Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of correcting and/or detecting an error in a memory device is provided. The method may include, in a first operations mode, applying a first code to detect and/or correct an error, and in a second operations mode after an inactive mode and before entering the first operations mode, applying a second code for correcting and/or detecting an error, wherein the first code and the second code have different code words.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting at least one bit error within a coded bit sequence includes an error syndrome generator and a bit error corrector. The error syndrome generator determines the error syndrome of a coded bit sequence derived by a multiplication of a check matrix with a coded bit sequence.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of using a memory device is provided. The method may include storing data units, check units of a first code and check units of a second code in memory cells of the memory device, wherein the data units and the check units of the first code form code words of the first code, and wherein the data units and the check units of the second code form code words of the second code, applying the second code for error correction in at least a portion of the data units and/or in at least a portion of the check units of the first code, after the correcting the errors, retaining at least a retaining portion of the data units and of the check units of the first code and deleting at least a deleting portion of the check units of the second code, thereby freeing the memory cells that are occupied by the deleting portion of the check units of the second code, and during a subsequent using of the memory device, storing data in at least a reuse portion of the freed-up memory cells.

Abstract: A method is proposed for storing bits in memory cells of a memory, wherein in two successive write operations first and second wits are written to identical memory cells at an identical address, without the memory cells being erased after the first write operation, wherein first check bits are stored in further first memory cells and second check bits are stored in further second memory cells. A corresponding device is furthermore specified.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory with first memory cells and second memory cells, which are different from the first memory cells. In the first memory cells there is stored a first bit sequence and in the second memory cells there is stored a second bit sequence. The memory device includes a memory controller, which is configured to check the first bit sequence with a frequency (x1/T) assigned to the first memory cells. The frequency (x1/T) assigned to the first memory cells depends on an item of reliability information for the first memory cells. The memory controller is configured in the case of an error state to correct an erroneous bit of the first bit sequence and to write back at least the corrected bit into the memory. The second bit sequence is checked less often than the first bit sequence on the basis of an item of reliability information for the second memory cells.

Abstract: A method and a memory controller for accessing a non-volatile memory are disclosed. The method includes reading a first memory region of the non-volatile memory, ascertaining whether the first memory region contains a predetermined data pattern wherein the predetermined data pattern has no influence on resulting error correcting data determined for at least the first memory region. The method evaluating a data status for a second memory region of the non-volatile memory on the basis of a presence of the predetermined data pattern in the first memory region, wherein the data status indicates at least one of whether valid data is present within the second memory region and whether the second memory region is writable.

Abstract: A method for reading memory cells from a memory is stated, inter alia, in which physical values are determined from a number of n memory cells, wherein n is at least three, in which the physical values are at least partially compared with one another, in which K different digital memory cell values are assigned to the n memory cells on the basis of the compared physical values, and in which a code word of an n1-, . . . , nK-out-of-n code is assigned to the digital memory cell values obtained in this manner. In particular, the following apply in this case: n?3, n1?1 to nK?1, K?2 and m?1.

Abstract: The disclosure proposes a circuit including a memory which has a multiplicity of memory cells, the memory having a first area and a second area, at least one memory cell comprising a part of the first area and a part of the second area, the first area having a lower reliability than the second area, and the circuit being set up in such a manner that first bits are stored in the first area and second bits are stored in the second area. A circuit for reading the memory and methods for writing to and reading the memory are also disclosed.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of using a memory device is provided. The method may include storing data units, check units of a first code and check units of a second code in memory cells of the memory device, wherein the data units and the check units of the first code form code words of the first code, and wherein the data units and the check units of the second code form code words of the second code, applying the second code for error correction in at least a portion of the data units and/or in at least a portion of the check units of the first code, after the correcting the errors, retaining at least a retaining portion of the data units and of the check units of the first code and deleting at least a deleting portion of the check units of the second code, thereby freeing the memory cells that are occupied by the deleting portion of the check units of the second code, and during a subsequent using of the memory device, storing data in at least a reuse portion of the freed-up memory cells.

