# US 8,788,894 B2 · Method of enhancing error correction performance and storage device using the method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,894 B2 - Document ID: US8788894B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/547,340 - Filed: 2012-07-12 - Published: 2013-05-09 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-11-04 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nam-wook Kang - Inventors: Nam-wook Kang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788894B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/31935: {Storing data, e.g. failure memory} - G06F 11/1048: {using arrangements adapted for a specific error detection or correction feature} - G11C 29/00: Checking stores for correct operation {; Subsequent repair}; Testing stores during standby or offline operation - G11C 29/006: {at wafer scale level, i.e. wafer scale integration [WSI]} - G06F 11/1072: {in multilevel memories} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract A method of enhancing an error correction performance in a data storage system, and a storage device using the method, determines a deterioration status of a physical area of a memory device to which data is to be stored and compresses data and stores the compressed data and an error correction code (ECC) with respect to the compressed data in an area of which the deterioration status is equal to or greater than a threshold value that is initially set and stores uncompressed data and an ECC with respect to the uncompressed data in an area of which the deterioration status is less than the threshold value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of enhancing an error correction performance, the method comprising: determining a deterioration status of a physical area of a memory device to which data is to be stored; and compressing data and storing the compressed data and an error correction code (ECC) with respect to the compressed data in an area of which the deterioration status is equal to or greater than a threshold value that is initially set; and storing uncompressed data and an ECC with respect to the uncompressed data in an area of which the deterioration status is less than the threshold value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a size of the ECC stored in the area of which the deterioration status is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and a size of the ECC stored in the area of which the deterioration status is less than the threshold value are the same. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a deterioration status determines the deterioration status by at least one of a unit of page, a unit of block and a unit of plane of the memory device to which the data is to be stored. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining a deterioration status determines the deterioration status based on at least one of error bit information, program/erase cycle information and program/read count information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein if the deterioration status of the physical area of the memory device that corresponds to a physical address to which the data is to be stored is less than the threshold value, the storing includes, generating a first ECC with respect to the data, and writing the data and the first ECC to a storage area of the memory device that is assigned by the physical address. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein if the deterioration status of the physical area of the memory device that corresponds to a physical address to which the data is to be stored is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the storing includes, compressing the data; performing a padding operation on the compressed data by including ineffective data that is initially set, to allow a size of the compressed data and a size of the uncompressed data to be equal to each other; generating a second ECC with respect to the compressed data that is padded; and writing the compressed data and the second ECC to a storage area of the memory device that is assigned by the physical address. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the performing a padding operation initially sets the value of all bits in the ineffective data to 0. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the compressing data and storing the compressed data includes repeatedly writing compressed data to a plurality of different positions in a page assigned by the physical address. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the compressing data and storing the compressed data includes repeatedly writing compressed data to a first page assigned by the physical address and a second page different from the first page. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing information as metadata, wherein the information is related to an area of the memory device of which the deterioration status is equal to or greater than the threshold value. ### Claim 11 A method of enhancing an error correction performance, the method comprising: determining a deterioration status of a physical area of a memory device; and compressing data and storing the compressed data and an error correction code (ECC) to the physical area if the deterioration status of the physical area is equal to or greater than a threshold value; and storing uncompressed data and an ECC to the physical area if the deterioration status of the physical area is less than the threshold value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a size of the ECC stored if the deterioration status is equal to or greater than the threshold value is the same as a size of the ECC stored if the deterioration status is less than the threshold value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the determining a deterioration status determines the deterioration status based on at least one of error bit information, program/erase cycle information and program/read count information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein if the deterioration status of the physical area is less than the threshold value, the storing includes, generating a first ECC with respect to the data, and writing the data and the first ECC to a storage area of the memory device that is assigned by the physical address. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein if the deterioration status of the physical area is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the storing includes, compressing the data, performing a padding operation on the compressed data by including ineffective data that is initially set, to allow a size of the compressed data and a size of the uncompressed data to be equal to each other, generating a second ECC with respect to the compressed data that is padded, and writing the compressed data and the second ECC to a storage area of the memory device that is assigned by the physical address.