Abstract: A magnetic memory which in some embodiments compares compressed fault maps is disclosed. In one embodiment, the magnetic memory may include at least two magnetic memory cells which are configured to store data. The magnetic memory includes a control system configured to periodically obtain parametric values from the magnetic memory cells and generate a corresponding compressed fault map using the parametric values. In some embodiments, at least one of the compressed fault maps is compared to a previous one of the compressed fault maps, and an indication is provided if there are differences.

Abstract: A system for error correction coding and decoding information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the first and second encoders are each configured to encode the information, wherein the second encoder has a higher capability than the first encoder. First and second decoders are configured to recover the information, wherein the second decoder recovers the information encoded by the second encoder only if the first decoder cannot recover the information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying uncorrectable Reed-Solomon codewords in the presence of Reed-Solomon codewords which may have errors and erasures and otherwise be correctable.

Abstract: A memory card comprising an magnetic random access memory (MRAM) array that comprises a plurality of magnetic memory cells and a controller coupled to the MRAM array. The controller is configured to communicate with a host device, and the controller is configured perform an error correction function associated with at least one of the plurality of magnetic memory cells.

Abstract: A system for configuring solid-state storage devices comprises a solid-state storage device and an error correction code (ECC) selection system. The ECC selection system is configured to automatically select a set of error correction code based on an error rate of the storage device. The ECC selection system is further configured to install the selected set of error correction code in the solid-state storage device.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM) employs error correction coding (ECC) to form ECC encoded stored data. In a read operation, a set of test cells in a test row are used to predict failures amongst a set of cells of interest storing a block of ECC encoded data. Erasure information is formed from these predictions which identifies potentially unreliable symbols in the block of ECC encoded data, and the ability of a decoder to perform ECC decoding is substantially enhanced.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM) in use performs error correction coding and decoding of stored information, to tolerate physical defects. At manufacture, the MRAN device is tested to confirm that each set of storage cells is suitable for storing ECC encoded data, using either a parametric evaluation (step 602), or a logical evaluation (step 603) or preferably a combination of both. Failed cells are identified and a count is formed, suitably in terms of ECC symbols 206 that would be affected by such failed cells (step 604). The count can be compared to a threshold (step 605) to determine suitability of the accessed storage cells and a decision made (step 606) on whether to continue with use of those cells, or whether to take remedial action.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM device) uses storage cells 16 arranged in many arrays 10 to form a macro-array 2. For fast access times and to reduce exposure to physical failures, each unit of data (e.g. a sector) is stored with a few sub-units (e.g. bytes) in each of a large plurality of the arrays 10. Advantageously, the plurality of arrays 10 are accessible in parallel substantially simultaneously, and a failure in any one array affects only a small portion of the data unit. Optionally, error correction coding (ECC) is employed to form encoded data with symbols which are stored according to preferred embodiments which further minimise exposure to physical failures.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM) in use performs error correction coding and decoding of stored information, to tolerate physical failures. At manufacture, the device is tested to confirm that each set of storage cells is suitable for storing ECC encoded data. The test comprises identifying failed cells where the failures will be visible in use for the generation of erasure information used in ECC decoding, by comparing parametric values obtained from the cells against one or more failure ranges, and includes performing a write-read-compare operation with test data to identify failed cells which will be hidden for the generation of erasure information in use. A failure count is formed based on both the visible failures and the hidden failures, to determine that the set of cells is suitable for storing ECC encoded data. The failure count is weighted, with hidden failures having a greater weighting than visible failures.

Abstract: In a Reed-Solomon decoder handling both errors and erasures, an uncorrectable codeword is identified when any one or more of six conditions (a) to (f) is satisfied: (a) no solution to key equation ?(x)T(x)?(x)modx2T; (b) deg?(x)?nerrors; (c) error and erasure locations coincide; (d) deg ?(x)?nerrors+nerasures; (e) nerasures+2*nerrors>2T; and (f) an error location has a zero correction magnitude. Nerrors and nerasures represent, respectively, a number of errors and erasures, with respect to an error locator polynomial ?(x) and an erasure locator polynomial ?(x), 2T is the strength of a Reed-Solomon code, ?(x) is an errata evaluator polynomial, and T(x) is a modified syndrome polynomial. A detector circuit 300 comprises a logic unit 350 which tests for the conditions (a) to (g), and an indicator unit 360 which provides a corresponding output.