Abstract: A method is proposed for processing a data word, in which the data word comprises a first partial data word and a second partial data word, in which first checkbits are defined for the first partial data word, wherein the first partial data word and the first checkbits form a first codeword, in which second checkbits are defined for the second partial data word, wherein the second partial data word and the second checkbits form a second codeword, in which third checkbits are defined for the data word, wherein at least (i) the data word, (ii) a linking of the first checkbits with the second checkbits, and (iii) the third checkbits are parts of a third codeword.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method of correcting and/or detecting an error in a memory device is provided. The method may include, in a first operations mode, applying a first code to detect and/or correct an error, and in a second operations mode after an inactive mode and before entering the first operations mode, applying a second code for correcting and/or detecting an error, wherein the first code and the second code have different code words.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for detecting memory errors is provided. The circuit arrangement comprises a memory (11) and an error detection circuit (12). The circuit arrangement is designed to store a code word of an error detection code (C) or a code word that is inverted in a subset (M) of bits in the memory (11) at a memory location and to read out a data word from the memory (11) from the memory location. The error detection circuit (12) is designed, for the case where a control signal present assumes a first value, to indicate a memory error if the data word is not a code word of the error detection code (C).

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for determining m check bits c1, . . . , cm for k data bits u1, . . . , uk is provided, wherein the circuit arrangement includes a first subcircuit and a second subcircuit. The first subcircuit has k binary inputs for inputting the k data bits u=u1, . . . , uk and M binary outputs for outputting M binary intermediate values z1, . . . , zM determined from the data bits. The second subcircuit is configured to transform the intermediate values z1, . . . , zM into the check bits c1, . . . , cm.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for determining a correction signal on the basis of at least one bit error of a binary word is specified, including a plurality of subcircuits (ST), wherein a respective subcircuit is provided for a bit position to be corrected of the binary word, wherein each of the subcircuits provides at least two locator polynomial values, and comprising a selection unit, which determines a correction signal depending on the locator polynomial values and depending on an error signal (err, E). A method for driving such a circuit arrangement is furthermore proposed.

Abstract: A system and method of refreshing a nonvolatile memory having memory cells. The method includes identifying one or more of the memory cells that do not satisfy a data retention test; remapping the one or more identified memory cells from original memory addresses to spare memory addresses; and refreshing the identified memory cells.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processing unit and a memory. The processing unit is configured to encode a plurality of bits to obtain a plurality of encoded bits, the processing unit is configured to determine an inversion decision. When the inversion decision indicates that the subset of the encoded bits shall not be inverted, the processing unit is configured to store, as a stored word, bits of the first codeword into the memory. When the inversion decision indicates that the subset of the encoded bits shall be inverted, the processing unit is configured to invert each encoded bit of a subset of the encoded bits to obtain a second codeword and to store the second codeword into the memory.

Abstract: A method is proposed for storing bits in memory cells of a memory, wherein in two successive write operations first and second wits are written to identical memory cells at an identical address, without the memory cells being erased after the first write operation, wherein first check bits are stored in further first memory cells and second check bits are stored in further second memory cells. A corresponding device is furthermore specified.

Abstract: A memory device includes a memory with first memory cells and second memory cells, which are different from the first memory cells. In the first memory cells there is stored a first bit sequence and in the second memory cells there is stored a second bit sequence. The memory device includes a memory controller, which is configured to check the first bit sequence with a frequency (×1/T) assigned to the first memory cells. The frequency (×1/T) assigned to the first memory cells depends on an item of reliability information for the first memory cells. The memory controller is configured in the case of an error state to correct an erroneous bit of the first bit sequence and to write back at least the corrected bit into the memory. The second bit sequence is checked less often than the first bit sequence on the basis of an item of reliability information for the second memory cells.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus to determine a reference value on the basis of a plurality of half reference values stored in memory cells is disclosed, wherein the plurality of half reference values are read from the memory cells, wherein a subset of half reference values is determined from the plurality of half reference values, and wherein the reference value is determined on the basis of the subset of half reference values.

Abstract: A method and a memory controller for accessing a non-volatile memory are disclosed. The method includes reading a first memory region of the non-volatile memory, ascertaining whether the first memory region contains a predetermined data pattern wherein the predetermined data pattern has no influence on resulting error correcting data determined for at least the first memory region. The method evaluating a data status for a second memory region of the non-volatile memory on the basis of a presence of the predetermined data pattern in the first memory region, wherein the data status indicates at least one of whether valid data is present within the second memory region and whether the second memory region is writable.