Flash memory data storage device and programming method thereof

• US 10,002,673 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2017
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Motion Incorporated California (Silicon Motion)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Motion Incorporated California (Silicon Motion)
• Inventors: Hsiao, Li-Shuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojha, Ajay
• Application Number:
  US15/591,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20170243655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/04 using variable threshold transistors, e.g. FAMOS
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/10 Programming or data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/26 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/34 Determination of programming status, e.g. threshold voltage, overprogramming or underprogramming, retention
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/106 Data output latches
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1063 Control signal output circuits, e.g. status or busy flags, feedback command signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1087 Data input latches

Abstract

A detection method for detecting a programming operation of a flash memory includes issuing a program command of the programming operation to the flash memory, by a controller, issuing a first read status command to the flash memory, by the controller, before a page program time of the flash memory has been reached, and determining whether the programming operation is performed in the flash memory according to a first memory status corresponding to the first read status command provided by the flash memory.

Claims

1. A detection method for detecting a programming operation of a flash memory, comprising:

issuing a program command of the programming operation to the flash memory, by a controller;

issuing a first read status command to the flash memory, by the controller, before a page program time of the flash memory has been reached;

determining whether the programming operation is performed in the flash memory according to a first memory status corresponding to the first read status command provided by the flash memory;

issuing a second read status command to the flash memory after exceeding the page program time of the flash memory when determining that the programming operation is being performed in the flash memory, by the controller; and

determining whether the programming operation has succeeded according to a second memory status provided by the flash memory and corresponding to the second read status command.

2. The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the programming operation is performed in the flash memory further comprises:

determining that the programming operation has not been performed in the flash memory when the first memory status indicates that the flash memory is idle.

3. The detection method as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the flash memory is idle, the first memory status provided by the flash memory is E0h.

4. The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the programming operation is performed in the flash memory further comprises:

determining that the programming operation is being performed in the flash memory when the first memory status indicates that the flash memory is busy.

5. The detection method as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the flash memory is busy, the first memory status provided by the flash memory is 80h.

6. The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the programming operation has succeeded further comprises:

determining that the programming operation has succeeded when the second memory status provided by the flash memory is E0h.

7. The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the programming operation has succeeded further comprises:

determining that the programming operation has failed when the second memory status provided by the flash memory is E1h.

8. The detection method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

issuing a serial data input command, a program address, and program data to the flash memory, by the controller, before issuing the program command of the programming operation.

9. The detection method as claimed in claim 8, wherein in the programming operation, the flash memory stores the program data into a memory array of the flash memory according to the program address in response to the program command.