Nonvolatile memory module and operation method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016357665-A1
Application number	US-201615083425-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2016
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The nonvolatile memory module includes at least one nonvolatile memory device and a device controller configured to receive a storage command from an external device and to perform an operation corresponding to the received storage command The device controller includes a random access memory (RAM). After completing the corresponding operation, the device controller stores status information in the RAM and then transmits an alert signal to the external device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nonvolatile memory module comprising:
at least one nonvolatile memory device; and a device controller configured to receive a storage command from an external device and to perform an operation corresponding to the received storage command; wherein the device controller comprises a random access memory (RAM); and wherein after completing the corresponding operation, the device controller is configured to store status information in the RAM and then transmit an alert signal to the external device.

2 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein the status information comprises information about a completion of the corresponding operation.

3 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein after transmitting the alert signal to the external device, the device controller is configured to transmit the status information to the external device in response to a request of the external device.

4 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein the device controller further comprises a multi-purpose register configured to store status information indicating that the status information is stored in the RAM.

5 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 4 , wherein the device controller is configured to receive a RAM command and a RAM address from the external device and transmit a status information log stored in the multi-purpose register to the external device.

6 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein after transmitting the alert signal to the external device, the device controller is configured to transmit the status information, indicating that the status information is written in the RAM, to the external device through a serial bus in response to a request of the external device.

7 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 6 , wherein the serial bus is an I2C bus.

8 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein the device controller is configured to receive a RAM command, a RAM address, a clock, a data signal, and a data strobe signal from the external device and store the storage command, included in the data signal and the data strobe signal from the external device, in a part of the RAM in response to the received RAM command, RAM address, and clock.

9 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein the storage command is a command indicating a write, read, or erase operation about the at least one nonvolatile memory device.

10 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nonvolatile memory device is a NAND flash memory device.

11 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , wherein the device controller is configured to communicate with the external device based on a double data rate (DDR) interface.

12 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a serial presence detect chip comprising device information of the nonvolatile memory module.

13 . An operating method of a nonvolatile memory module which comprises at least one nonvolatile memory device and a memory controller controlling the at least one nonvolatile memory device, the method comprising:
receiving a storage command from an external device; performing an operation corresponding to the received storage command; storing status information in a RAM of the memory controller after the corresponding operation is completed; and transmitting an alert signal to the external device after the status information is stored in the RAM.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
after transmitting the alert signal to the external device, transmitting status information stored in the RAM to the external device in response to a request of the external device.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
after transmitting the alert signal to the external device, transmitting a status information log, indicating that the status information is stored in the RAM, to the external device in response to a request of the external device.

16 . A nonvolatile memory module comprising:
at least one nonvolatile memory device; and a device controller configured to
receive a storage command from an external device and to perform an operation corresponding to the received storage command; and
after completing the corresponding operation, store status information and then transmit an alert signal to the external device,
wherein the nonvolatile memory module is a dual-in-line memory module(DIMM).

17 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 16 , wherein the status information comprises information about a completion of the corresponding operation.

18 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 16 , wherein after transmitting the alert signal to the external device, the device controller is configured to transmit the status information to the external device in response to a request of the external device.

19 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 16 , wherein the storage command is a command indicating a write, read, or erase operation about the at least one nonvolatile memory device.

20 . The nonvolatile memory module of claim 16 , wherein the at least one nonvolatile memory device is a NAND flash memory device.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Han-Ju
• Cho Youngjin
• Seo Sungyong
• Yoo Youngkwang

Classifications

• G06F13/1673

  using buffers · CPC title

• G06F3/0679

  Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP] · CPC title

• G06F3/0653

  Monitoring storage devices or systems · CPC title

• G06F2212/7203

  Temporary buffering, e.g. using volatile buffer or dedicated buffer blocks · CPC title

• G06F3/061

  Improving I/O performance · CPC title