Abstract: A storage device including a magnetic memory and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to transfer selected data from the magnetic memory a selected number of times and to regulate the transfer of the selected data from the magnetic memory subsequent to transferring the selected data from the magnetic memory the selected number of times.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM) employs error correction coding (ECC) to form ECC encoded stored data. In a read operation, parametric values are obtained from storage cells 16 of the device and compared to ranges to establish logical bit values, together with erasure information. The erasure information identifies symbols 206 in a block of ECC encoded data 204 which, from the parametric evaluation, are suspected to be affected by physical failures of the storage cells 16. Where the position of suspected failed symbols 206 is known from this erasure information, the ability of a decoder 22 to perform ECC decoding is substantially enhanced.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic memory. In one embodiment, the magnetic memory comprises an array of memory cells configured to provide resistive states, and a read circuit. The read circuit is configured to sense a resistance through a memory cell in the array of memory cells to obtain a sense result and categorize the sense result into one of at least three different categories comprising a middle category situated between the resistive states.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM) employs error correction coding (ECC) to form ECC encoded stored data. ECC encoded data is read and decoded to identify failed symbols. A failure history table is then updated to indicate columns 14 of an array of storage cells 16 which are suspected to be affected by physical failures. Advantageously, erasure information is formed with reference to the failure history table, and the ability of a decoder 22 to perform ECC decoding is substantially enhanced.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive solid-state storage device (MRAM) performs error correction coding (ECC) of stored information. Since currently available MRAM devices are subject to physical failures, data storage arrangements are described to minimize the affect of those failures on the stored ECC encoded data, including storing all bits of each symbol in storage cells 16 in one row 12 (FIG. 3), or in at least two rows 12 but using storage cells 16 in the same columns 14 (FIG. 4). Sets of bits taken from each row 12 are allocated to different codewords 204 (FIG. 5) and the order of allocation can be rotated (FIG. 6). A second level of error checking can be applied by adding a parity bit 226 to each symbol 206 (FIG. 7).

Abstract: A magnetoresistive state-solid state storage device having arrays of magnetoresistive storage cells. Sparing resources such as a plurality of spare rows are allocated to replace rows of storage cells which are affected by physical failures. A count is made for the number of failed rows within each array, and a count is also made of the number of failed rows within a cross-array row set spread across plural arrays. A spare row or rows are allocated by selecting a cross-array row set affected by the highest number of failed rows and therefore most likely to lead to unreliable data storage, and then selecting an array in this cross-array row set having the lowest number of failed rows, and therefore the least competition for sparing resources. The method proceeds iteratively with counts updated as sparing resources are allocated.

Abstract: A system for error correction coding and decoding information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the first and second encoders are each configured to encode the information, wherein the second encoder has a higher capability than the first encoder. First and second decoders are configured to recover the information, wherein the second decoder recovers the information encoded by the second encoder only if the first decoder cannot recover the information.

Abstract: A system for configuring solid-state storage devices comprises a solid-state storage device and an error correction code (ECC) selection system. The ECC selection system is configured to automatically select a set of error correction code based on an error rate of the storage device. The ECC selection system is further configured to install the selected set of error correction code in the solid-state storage device.

Abstract: A memory card comprising an magnetic random access memory (MRAM) array that comprises a plurality of magnetic memory cells and a controller coupled to the MRAM array. The controller is configured to communicate with a host device, and the controller is configured perform an error correction function associated with at least one of the plurality of magnetic memory cells.

Abstract: A magnetic memory which in some embodiments compares compressed fault maps is disclosed. In one embodiment, the magnetic memory may include at least two magnetic memory cells which are configured to store data. The magnetic memory includes a control system configured to periodically obtain parametric values from the magnetic memory cells and generate a corresponding compressed fault map using the parametric values. In some embodiments, at least one of the compressed fault maps is compared to a previous one of the compressed fault maps, and an indication is provided if there are differences.