Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1 – 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2023/0119555 A1) in view of Fackenthal (US 2021/0311824 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Kim teaches:
A data storage method comprising: obtaining, from a processor, to be written into a memory and poison data indication information corresponding to the target data, and the poison data indication information indicates whether the target data is poison data; (0006, a semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array; selectively replace a portion of the first parity data with a poison flag; output the second parity data and the poison flag ) and writing preset data into the memory based on the poison data indication information, or writing to-be-written data determined based on the target data into the memory. (0008 & 0174, The on-die ECC engine, based on an ECC, in a write operation, is configured to perform an ECC encoding operation on main data received from a memory controller to generate first parity data; The ECC memory device may perform an ECC encoding operation to generate parity bits about data to be written at memory cells of the plurality of semiconductor memory devices)
Kim fails to teach:
output data comprising target data;
However, Fackenthal teaches:
output data comprising target data; (0033 & 0019, Row component 125, column component 135, or plate component 145 may accept data, for example, via input/output component 160, to be written to the memory cells. A target or selected memory cell 105 may be a memory cell 105 located at the intersection of an energized or otherwise selected access line 120 and an energized or otherwise selected access line 130.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of a data storage including poison data signals of Kim with the teaching of Fackenthal, which teaches target data in order to select the data written to the memory.
With regards to claim 2, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 1.
Kim fails to teach:
wherein the preset data is an invalid codeword.
However, Fackenthal teaches:
wherein the preset data is an invalid codeword. (0123, performing the error detection operation may indicate that the first codeword is invalid and within an error correction capability of the memory device.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of a data storage including poison data signals of Kim with the teaching of Fackenthal, which teaches target data in order to select the data written to the memory.
With regards to claim 3, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 1:
wherein the writing preset data into the memory based on the poison data indication information, or writing to-be-written data determined based on the target data into the memory comprises: when the poison data indication information indicates that the target data is the poison data, writing the preset data into the memory; and when the poison data indication information indicates that the target data is not the poison data, performing error correction encoding on the target data to obtain the to-be-written data, and writing the to-be-written data into the memory. (0047, The on-die ECC engine 400, based on an ECC stored therein and in a write operation, may perform an ECC encoding operation on the main data MD received from the memory controller 100 to generate first parity data, may selectively replace a portion of the first parity data with the poison flag PF received from the memory controller 100 to generate second parity data based on a poison mode signal)
With regards to claim 4, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 1:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and a second memory rank, the target data comprises first target data and second target data, and the poison data indication information comprises first poison data indication information corresponding to the first target data and second poison data indication information corresponding to the second target data; and the writing preset data into the memory based on the poison data indication information, or writing to-be-written data determined based on the target data into the memory comprises: when the first poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is the poison data or the second poison data indication information indicates that the second target data is the poison data, writing the preset data into the first memory rank and the second memory rank; and when the first poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is not the poison data and the second poison data indication information indicates that the second target data is not the poison data, performing error correction encoding on the first target data and the second target data to obtain the to-be-written data, and writing the to-be-written data into the first memory rank and the second memory rank. (0162, the memory controller 100 transmits the main data MD and the poison flag PF to the semiconductor memory device 200 (DRAM) (operation S105), and the semiconductor memory device 200 receives the main data MD and the poison flag PF (operation S110). The poison flag PF may indicate whether the main data MD correspond to poisoned data.)
With regards to claim 5, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 1:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and a second memory rank, the target data comprises first target data and second target data, the poison data indication information comprises first poison data indication information corresponding to the first target data and second poison data indication information corresponding to the second target data, and the preset data comprises first preset data, second preset data, and third preset data; and the writing preset data into the memory based on the poison data indication information, or writing to-be-written data determined based on the target data into the memory comprises: when the first poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is the poison data and the second poison data indication information indicates that the second target data is the poison data, writing the first preset data into the first memory rank and the second memory rank; when the first poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is not the poison data and the second poison data indication information indicates that the second target data is not the poison data, performing error correction encoding on the first target data and the second target data to obtain the to-be-written data, and writing the to-be-written data into the first memory rank and the second memory rank; when the first poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is the poison data and the second poison data indication information indicates that the second target data is not the poison data, determining the to-be-written data based on the second target data and the second preset data, and writing the to-be-written data into the first memory rank and the second memory rank; and when the first poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is not the poison data and the second poison data indication information indicates that the second target data is the poison data, determining the to-be-written data based on the first target data and the third preset data, and writing the to-be-written data into the first memory rank and the second memory rank. (0174, The ECC memory device may perform an ECC encoding operation to generate parity bits about data to be written at memory cells of the plurality of semiconductor memory devices.)
With regards to claim 6, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 1:
wherein the determining the to-be-written data based on the second target data and the second preset data comprises: performing N + M error correction encoding on first combined data to obtain a first encoding result, wherein the first combined data is x^(N/2+M)M2(X), M2(x) is the second target data, and N and M are positive integers; and adding the first encoding result and the second preset data to obtain the to-be-written data; and the determining the to-be-written data based on the first target data and the third preset data comprises: performing N + M error correction encoding on second combined data to obtain a second encoding result, wherein the first combined data is x^MM1(x), and M1(x) is the first target data; and adding the second encoding result and the third preset data to obtain the to-be-written data. (0140, The data corrector 480 may receive the read main data RMD, may correct one error bit and/or detect two error bit in the read main data RMD based on the error vector EV and may output the corrected main data C_MD, in the normal mode. The data corrector 480 may receive the read main data RMD and the poison flag PF, may correct one error bit in the read main data RMD and the poison flag PF based on the error vector EV and may output the corrected main data C_MD and the poison flag PF or the corrected main data C_MD and the corrected poison flag C_PF in the poison mode.)
