error correction decode the read codeword by reliably identifying and correcting up to a predetermined threshold number of failed symbols in the read codeword, to provide a corrected codeword or else to determine an unrecoverable error;
• and
• a second decoder arranged to error correction decode the read codeword by reliably correcting greater than the predetermined threshold number of failed symbols in the codeword.