Data path for multi-level cell memory, methods for storing and methods for utilizing a memory array
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorMark Bauer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Memories, data paths, methods for storing, and methods for utilizing are disclosed, including a data path for a memory using multi-level memory cells to provide storage of multiple bits per memory cell. One such data path includes a bit mapping circuit and a data converter circuit. Such a bit mapping circuit can be configured to map bits of the original data to an intermediate arrangement of bits and such a data converter circuit can be configured to receive the intermediate arrangement of bits and convert the intermediate arrangement of bits into intermediate data corresponding to a memory state to be stored by memory cells of a memory cell array.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of multi-level memory cells, a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells having a plurality of storable memory states;
- and
- a data converter coupled to the plurality of multi-level memory cells, wherein the data converter is configured to receive a first number of bits of data to be stored in the plurality of multi-level memory cells, the data converter configured to convert the first number of bits of data into groups of data, wherein each of the groups of data has a second number of bits of data that is different than the first number of bits of data, wherein each of the groups of data specifies a corresponding memory state for a respective memory cell of the plurality of multi-level memory cells.
An apparatus comprising:
- a memory comprising a plurality of multi-level memory cells, a multi-level memory cell of the plurality of multi-level memory cells configured to store more than two memory states;
- and
- a data conversion circuit coupled to the plurality of multi-level memory cells, wherein the data conversion circuit is configured to convert the first data into second data, wherein the data conversion circuit is further configured to provide the second data to the plurality of multi-level memory cells, wherein the data conversion circuit is further configured to convert the second data into the first data wherein a count of bits of the first data is different than a count of bits of the second data, wherein a value of the second data corresponds to a memory state of the more than two memory states.
A method, comprising:
- converting first data into groups of second data at a data conversion circuit, wherein a count of bits of the second data in a group of the groups of second data is different than a count of bits of the first data;
- and
- providing the groups of second data to a plurality of multi-level memory cells of a memory, wherein each of the groups second data specifies a corresponding state of more than two states of a respective memory cell of the plurality of multi-level memory cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.