KR20100028195A - Non volatile memory device and method of operating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A non-volatile memory device and a method for operating the same are provided to perform the storage and the change of option information after the initial storage of the option information by storing the option information which is loaded during the initial starting in a memory cell. CONSTITUTION: A memory cell array(310) includes first and second memory blocks. The first memory blocks include memory cells for storing data. The second memory blocks include memory cells for storing option information. Data is read from the second memory block in a starting mode. A bit counter(370) counts the number of data "1" and data"0" in a data group at the same time. According to the counting result, the data of the data group is determined and option information is stored. A control unit(360) performs a operation control based on the option information.

Description

Nonvolatile memory device and method of operation

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nonvolatile memory device, and more particularly, to a nonvolatile memory device free of change of option information by storing initial option information in a separate cell block and a method of operating the same.

Recently, as demand for mobile products such as camcorders, digital cameras, cellular phones, and MPEG-1 Layer3 (MP3) players increases, efforts have been made to further improve the operation performance of mobile products.

Nonvolatile memory devices applied to mobile products have internal options determined according to the operating characteristics of the applied products so that they operate according to respective application programs.

As new technologies are developed, more and more applications are required by mobile products, which requires a variety of options for nonvolatile memory devices.

1 shows a metal option for setting option information.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the metal option, data stored in the option information storage unit varies according to bonding information of the matrix Matrix and the matrix n (Matrix_n).

2 shows a fuse circuit for storing option information.

Referring to FIG. 2, a fuse circuit for storing option information includes first to ninth NMOS transistors N1 and first to eighth fuses F1 to F8.

The first NMOS transistor N1 is turned on to initialize the matrix n to '0', and the second to ninth NMOS transistors N2 to N9 are first to eighth fuses F1 to F8. It is turned on to output the matrix signal according to whether or not to cut.

The nonvolatile memory device stores option information for an initial operation using a metal option or a fuse option as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, and stores the option information stored in the startup operation when the power is turned on. It works by loading into the storage of the controller.

As the option information for the initial operation, configuration information of the nonvolatile memory device, voltage, timing trim, repair address, bad block information, and the like are stored. However, storing the option information by using the metal option or the fuse option is performed by a wafer test during the manufacture of the nonvolatile memory device by a physical method. Therefore, it is not possible to add or change options later.

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a nonvolatile memory device and a method of operating the same, which store the option information to be loaded at the initial start-up of the nonvolatile memory in a memory cell so that subsequent options can be stored, changed, and the like. It is.

Nonvolatile memory device according to a feature of the present invention,

A memory cell array including first memory blocks including memory cells for data storage and second memory blocks including memory cells for option information storage; When the power is turned on and the data read from the second memory block is simultaneously output from the plurality of input / output terminals when operating in the startup mode, the number of 1 'and' 0 'data of the simultaneously output data group is counted and the result is displayed. Providing a bit counter; And a controller configured to determine data of the data group according to a counting result provided by the bit counter, store the data in the data group in a storage unit for storing option information, and perform subsequent operation control based on the option information in the storage unit.

The controller may be configured to control one bit data to be simultaneously input to a plurality of input / output ports when the option information is stored in the second memory block.

The controller selects an operation mode as a test mode and selects the second memory block to program option information.

The control unit may prevent the second memory block from being selected in an operation mode other than a test mode and a startup mode.

Method of operating a nonvolatile memory device according to a feature of the present invention,

A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device, the method comprising: enabling a control unit of the nonvolatile memory device to enter a test mode to select and enable a memory block for storing option information; Storing option information to be stored in the memory block input from an external unit in a storage unit of the controller; Copying each bit of the data bits of the option information stored in the storage into the same N bits and programming the same in the memory block; Attempting a reboot, reading option information stored in the memory block, counting the number of '1' data and '0' data of N bits, determining the option information data bits, and storing the option information data bits in the storage unit; And controlling, by the controller, program, read, and erase operations of the nonvolatile memory device according to the option information stored in the storage unit.

The storing of the option information in the memory block may include inputting one option information bit to N input / output ports connected for data input to a page buffer connected to a bit line of the memory block, so that N option information bits may be used. It characterized in that the to be programmed.

The number of bits '1' and '0' of the bits simultaneously output from the N input / output ports may be counted and determined as one option information data bit according to the result.

 The determining of the option information data bit by the counting may include determining a large number of data of the N bits as the option information data bit and storing the data in the storage unit.

As described above, in the nonvolatile memory device and its operation method according to the present invention, option information to be loaded at startup may be stored in a memory block so that the option information may be changed, deleted, and added.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. It is provided to inform you.

3A is a block diagram of a nonvolatile memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3A, the nonvolatile memory device 300 may include a memory cell array 310, a page buffer unit 320, a Y decoder 330, an X decoder 340, a voltage providing unit 350, and a control unit 360. ), And a bit counter 370.

The memory cell array 310 includes a plurality of memory cells for data storage. Memory cells are each composed of memory blocks. The memory blocks include memory blocks for data storage, a CAM block for storing option information, and spare spare blocks.

