Memory device, operating and control method thereof

• US 9,583,189 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Pil-Sang, Oh, Eun-Chu, Kong, Jun-Jin, Son, Hong-Rak, Shin, Dong-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US15/012,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20160232971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5607 using magnetic storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5657 using ferroelectric storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5664 using organic memory material storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5678 using amorphous/crystalline phase transition storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5685 using storage elements comprising metal oxide memory material, e.g. perovskites
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0033 Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/004 Reading or sensing circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0069 Writing or programming circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0097 Erasing, e.g. resetting, circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2013/0054 Read is performed on a reference element, e.g. cell, and the reference sensed value is used to compare the sensed value of the selected cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2013/0076 Write operation performed depending on read result
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2013/0085 Write a page or sector of information simultaneously, e.g. a complete row or word line
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2213/72 Array wherein the access device being a diode

Abstract

A method of operating a memory device including a plurality of memory cells is provided. The method includes receiving a first write command, determining whether a target memory cell is deteriorated or not, in response to the first write command, and writing the second data by selectively erasing the target memory cell according to a result of the determination and by programming the target memory cell.

Claims

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

receiving a first write command for writing second data in a target memory cell, of the plurality of memory cells, having a first state corresponding to first data;

determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated based on the first state, in response to the first write command; and

writing the second data by selectively erasing the target memory cell according to a result of the determination and by programming the target memory cell to have a second state corresponding to the second data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein writing the second data comprises:

when the target memory cell is determined to be deteriorated, performing a first programming in which the target memory cell is erased and the target memory cell is programmed to have the second state; and

when the target memory cell is determined not to be deteriorated, performing a second programming in which the target memory cell is programmed to be transited from the first state to the second state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein performing the second programming comprises:

determining the first data from the first state;

comparing the first data and the second data; and

when the first data and the second data are different from each other, transiting the target memory cell from the first state to the second state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the first data comprises:

generating a reference signal based on the second data; and

sensing the first state by using the reference signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the reference signal corresponds to a boundary of a read margin range proximate to the second state.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a second write command for writing the second data in the target memory cell; and

performing the second programming in response to the second write command.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated comprises:

sensing the target memory cell by using a reference signal;

determining whether the first state is in a read margin range, based on a result of the sensing; and

when the first state is in the read margin range, determining that the target memory cell is deteriorated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first write command is a command for writing group data comprising the second data in a memory cell group comprising the target memory cell;

and wherein determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated comprises;

sensing memory cells included in the memory cell group by using a reference signal;

counting memory cells having a state in a read margin range, from among the memory cells provided in the memory cell group, based on a result of the sensing; and

when a counted value exceeds a predetermine reference value, determining that the memory cell group is deteriorated.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein writing the second data comprises when the memory cell group is deteriorated, erasing the memory cell group and programming the memory cell group based on the group data.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a configuration command; and

setting the reference value, in response to the configuration command.

11. A method of controlling a memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells, the method comprising:

receiving a write request for writing second data in a target memory cell, of the plurality of memory cells, having a first state corresponding to first data;

determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated in response to the write request;

when the target memory cell is determined to be deteriorated, transmitting a first command to the memory device; and

when the target memory cell is determined not to be deteriorated, transmitting a second command that differs from the first command to the memory device;

wherein the first command and the second command are accompanied by an address corresponding to the target memory cell.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the first command comprises transmitting the second command following the first command, the first command being a command for erasing the target memory cell, and the second command being a command for writing the second data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first command and the second command is a command for writing the second data;

and wherein the memory device selectively erases the target memory cell according to a deterioration level of the target memory cell in response to the first command.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated comprises determining that the target memory cell is deteriorated when the cumulative number of write and/or read operations of a memory cell group comprising the target memory cell reaches a threshold.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated comprises:

transmitting a read command corresponding to the target memory cell to the memory device;

receiving information about the target memory cell from the memory device;

counting the number of memory cells that are deteriorated, from among a memory cell group comprising the target memory cell, based on the information about the target memory cell; and

determining that the memory cell group is deteriorated when the counted value exceeds a threshold.

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

determining whether a target memory cell, of the plurality of memory cells and having first data stored therein, is deteriorated; and

writing second data by selectively

erasing the target memory cell and programming the target memory cell to store the second data, when the target memory cell is determined to be deteriorated, and

programming the target memory cell to transit from the first data to the second data, when the target memory cell is determined not to be deteriorated.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein programming comprises:

determining the first data;

comparing the first data and the second data; and

when the first data and the second data are different from each other, transiting the target memory cell from the first data to the second data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the first data comprises determining the first data with a reference signal generated based on the second data.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second write command for writing the second data in the target memory cell; and

performing the second programming in response to the second write command.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining whether the target memory cell is deteriorated comprises:

sensing the target memory cell based upon a reference signal; and

determining that the target memory cell is deteriorated based on a result of the sensing and a read margin range.