METHOD OF OPERATING MEMORY DEVICE

• US 20140129903A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: JEONG, Jae-Yong, YOON, Hyun-Jun, CHOI, Myung-Hoon, KIM, Bo-Geun, PARK,, Ki-Tae
• Granted Patent: US 9,177,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1048 using arrangements adapted for a specific error detection or correction feature
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1072 in multilevel memories
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/0483 comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/26 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/00 Checking stores for correct operation ; Subsequent repair; Testing stores during standby or offline operation

Abstract

A method of operating a memory device includes changing a first read voltage, which determines a first voltage state or a second voltage state, to a voltage within a first range and determining the voltage as a first select read voltage, and changing a second read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a third different voltage state or a fourth different voltage state, to a voltage within a second different range and determining the voltage as a second select read voltage. The first voltage state overlaps the second voltage. The third voltage state overlaps the fourth voltage state. A difference between a voltage at an intersection of the third and fourth voltage states and the second read voltage is greater than a difference between a voltage at an intersection of the first and second voltage states and the first read voltage.

Claims

1. A method of operating a memory device having a plurality of memory cells, the method comprising:

changing a first read voltage, which is used to determine whether data stored in memory cells is a first voltage state or a second voltage state, to a voltage within a first range and determining the voltage as a first select read voltage; and

changing a second read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the plurality of memory cells is a third voltage state or a fourth voltage state, to a voltage within a second range which is different from the first range and determining the voltage as a second select read voltage,

wherein the first and second voltage states are different from the third and fourth voltage states, the first voltage state and the second voltage overlap each other, the third voltage state and the fourth voltage state overlap each other, and a difference between a voltage at an intersection of the third and fourth voltage states and the second read voltage is greater than a difference between a voltage at an intersection of the first and second voltage states and the first read voltage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first range is smaller than the second range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing of the first read voltage comprises changing the first read voltage if a number of failed cells is equal to or greater than a first limit value when the first read voltage is applied to the memory cells and not changing the first read voltage if the number of failed cells is less than the first limit value when the first read voltage is applied to the memory cells, and the changing of the second read voltage comprises changing the second read voltage if the number of failed cells is equal to or greater than a second limit value when the second read voltage is applied to the memory cells and not changing the second read voltage if the number of failed cells is less than the second limit value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first limit value and the second limit value are different.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the first and second limit values is a number of error-correctable memory cells, where the error-correctble memory cells are correctable by using error correction code (ECC).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining of the first selected read voltage comprises selecting as the first select read voltage a candidate voltage which produces a smallest number of failed cells when n candidate voltages within the first range are applied to the memory cells, and the determining of the second select read voltage comprises selecting as the second select read voltage a candidate voltage which produces the smallest number of failed cells when m candidate voltages within the second range are applied to the memory cells, where n and m are natural numbers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein n and m are different.

8. A memory system comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells into which data is programmed; and

a controller to control the nonvolatile memory device,

wherein the controller comprises;

a microprocessor to change a first read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a first voltage state or a second voltage state, to a voltage within a first range and to determine the voltage as a first select read voltage and to change a second read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a third voltage state or a fourth voltage state, to a voltage within a second range and to determine the voltage as a second select read voltage;

an error correction code (ECC) encoder to create data added with parity bits by performing ECC encoding on data which is to be provided to the nonvolatile memory device; and

an ECC decoder to correct error bits of the data added with the parity bits,

where the nonvolatile memory device comprises;

control logic to control operation of the nonvolatile memory device in accordance with received commands;

a voltage generator to generate the first and second read voltages, n candidate voltages comprising the first select read voltage, and m candidate voltages comprising the second select read voltage, where n and m are natural numbers;

an X decoder to receive the first and second read voltages and the first and second select read voltages generated by the voltage generator and to drive the memory cells using the first and second read voltages and the first and second select read voltages; and

a register to store the determined first and second select read voltages.

9. The memory system of claim 8, wherein the control logic determines whether a number of failed cells is equal to or greater than a first limit value when the first read voltage is applied to the memory cells and determines whether the number of failed cells is equal to or greater than a second limit value when the second read voltage is applied to the memory cells.

10. The memory system of claim 8, wherein the controller further comprises a read-only memory (ROM) to store the first and second ranges.

11-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A memory system comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device having a plurality of memory cells into which data is programmed to provide a number of failed programmed memory cells that is less than or equal to a number of failed cells correctable by performing error correction code (ECC) encoding; and

a controller to change a first read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a first voltage state or a second voltage state, to a voltage within a first range and to determine the voltage as a first select read voltage and to change a second read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a third voltage state or a fourth voltage state, to a voltage within a second range and to determine the voltage as a second select read voltage, to create data added with parity bits by performing ECC encoding on data which is to be provided to the nonvolatile memory device, and to correct error bits of the data added with the parity bits.

17. The memory system of claim 16, wherein the controller comprises:

a microprocessor to change a first read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a first voltage state or a second voltage state, to a voltage within a first range and to determine the voltage as a first select read voltage and to change a second read voltage, which is used to determine whether the data stored in the memory cells is a third voltage state or a fourth voltage state, to a voltage within a second range and to determine the voltage as a second select read voltage;

an error correction code (ECC) encoder to create data added with parity bits by performing ECC encoding on data which is to be provided to the nonvolatile memory device; and

an ECC decoder to correct error bits of the data added with the parity bits.

18. The memory system of claim 16, wherein the nonvolatile memory device comprises:

control logic to control operation of the nonvolatile memory device in accordance with received commands;

a voltage generator to generate the first and second read voltages, n candidate voltages comprising the first select read voltage, and m candidate voltages comprising the second select read voltage, where n and m are natural numbers;

a decoder to receive the first and second read voltages and the first and second select read voltages generated by the voltage generator and to drive the memory cells using the first and second read voltages and the first and second select read voltages; and

a register to store the determined first and second select read voltages.

19. The memory system of claim 18, wherein the control logic determines whether a number of failed cells is equal to or greater than a first limit value when the first read voltage is applied to the memory cells and determines whether the number of failed cells is equal to or greater than a second limit value when the second read voltage is applied to the memory cells.