The page buffer unit 320 may include page buffers that are temporarily connected to bit lines of the memory cell array 310 to temporarily store data to be stored in a selected memory cell or to read and store data stored in the selected memory cell.

The Y decoder 330 provides a data input / output path of the page buffers, and the X decoder 340 selects and enables a memory block of the memory cell array 310, and provides word lines and voltages of the enabled memory block. Connect a global word line for.

The Y decoder 330 is connected to a page buffer circuit through an IO <7: 0> 380 for data input / output.

The voltage provider 350 generates and outputs an operating voltage supplied to the global word line. While operating in the test mode, the bit counter 370 counts the number of '1' and '0' in the data group output from the page buffer unit 320 and provides the result to the controller 360.

 The control unit 360 outputs a control signal for controlling the page buffer unit 320, the Y decoder 330, the X decoder 340, the voltage providing unit 350, and the bit counter 370, and the bit counter 370. The option data bits are determined according to the number of bits provided by &quot;), and the determined option data bits are stored.

The control unit 360 includes a storage unit 361 for storing option data, and stores the data read from the cam block of the memory cell array 310 at the start-up in the storage unit 361, and thereafter, the operation is performed. Operation is controlled by the option information stored in the storage unit 361.

The storage unit 361 stores algorithm data necessary for controlling a read operation at initial startup, CAM block address information storing option information, and a storage space for storing option information thereafter. .

3B is a block diagram of the memory cell array of FIG. 3A.

Referring to FIG. 3B, the memory array 310 includes a main block part 311, a CAM block part 313, and a spare block part 313.

The main block unit 311 includes main blocks BK for data storage, and is divided into a first plane 311a and a second plane 311b. The CAM block portion 312 includes first to second CAM blocks 312a to 312d, and the spare block portion 313 includes extra memory blocks.

Each of the first plane 311a and the second plane 311b includes memory blocks BK.

Option information is stored in the first to fourth CAM blocks 312a to 312d of the CAM block unit 312. The option information can be stored by copying one bit into several bits to prevent an error from occurring.

For example, one bit can be input and programmed at the same time through IO <7: 0>, and when read later, many data bits of the 8 bit data output from IO <7: 0> are judged. use. That is, when '1' is stored, '11111111' is input to IO <7: 0> in order. When the data simultaneously output from IO <7: 0> is' 11100011 ', the number of' 1's is large, so the data bit is determined to be '1'. Therefore, error occurrence can be minimized.

The nonvolatile memory device 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention stores option information in the CAM block unit 312, reads the power-on at startup, and stores the option information in the storage unit 361. Operation of the device 300 is controlled.

4 illustrates threshold voltage distributions of memory cells of a CAM block.

Referring to FIG. 4, the memory cells in the CAM block unit 312 operate as a single level cell in order to store option information. The program verification voltage PV and the read voltage RV design threshold voltages such that a read margin is sufficient. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the verification voltage PV margin of a single level cell is 2-4V, the read voltage RV margin is 1-2V, and the number of partial programs (NOP) is set 1-8 times. . ISPP (Increment Step Program Pulse) is 100 ~ 1000mV in order to improve distribution margin, and erase / write (E / W) cycle characteristics are satisfied to 1 ~ 10k.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an option information program method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the option information program method according to FIG. 5A.

Referring to FIG. 5A, option information is input through an input / output port IO <7: 0> according to a clock signal CLK. At this time, the option information is that one bit data is inputted to IO <7: 0> at the same time so that 8 identical data are inputted and stored.When outputting, the data output from IO <7: 0> is one It is determined that the bit data is copied.

The program operation will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5B.

First, in order to store option information in the CAM block unit 312, the controller 360 enters an operation mode of the nonvolatile memory device 300 in a test mode (S501).

In the test mode, the controller 360 receives data to be stored as option information from the outside through the IO <7: 0> and stores the data in the storage 361 (S503). The controller 360 stores the data stored in the storage 361 in the page buffer of the page buffer 320, respectively (S505).

At this time, by copying one bit data into eight and simultaneously inputting to IO <7: 0>, the same data is stored by 8 bits and outputted at IO <7: 0> simultaneously. The bit counter 370 may be used for data simultaneously output from the IO <7: 0>. That is, by using the bit counter 370, the same data may be repeatedly input to the page buffer unit 320 by eight.

After the option data is input to the page buffer unit 320 as described above, a program according to a program operation of the general nonvolatile memory device 300 is performed (S507). At this time, the controller 360 enables one of the first to fourth CAM blocks 312a to 312d of the CAM block unit 312 to program option data.

As described above, the nonvolatile memory device 300 operates by loading option data stored in the CAM block unit 312.

6A is a diagram illustrating a method of reading option information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6B is a flowchart illustrating an operation method using option information according to FIG. 6A.

