Non-volatile memory with controlled program/erase
AssigneeFreescale Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsMartin L. Niset, Derek J. Beattie, Andrew E. Birnie, Alistair J. Gorman, Stephen McGinty
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Abstract
A method for programming/erasing a non-volatile memory (NVM) includes performing a program/erase operation on a portion of the NVM using a first set of parameters. The method further includes determining whether each cell in the portion of the NVM passes a first margin level, if not determining which one of a set of lower margin levels than the first margin level each cell in the portion of the NVM passes. The method further includes modifying at least one of the set of parameters associated with a subsequent program/erase operation for the portion of the NVM based on the determined one of the set of lower margin levels.
Claims15
A method for programming/erasing a non-volatile memory (NVM), comprising:
- performing a program/erase operation on a portion of the NVM using a first set of parameters;
- determining whether each cell in the portion of the NVM passes a first margin level;
- if the each cell in the portion of the NVM does not pass the first margin level,
- determining an amount of departure in an actual value of at least one parameter associated with the program/erase operation from a target value of the at least one parameter;
- modifying a subsequent program/erase operation for the portion of the NVM based on the amount of departure in the actual value of the at least one parameter;
- performing the subsequent program/erase operation on the portion of the NVM and
- determining whether each cell in the portion of the NVM passes the first margin level after performing the subsequent program/erase operation;
- and
- performing the program/erase operation on a next portion of the NVM, if each cell in the portion of the NVM passes the first margin level.
A method for programming/erasing a non-volatile memory (NVM), comprising:
- performing a program/erase operation on a portion of the NVM using a first set of parameters;
- determining whether each cell in the portion of the NVM passes a first margin level:
- if each cell in the portion of the NVM does not pass the first margin level, determining which one of a set of lower margin levels having a lower standard than the first margin level has the highest standard that each cell in the portion of the NVM can pass;
- and
- modifying at least one of the set of parameters associated with a subsequent program/erase operation for the portion of the NVM based on the determined one of the set of lower margin levels;
- and
- performing the subsequent program/erase operation on the portion of the NVM;
- and
- after performing the subsequent program/erase operation, determining whether each cell in the portion of the NVM passes the first margin level.
A non-volatile memory (NVM) system comprising:
- an NVM array;
- an NVM peripheral circuitry for performing a program/erase operation on a portion of the NVM array using a first set of parameters to cause a condition in each memory cell of the portion of the NVM array;
- and
- a controller for determining whether the condition of each cell in the portion of the NVM array passes a first margin level;
- if the condition of each cell in the portion of NVM array does not pass the first margin level, for determining which one of a set of lower margin levels than the first margin level has the highest level that the condition of each cell in the portion of the NVM array can pass;
- for modifying at least one of the set of parameters associated with a subsequent program/erase operation for the portion of the NVM array based on the determined one of the set of lower margin levels;
- for performing the subsequent program/erase operation on the portion of the NVM array;
- and for determining if each cell, after the performing the subsequent program/erase operation, has a subsequent condition that passes the first margin level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.