END OF LIFE PREDICTION OF FLASH MEMORY

• US 20080086275A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Atherton, William E., Browne, Michael E., Astigarraga, Tara
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,442 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/88 Monitoring involving counting
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/349 Arrangements for evaluating degradation, retention or wearout, e.g. by counting erase cycles

Abstract

Disclosed are a method, electronic device, and computer readable medium for determining an end-of-life stage of the flash memory. The method comprises detecting at least one life cycle event associated with a flash memory residing on an electronic device A counter that is associated with the life cycle event is then incremented. Based on the counter, a total number of occurrences for the one life cycle event is determined. The total number of occurrences for the at least one given threshold are also determined. A current life cycle stage of the flash memory is identified based at least in part on the determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold. The life cycle stage is associated with the at least one given threshold. A user is then notified of the life cycle state of the flash memory.

Claims

1. A method, with an electronic device, for determining an end-of-life stage of the flash memory, the method comprising:

detecting at least one life cycle event associated with a flash memory residing on an electronic device;

assigning one of a plurality of weights to the at least one life cycle event based on a life cycle event type associated with the at least one life cycle event;

incrementing a counter associated with the at least one life cycle event based on the weight that has been assigned to the at least one life cycle event;

determining, based on the counter, a total number of occurrences for the at least one life cycle event;

storing the total number of occurrences for the at least one life cycle event on the flash memory;

determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold;

identifying a current life cycle stage of the flash memory based at least in part on the determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold, wherein the life cycle stage is associated with the at least one given threshold; and

notifying a user of the life cycle state of the flash memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one life cycle event comprises at least one of:

a write cycle to the flash memory;

a read cycle from the flash memory;

a power on cycle of the device comprising the flash memory; and

an error existing in a memory cell of the flash memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying is based at least in part on the determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold and the weight assigned to the at least one life cycle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying further comprises at least one of:

visually notifying the user; and

audibly notifying the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the visually notifying further comprises at least one of:

illuminating, at least once, a set of visual indicating means on the device;

displaying text on a display of the device; and

graphically illustrating on an external display communicatively coupled to the device, a visual notification associated with the current life cycle stage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the current life cycle stage includes at least one of:

a percentage of an estimated life time remaining for the flash memory;

an estimated number of remaining life cycle events available for the flash memory; and

an indication of the estimated life time remaining for the flash memory being one of;

above average, average, and critical.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is performed by the device comprising the flash memory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is performed by another electronic device communicatively coupled to the electronic device.

9. A method, with a first electronic device communicatively coupled to at least a second electronic device including at least one flash memory, for determining an end-of-life stage of the flash memory, the method comprising:

detecting, by a first electronic device communicatively coupled to at least a second electronic device, at least one life cycle event associated with a flash memory residing on the at least second electronic device;

assigning one of a plurality of weights to the at least one life cycle event based on a life cycle event type associated with the at least one life cycle event;

incrementing a counter associated with the life cycle event based on the weight that has been assigned to the at least one life cycle event;

determining, based on the counter, a total number of occurrences for the at least one life cycle event;

storing the total number of occurrences for the at least one life cycle event on the flash memory;

determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold;

identifying a current life cycle stage of the flash memory based at least in part on the determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold, wherein the life cycle stage is associated with the at least one given threshold; and

notifying a user of the life cycle state of the flash memory.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one life cycle event comprises at least one of:

a write cycle to the flash memory;

a read cycle from the flash memory;

a power on cycle of the second electronic device; and

an error existing in a memory cell of the flash memory.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifying is based at least in part on the determining if the total number of occurrences exceeds at least one given threshold and the weight assigned to the at least one life cycle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the notifying further comprises at least one of:

visually notifying the user; and

audibly notifying the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the visually notifying further comprises at least one of:

illuminating, at least once, a set of visual indicating means on the second electronic device;

displaying text on a display of the second electronic device; and

graphically illustrating on al display communicatively coupled to the first electronic device, a visual notification associated with the current life cycle stage.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the current life cycle stage includes at least one of:

a percentage of an estimated life time remaining for the flash memory;

an estimated number of remaining life cycle events available for the flash memory; and

an indication of the estimated life time remaining for the flash memory being one of;

above average, average, and critical.

15-34. -34. (canceled)