Abstract: A code encoding apparatus includes a delay circuit and a code generator. The delay circuit generates delayed information based on p-bit input information received in parallel. The delayed information is generated according to a clock. The code generator generates n·p-bit code based on at least one of the input information and the delayed information, where n is a rational number.

Abstract: Memory devices and multi-bit programming methods are provided. A memory device may include a plurality of memory units; a data separator that separates data into a plurality of groups; a selector that rotates each of the plurality of groups and transmits each of the groups to at least one of the plurality of memory units. The plurality of memory units may include page buffers that may program the transmitted group in a plurality of multi-bit cell arrays using a different order of a page programming operation. Through this, evenly reliable data pages may be generated.

Abstract: Disclosed are a memory device and a data decision method. The memory device may include a memory cell array, and a decision unit configured to read first data from the memory cell array via a first channel, perform at least one of a hard and soft decision on the first data using a first number of decision levels set based on characteristics of the first channel, read second data from the memory cell array via a second channel, and perform a soft decision on the second data using a second number of decision levels set based on characteristics of the second channel.

Abstract: Memory devices and/or methods that may estimate characteristics of multi-bit cell are provided. A memory device may include: a multi-bit cell array; a monitoring unit to extract a threshold voltage change over time value for reference threshold voltage states selected from a plurality of threshold voltage states corresponding to data stored in the multi-bit cell array; and an estimation unit to estimate a threshold voltage change over time values for the plurality of threshold voltage states based on the extracted threshold voltage change. Through this, it is possible to monitor a change over time of threshold voltages of a memory cell.

Abstract: Various read level control apparatuses and methods are provided. In various embodiments, the read level control apparatuses may include an error control code (ECC) decoding unit for ECC decoding data read from a storage unit, and a monitoring unit for monitoring a bit error rate (BER) based on the ECC decoded data and the read data. The apparatus may additionally include an error determination unit for determining an error rate of the read data based on the monitored BER, and a level control unit for controlling a read level of the storage unit based on the error rate.

Abstract: A distribution analyzing method for a nonvolatile memory device having memory cells exhibiting overlapping first and second threshold voltage distributions includes; detecting a degree of overlap between the first and second threshold voltage distributions by reading data stored in the memory cells and determining read index data from the read data, and estimating a distribution characteristic for at least one of the overlapping threshold voltage distributions using the read index data.

Abstract: An Error Control Code (ECC) apparatus applied to a memory of a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) method may include: a bypass control signal generator generating a bypass control signal; and an ECC performing unit that may include at least two ECC decoding blocks, determining whether to bypass a portion of the at least two ECC decoding blocks based on the bypass control signal, and/or performing an ECC decoding. In addition or in the alternative, the ECC performing unit may include at least two ECC encoding blocks, determining whether to bypass a portion of the at least two ECC encoding blocks based on the bypass control signal, and/or performing an ECC encoding. An ECC method applied to a memory of a MLC method and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for implementing an EEC method applied to a memory of a MLC method are also disclose.

Abstract: Memory devices and/or methods that may estimate characteristics of multi-bit cell are provided. A memory device may include: a multi-bit cell array; a monitoring unit to extract a threshold voltage change over time value for reference threshold voltage states selected from a plurality of threshold voltage states corresponding to data stored in the multi-bit cell array; and an estimation unit to estimate a threshold voltage change over time values for the plurality of threshold voltage states based on the extracted threshold voltage change. Through this, it is possible to monitor a change over time of threshold voltages of a memory cell.

Abstract: An Error Control Code (ECC) apparatus may include a control signal generator that generates an ECC control signal based on channel information. The ECC apparatus also may include: a plurality of ECC encoding controllers that output data respectively inputted via storage elements corresponding to the ECC control signal; and/or an encoding unit that encodes, using a plurality of data outputted from the plurality of ECC encoding controllers, encoding input data into a number of subdata corresponding to the ECC control signal. In addition or in the alternative, the ECC apparatus may include: a plurality of ECC decoding controllers that output data respectively inputted via the storage elements corresponding to the ECC control signal; and/or a decoding unit that decodes, using a plurality of data outputted from the plurality of ECC decoding controllers, a number of decoding input data corresponding to the ECC control signal into one piece of output data.

Abstract: Multi-bit programming apparatuses and/or methods are provided. A multi-bit programming apparatus may comprise: a multi-bit cell array that includes a first multi-bit cell and a second multi-bit cell; a programming unit for programming first data in the first multi-bit cell, and programming second data in the second multi-bit cell; and a verification unit for verifying whether the first data is programmed in the first multi-bit cell using a first verification voltage, and verifying whether the second data is programmed in the second multi-bit cell using a second verification voltage. The multi-bit programming apparatus may generate better threshold voltage distributions in a multi-bit cell memory.