Referring to FIG. 6A, when the nonvolatile memory device 300 is powered on, the controller 360 selects an address of the CAM block unit 312 and loads option information stored in the CAM block unit 312 in a startup operation. do. At this time, since there is no external clock during the start operation, the controller 360 generates a clock signal. At this time, the clock period is 10 ~ 200ns.

The read data is divided into eight pieces, and the number of '1's and' 0's are counted in the bit counter 370, and then counting information is provided to the controller 360. The controller 360 selects a large number of data using the counting information provided from the bit counter 370 and stores the data in the storage unit 360. According to the above scheme, even if a program or a read error occurs in the memory cell, reliability can be ensured.

The address of the CAM block unit 312 selected by the controller 360 of the nonvolatile memory device 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as shown in Table 1 below.

As shown in Table 1, 8-bit data is determined, and a large number of bit data is stored in the storage 361. The CAMREG_ADD indicates an address where option data of the storage unit 361 is stored.

A process of reading and storing option data with reference to FIG. 6B will now be described in more detail.

First, when power is supplied to the nonvolatile memory device 300, the controller 360 selects a CAM block in which option information is stored in the CAM block unit 312 during a startup process, and performs a data read operation (S601 and S603). .

In this case, CAM block address information is stored in the storage 361 of the controller 360. To this end, the storage unit 361 stores algorithm data necessary for controlling a read operation at initial startup, CAM block address information storing option information, and thereafter includes a storage space for storing option information. .

Data read from the CAM block is stored in the page buffer and simultaneously output by 8 bits through IO <7: 0>. The output 8-bit data is counted by the number of '1' and '0' in the bit counter 370, and the counting result is transmitted to the controller 360 (S605).

The controller 360 selects a large number of data bits and stores them in a space for storing option information of the storage 361 (S607).

When all the option information is loaded and stored in the storage 361, the startup operation is completed (S609), and then the controller 360 operates the nonvolatile memory device 300 according to the option information stored in the storage 361. Perform control.

As described above, the CAM block part 312 is separately defined and configured in the memory cell array 310 and the option information required for the operation of the nonvolatile memory device 300 is stored. Alternatively, the data may be deleted, and reliability may be increased by determining data of option information read using the bit counter 370.

Although the technical spirit of the present invention described above has been described in detail in a preferred embodiment, it should be noted that the above-described embodiment is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various embodiments of the present invention are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

1 shows a metal option for setting option information.

2 shows a fuse circuit for storing option information.

3A is a block diagram of a nonvolatile memory device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a block diagram of the memory cell array of FIG. 3A.

4 illustrates threshold voltage distributions of memory cells of a CAM block.

5A is a view for explaining a method of option information program according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5B is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an option information program method according to FIG. 5A.

6A is a diagram for describing a method of reading option information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

6B is a flowchart illustrating an operation method using option information according to FIG. 6A.

* Brief description of the main parts of the drawings *

300: nonvolatile memory device 310: memory cell array

311: main block portion 312: CAM block portion

320: page buffer unit 330: Y decoder

340: X decoder 350: voltage providing unit

360: control unit 370: bit counter

Claims (8)

A memory cell array including first memory blocks including memory cells for data storage and second memory blocks including memory cells for option information storage; When the power is turned on and the data read from the second memory block is simultaneously output from the plurality of input / output terminals when operating in the startup mode, the number of 1 'and' 0 'data of the simultaneously output data group is counted and the result is displayed. Providing a bit counter; And A control unit for determining data of the data group according to a counting result provided by the bit counter and storing the data in the storage unit for storing option information, and performing subsequent operation control based on the option information of the storage unit Nonvolatile memory device comprising a. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And storing the option information in the second memory block such that one bit data is simultaneously input to a plurality of input / output ports at the same time. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And after selecting an operation mode as a test mode, selecting the second memory block to program option information. The method of claim 3, wherein And the control unit prevents the second memory block from being selected in an operation mode other than a test mode and a startup mode. In the operation method of a nonvolatile memory device, Selecting and enabling a memory block for storing option information by entering a test mode by a controller of the nonvolatile memory device; Storing option information to be stored in the memory block input from an external unit in a storage unit of the controller; Copying each bit of the data bits of the option information stored in the storage into the same N bits and programming the same in the memory block; Attempting a reboot, reading option information stored in the memory block, counting the number of '1' data and '0' data of N bits, determining the option information data bits, and storing the option information data bits in the storage unit; And Controlling, by the controller, program, read, and erase operations of the nonvolatile memory device according to the option information stored in the storage unit; Method of operating a nonvolatile memory device comprising a. The method of claim 5, Storing the option information in the memory block, Non-volatile memory device characterized in that the N option information bits are programmed by commonly inputting one option information bit to the N input and output ports connected for data input to the page buffer connected to the bit line of the memory block Method of operation. The method of claim 6, And counting the number of '1' and '0' of the bits simultaneously output from the N input / output ports and determining one option information data bit according to the result. The method of claim 5,  The determining of the option information data bit by the counting may include determining a large number of data of the N bits as the option information data bit and storing the number of the option information data bits in the storage unit.

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