Method and system for data storage

• US 8,089,807 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Steffler, Joseph Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lappas, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/951,360
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 365/185.03, 365/185.22
• US Class Current: 365/185.03
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5607 using magnetic storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5621 using charge storage in a floating gate
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5628 Programming or writing circuits; Data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5642 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2211/5641 Multilevel memory having cells with different number of storage levels

Abstract

A method and system for a Crash Protected Memory (CPM) system are provided. The system includes a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory module including a first memory portion and a processor communicatively coupled to the MLC memory module. The processor is programmed to write in the first memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are the same. The processor is further programmed to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and determine a single digital cell value for each data-storing cell.

Claims

1. A Crash Protected Memory (CPM) system comprising:

a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory module comprising a first memory portion; and

a processor communicatively coupled to said MLC memory module, said processor programmed to write in the first memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are the same, said processor programmed to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and determine a single digital cell value for each data-storing cell.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the value of each level of each data-storing cell is determined by an electrical charge in the respective cell.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the value of each level of each data-storing cell is determined by a magnetic alignment in the respective cell.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said MLC memory module comprises a second memory portion and wherein said processor is further programmed to write in the second memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are independent of each other, said processor programmed to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to determine a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion that is the same as the digital value of the first and second level when the digital values are the same.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to:

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the first level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different; and

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the second level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to:

determine a cell value of “

0”

if the first and second levels of the cell comprise a “

00”

or a “

01”

combination; and

determine a cell value of “

1”

if the first and second levels of the cell comprise a “

10”

or a “

11”

combination.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to write in the second memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are independent of each other, said processor programmed to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to determine a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion that is the same as the digital value of the first and second level when the digital values are the same.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to:

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the first level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different; and

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the second level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different.

11. A method of managing data in a Crash Protected Memory (CPM) system comprising:

writing using a processor a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in a first memory portion of a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory module;

writing using the processor a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion wherein the first and second digital values are the same;

reading a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion;

determining a single digital cell value for each data-storing cell based on the read digital values from each level of a respective data-storing cell; and

outputting the determined value.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising:

determining a cell value of “

0”

if the first and second levels of the cell comprise a “

00”

or a “

01”

combination; and

determining a cell value of “

1”

if the first and second levels of the cell comprise a “

10”

or a “

11”

combination.

13. A non-transient computer readable medium encoded with a program configured to instruct one or more computers to:

write in a first memory portion of a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory module a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion;

write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are the same; and

read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and determine a single digital cell value for each data-storing cell based on the first and second digital values.

14. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said MLC memory module comprises a second memory portion and wherein said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to write in the second memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are independent of each other, said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion.

15. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said program configured to instruct one or more computers to determine a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion that is the same as the digital value of the first and second level when the digital values are the same.

16. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to:

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the first level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different; and

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the second level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different.

17. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to:

determine a cell value of “

0”

if the first and second levels of the cell comprise a “

00”

or a “

01”

combination; and

determine a cell value of “

1”

if the first and second levels of the cell comprise a “

10”

or a “

11”

combination.

18. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to write in the second memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are independent of each other, said processor programmed to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion.

19. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to determine a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion that is the same as the digital value of the first and second level when the digital values are the same.

20. A medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein said program is configured to instruct one or more computers to:

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the first level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different; and

determine that a single cell value of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion is the same as the digital value of the second level of the respective cell when the digital values of the first and second levels are different.