Abstract: A multi-bit programming apparatus may include a first control unit that may generates 2N threshold voltage states based on a target bit error rate (BER) of each of the page programming operations, a second control unit that may assign any one of the threshold voltage states to the N-bit data, and a programming unit that may program the assigned threshold voltage state in each of the at least one multi-bit cell to program the N-bit data.

Abstract: Various read level control apparatuses and methods are provided. In various embodiments, the read level control apparatuses may include an error control code (ECC) decoding unit for ECC decoding data read from a storage unit, and a monitoring unit for monitoring a bit error rate (BER) based on the ECC decoded data and the read data. The apparatus may additionally include an error determination unit for determining an error rate of the read data based on the monitored BER, and a level control unit for controlling a read level of the storage unit based on the error rate.

Abstract: Example embodiments may relate to a method and an apparatus for reading data stored in a memory, for example, providing a method and an apparatus for controlling a reference voltage based on an error of the stored data. Example embodiments may provide a memory data detecting apparatus including a first voltage comparator to compare a threshold voltage of a memory cell with a first reference voltage, a first data determiner to determine a value of at least one data bit stored in the memory cell according to a result of the comparison, an error verifier to verify whether an error occurs in the determined value, a reference voltage determiner to determine a second reference voltage that is lower than the first reference voltage based on a result of the verification, and a second data determiner to re-determine the value of the data based on the determined second reference voltage.

Abstract: Provided are a memory cell programming method and a semiconductor device which may be capable of simultaneously writing a bit of data and then another bit of the data to a plurality of memory blocks. The memory programming method, in which M bits of data are written to a plurality of memory blocks, may include a data division operation and a data writing operation where M may be a natural number. In the data division operation, the plurality of memory blocks may be divided into a plurality of memory block groups. In the data writing operation, an ith bit of the data may be simultaneously written to two or more memory block groups from among the plurality memory block groups, and then an i+1th bit of the data may be simultaneously written to the two or more memory block groups from among the plurality memory block groups, where i is a natural number less than M.

Abstract: Provided is a read operation for a N-bit data non-volatile memory system. The method includes determining in relation to data states of adjacent memory cells associated with a selected memory cell in the plurality of memory cells whether read data obtained from the selected memory cell requires compensation, and if the read data requires compensation, replacing the read data with compensated read data.

Abstract: The flash memory device includes a control logic circuit and a bit level conversion logic circuit. The control logic circuit programs first through Nth bits of data in a memory cell array of the N-bit MLC flash memory device or reads the first through Nth bits of the data from the memory cell array in response to one of a program command and a read command. The bit level conversion control logic circuit, after the first through Nth bits of the data are completely programmed or read, programs or reads an (N+1)th bit of the data in response to a control signal. The bit level conversion control logic circuit converts voltage levels of voltages, which are used for programming or reading the first through Nth bits of the data, to program or read for 2N cell distributions of 2N+1 cell distributions corresponding to the (N+1)th bit of the data and then programs or reads for other 2N cell distributions.

Abstract: Various read level control apparatuses and methods are provided. In various embodiments, the read level control apparatuses may include an error control code (ECC) decoding unit for ECC decoding data read from a storage unit, and a monitoring unit for monitoring a bit error rate (BER) based on the ECC decoded data and the read data. The apparatus may additionally include an error determination unit for determining an error rate of the read data based on the monitored BER, and a level control unit for controlling a read level of the storage unit based on the error rate.

Abstract: A method of programming a non-volatile memory cell includes programming a first bit of multi-bit data by setting a threshold voltage of the non-volatile memory cell to a first voltage level within a first of a plurality of threshold voltage distributions. A second bit of the multi-bit data is programmed by setting the threshold voltage to a second voltage level based on a value of the second bit. The second voltage level is the same as the first voltage level if the second bit is a first value and the second voltage level is within a second of the plurality of threshold voltage distributions if the second bit is a second value. A third bit of the multi-bit data is programmed by setting the threshold voltage to a third voltage level based on a value of the third bit.

Abstract: Provided are memory devices and memory data read methods. A method device may include: a multi-bit cell array; a decision unit that may detect threshold voltages of multi-bit cells of the multi-bit cell array to decide first data from the detected threshold voltages, using a first decision value; an error detector that may detect an error bit of the first data; and a determination unit that may determine whether the decision unit decides second data from the detected threshold voltages using a second decision value, based on a number of detected error bits, the second decision value being different from the first decision value. Through this, it is possible to reduce time spent for reading data stored in the multi-bit cell.

Abstract: A method of reading a nonvolatile memory device comprises measuring threshold voltage distributions of a plurality of memory cells, combining the measured threshold voltage distributions, and determining local minimum points in the combined threshold voltage distributions to determine read voltages for a predetermined group of memory cells.