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US 2014/0112077 A1Published application
Snr estimation in analog memory cells
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsTomer Ish-Shalom, Ronen Dar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes programming a group of analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group. After programming the group, the analog values are read from the memory cells in the group using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results. Respective optimal positions for the read thresholds in the set are identified based on the readout results. A noise level in the readout results is estimated based on the identified optimal positions of the read thresholds.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- programming a group of analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group;
- after programming the group, reading the analog values from the memory cells in the group using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results;
- identifying, based on the readout results, respective optimal positions for the read thresholds in the set;
- and
- estimating a noise level in the readout results based on the identified optimal positions of the read thresholds.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- programming a group of analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group;
- after programming the group, reading the analog values from the memory cells in the group using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results;
- calculating a measure of information entropy of the readout results;
- and
- estimating a noise level in the readout results based on the calculated measure of the information entropy.
2 more elements
Apparatus, comprising:
- an interface, which is configured to communicate with a memory that includes analog memory cells;
- and
- storage circuitry, which is configured to program a group of the analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group, to read the analog values from the memory cells in the group, after programming the group, using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results, to identify, based on the readout results, respective optimal positions for the read thresholds in the set, and to estimate a noise level in the readout results based on the identified optimal positions of the read thresholds.
Apparatus, comprising:
- an interface, which is configured to communicate with a memory that includes analog memory cells;
- and
- storage circuitry, which is configured to program a group of the analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group, to read the analog values from the memory cells in the group, after programming the group, using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results, to calculate a measure of information entropy of the readout results, and to estimate a noise level in the readout results based on the calculated measure of the information entropy.
Apparatus, comprising:
- a memory comprising analog memory cells;
- and
- storage circuitry, which is configured to program a group of the analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group, to read the analog values from the memory cells in the group, after programming the group, using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results, to identify, based on the readout results, respective optimal positions for the read thresholds in the set, and to estimate a noise level in the readout results based on the identified optimal positions of the read thresholds.
Apparatus, comprising:
- a memory comprising analog memory cells;
- and
- storage circuitry, which is configured to program a group of the analog memory cells by writing respective analog values into the memory cells in the group, to read the analog values from the memory cells in the group, after programming the group, using a set of read thresholds so as to produce readout results, to calculate a measure of information entropy of the readout results, and to estimate a noise level in the readout results based on the calculated measure of the information entropy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.