Methods and Apparatus for Probabilistic Refresh in Volatile Memory Devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for utilizing non-traditional (e.g., probabilistic or statistically-based) refresh schemes in non-volatile memory. In one embodiment, the memory is characterized in terms of its performance, such as based on BER (bit error rate) as a function of refresh rate based on statistical data for decay of capacitance within the cells of the device with time. In one variant, error-tolerant applications make use of the non-traditionally refreshed (or unrefreshed) memory with enhanced memory bandwidth, since refresh operations have been reduced or eliminated. In another variant, an extant refresh scheme is modified based on a specified minimum allowable performance level for the memory device, In yet another embodiment, error-intolerant applications operate the memory with a reduced or eliminated refresh, and cells or regions of the memory not adequately refreshed by presumed random read/write operations of the memory over time are actively refreshed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.