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US 8,572,466 B2Granted
Apparatuses, systems, devices, and methods of replacing at least partially non-functional portions of memory
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsChris Bueb, Sean Eilert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to determining that a portion of a memory is at least partially non-functional, replacing the portion of at least partially non-functional memory; and adjusting an error detection and/or correction process responsive to determining that the portion of the memory is at least partially non-functional and/or replacing the portion of at least partially non-functional memory.
Claims26
A method comprising:
- providing with an initial storage capacity;
- subsequently determining that a portion of the memory is at least partially non-functional;
- replacing the portion of at least partially non-functional memory with a portion of said memory previously allocated to error detection and/or correction, wherein replacing provides a total amount of functional memory having a storage capacity substantially equal to the initial storage capacity;
- and
- adjusting an error detection and/or correction process responsive to determining that the portion of the memory is at least partially non-functional and/or replacing the portion of at least partially non-functional memory.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing with an initial storage capacity;
- subsequently adaptively reducing memory error detection and/or correction ability in response to identifying an error-prone memory location in a portion of the memory;
- and
- using an error code (EC) memory portion to store signal or state information previously stored in the identified memory location, wherein using provides a total amount of non error-prone memory locations having a storage capacity substantially equal to the initial storage capacity.
1 more element
A non-volatile memory device comprising:
- a memory with an initial storage capacity, said memory including one or more portions allocated to store error code (EC)-related signal or state information and one or more portions allocated to store non-EC signal or state information;
- and
- a controller to remap memory locations in the one or more non-EC portions that are determined to be error prone to memory locations in the one or more EC-related portions, wherein a remapping provides a total amount of non-EC portions having a storage capacity substantially equal to the initial storage capacity, and wherein said controller is able to adjust error correction and/or detection used with said memory.
A system comprising:
- memory with an initial storage capacity and including a first number of memory sectors to store error code (EC)-related signal or state information and a second number of memory sectors to store other signal or state information, said memory further including a memory controller to:
- access signal or state information stored in memory locations in said second number of memory sectors;
- identify one or more at least partially non-functional sectors of said second number of memory sectors;
- and
- use one or more sectors in said first number of memory sectors as a substitute for said one or more at least partially non-functional sectors, wherein a substitution provides a total amount of said second number of memory sectors having a storage capacity substantially equal to the initial storage capacity.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of integrated circuit (IC) memory chips with an initial storage capacity;
- and
- a memory controller to:
- determine that one or more memory sectors of said IC memory chips is at least partially non-functional;
- adjust error correction and/or detection for one or more sectors of said IC memory chips;
- and
- replace the one or more at least partially non-functional sectors with one or more sectors allocated to error detection and/or correction, where a replacing provides a total amount of functional memory having a storage capacity substantially equal to the initial storage capacity.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.