NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, MEMORY SYSTEM AND CONTROLLER OPERATING METHOD

• US 20130128675A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, SOON-YOUNG, KIM, SEIJIN
• Granted Patent: US 9,093,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/189.05
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/10 Input/output [I/O] data interface arrangements, e.g. I/O data control circuits, I/O data buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1063 Control signal output circuits, e.g. status or busy flags, feedback command signals

Abstract

An operating method for a memory system provides a ready/busy signal from a nonvolatile memory device indicating an idle state or a busy state to a controller. The controller generates a next command but transfers the next command to the nonvolatile memory device in response to the ready/busy signal and the idle verse busy state of a target plane among multiple planes of the nonvolatile memory device.

Claims

1. A nonvolatile memory device, comprising:

a first plane configured to perform a first operation directed to a first memory cell array in response to a first command received from a controller;

a second plane configured to perform a second operation directed to a second memory cell array physically separate from the first memory cell array in response to a second command received from the controller; and

a data input/output (I/O) circuit that transfers read data to the controller via a common data bus obtained from at least one of the first memory cell array and the second memory cell array in response to a read command, that transfers program data received from the controller via the common data bus to at least one of the first memory cell array and the second memory cell array in response to a program command, and that provides a ready/busy signal indicating one of an idle state and a busy state,

wherein the state of the ready/busy signal determines whether the first command and the second command are executed.

2. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the ready/busy signal indicates the idle state except when both of the first command and the second command are being executed in parallel.

3. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the ready/busy signal indicates the idle state only when neither of the first command and the second command are being executed, and indicates the busy state only when both of the first command and the second command are being executed in parallel.

4. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 3, wherein the ready/busy signal further indicates a first waveform when only the first command is being executed, and further indicates a second waveform when only the second command is being executed.

5. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 4, wherein the first plane comprises:

the first memory cell array including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells;

a first address decoder that decodes a first address received from the controller with the first command to generate word lines signals applied to the plurality of memory cells via a plurality of word lines;

a first read and write circuit connected with the data I/O circuit via the common data bus and connected with the plurality of memory cells via a plurality of bit lines; and

first control logic that controls the first address decoder and the first read and write circuit to decode the first command and to perform the first operation, and

the second plane comprises;

the second memory cell array including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells;

a second address decoder that decodes a second address received from the controller with the second command to generate word lines signals applied to the plurality of memory cells via a plurality of word lines;

a second read and write circuit connected with the data I/O circuit via the common data bus and connected with the plurality of memory cells via a plurality of bit lines; and

second control logic that controls the second address decoder and the second read and write circuit to decode the second command and to perform the second operation.

6. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 5, wherein the first plane and the second plane have the same structure and configuration.

7. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 6, wherein the first control logic and the second control logic both receive the first command and the second command via a common control bus, separate from the common data bus.

8. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 7, wherein the first address decoder and the second address decoder both receive the first address and the second address command via a common address bus separate from the common data bus.

9. The nonvolatile memory device of claim 6, wherein the first read and write circuit comprises:

a plurality of main latches configured to store data associated with a current operation being executed in the first plane; and

a plurality of supplemental latches configured to store data associated with a suspended operation formerly being executed in the first plane before the current operation.

10. An operating method for a controller that controls a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of planes, each plane being respectively and independently configured to perform an operation relative to other planes in the plurality of planes, the operating method comprising:

generating a next command directed to a target plane among the plurality of planes;

performing a status read operation to determine whether the target plane is in an idle state or a busy state;

if the target state is in the idle state, transferring the next command to the nonvolatile memory device for execution, and if the target state is in the busy state determining a priority for the next command.

11. The operating method of claim 10, wherein the target plane is executing a current operation when the next command is generated, and the method further comprises:

determining whether the priority of the next command is higher than a priority of the current command.

12. The operating method of claim 11, further comprising:

if the priority of the next command is higher than the priority of the current command, immediately transferrin the next command to the nonvolatile memory device, and if the priority of the next command is not higher than the priority of the current command waiting to transfer the next command until after the current command is executed.

13. An operating method for a memory system including a controller and a nonvolatile memory device including first and second planes being respectively and independently configured to perform an operation relative, the operating method comprising:

providing a ready/busy signal from the nonvolatile memory device indicating one of an idle state and a busy state for the nonvolatile memory device;

in the controller, generating a next command indicating a first operation directed to the first plane; and

then,

if the ready/busy indicates the idle state, performing a status read operation to determine whether the first plane is in the idle state, and if the first plane is in the idle state immediately transferring the next command to the nonvolatile memory device, otherwise waiting to transfer the next command to the nonvolatile memory.

14. The operating method of claim 13, wherein the ready/busy signal indicates the idle state except when both of the first command and the second command are being executed in parallel.

15. The operating method of claim 14, further comprising:

if the ready/busy indicates the busy state, determining a priority for the next command and waiting to transfer the next command to the nonvolatile memory; and

if the ready/busy indicates the idle state and the status read operation determines that first plane is not in the idle state, waiting to transfer the next command to the nonvolatile memory.

16. The operating method of claim 13, wherein the ready/busy signal indicates the busy state except when neither of the first command and the second command are being executed.

17. A memory system comprising:

a controller and a nonvolatile memory device controlled in its operation by the controller,

wherein the nonvolatile memory comprises;

a first plane configured to perform a first operation directed to a first memory cell array in response to a first command received from the controller,

a second plane configured to perform a second operation directed to a second memory cell array physically separate from the first memory cell array in response to a second command received from the controller; and

a data input/output (I/O) circuit that transfers read data to the controller via a common data bus obtained from at least one of the first memory cell array and the second memory cell array in response to a read command, that transfers program data received from the controller via the common data bus to at least one of the first memory cell array and the second memory cell array in response to a program command, and that provides a ready/busy signal indicating one of an idle state and a busy state,

wherein the state of the ready/busy signal determines whether the first command and the second command are executed.

18. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the ready/busy signal indicates the idle state except when both of the first command and the second command are being executed in parallel.

19. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the ready/busy signal indicates the busy state except when neither of the first command and the second command are being executed.

20. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the ready/busy signal further indicates a first waveform when only the first command is being executed, and further indicates a second waveform when only the second command is being executed.