In regards to claim 7, Kim teaches:
A data reading method, comprising: receiving target data from a memory; (0006, a semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array;) output data to be sent to a processor and poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is poison data. (0007, The memory controller is configured to control the semiconductor memory device and transmit main data and a poison flag to the semiconductor memory device.)
Kim fails to teach:
and determining, based on preset data and the target data;
However, Fackenthal teaches:
and determining, based on preset data and the target data; (0033 & 0019, Row component 125, column component 135, or plate component 145 may accept data, for example, via input/output component 160, to be written to the memory cells. A target or selected memory cell 105 may be a memory cell 105 located at the intersection of an energized or otherwise selected access line 120 and an energized or otherwise selected access line 130.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of a data storage including poison data signals of Kim with the teaching of Fackenthal, which teaches target data in order to select the data written to the memory.
With regards to claim 8, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 7:
Kim fails to teach:
wherein the determining output data to be sent to the processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining whether a Hamming distance between the target data and the preset data is less than a preset threshold; if the Hamming distance is less than the preset threshold, determining that the output data is first data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the first data is the poison data; if the Hamming distance is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, performing error correction decoding on the target data; if decoding succeeds, determining that the output data is decoded data, the poison data indication information indicates that the decoded data is not the poison data, and the decoded data is data obtained by performing error correction decoding on the target data; and if decoding fails, determining that the output data is second data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the second data is the poison data.
However, Fackenthal teaches:
wherein the determining output data to be sent to the processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining whether a Hamming distance between the target data and the preset data is less than a preset threshold; if the Hamming distance is less than the preset threshold, determining that the output data is first data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the first data is the poison data; if the Hamming distance is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, performing error correction decoding on the target data; if decoding succeeds, determining that the output data is decoded data, the poison data indication information indicates that the decoded data is not the poison data, and the decoded data is data obtained by performing error correction decoding on the target data; and if decoding fails, determining that the output data is second data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the second data is the poison data. (0076, where such a threshold may be equal to or otherwise based at least in part on a minimum distance or “hamming distance” of an error correction code or other error handling capability.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of a data storage including poison data signals of Kim with the teaching of Fackenthal, which teaches target data in order to select the data written to the memory.
With regards to claim 9, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 7:
Kim fails to teach:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and a second memory rank, and the target data comprises first target data and second target data; and the determining output data to be sent to the processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining whether a Hamming distance between the target data and the preset data is less than a preset threshold; if the Hamming distance is less than the preset threshold, determining that the output data is first data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the first data is the poison data; if the Hamming distance is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, performing error correction decoding on the target data; if decoding succeeds, determining that the output data comprises first decoded data and second decoded data, the poison data indication information indicates that the first decoded data and the second decoded data are not the poison data, the first decoded data corresponds to the first target data, and the second decoded data corresponds to the second target data; and if decoding fails, determining that the output data comprises second data and third data, and the output data indicates that the second data and the third data are not the poison data.
However, Fackenthal teaches:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and a second memory rank, and the target data comprises first target data and second target data; and the determining output data to be sent to the processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining whether a Hamming distance between the target data and the preset data is less than a preset threshold; if the Hamming distance is less than the preset threshold, determining that the output data is first data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the first data is the poison data; if the Hamming distance is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, performing error correction decoding on the target data; if decoding succeeds, determining that the output data comprises first decoded data and second decoded data, the poison data indication information indicates that the first decoded data and the second decoded data are not the poison data, the first decoded data corresponds to the first target data, and the second decoded data corresponds to the second target data; and if decoding fails, determining that the output data comprises second data and third data, and the output data indicates that the second data and the third data are not the poison data. (0076, where such a threshold may be equal to or otherwise based at least in part on a minimum distance or “hamming distance” of an error correction code or other error handling capability.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of a data storage including poison data signals of Kim with the teaching of Fackenthal, which teaches target data in order to select the data written to the memory.
With regards to claim 10, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 7:
Kim fails to teach:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and a second memory rank, the target data comprises first target data and second target data, and the preset data comprises first preset data, second preset data, and third preset data; and the determining The output data to be sent to processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining whether a Hamming distance between the target data and the preset data is less than a preset threshold; if the Hamming distance is less than the preset threshold, determining that the output data comprises third data and fourth data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the third data and the fourth data are the poison data; and if the Hamming distance is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, decoding the target data based on a first error feature, a second error feature, and a third error feature, and determining, based on a decoding result, the output data and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data, wherein the first error feature is an error feature of the target data, the second error feature is an error feature of the second preset data, and the third error feature is an error feature of the third preset data.
However, Fackenthal teaches:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and a second memory rank, the target data comprises first target data and second target data, and the preset data comprises first preset data, second preset data, and third preset data; and the determining The output data to be sent to processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining whether a Hamming distance between the target data and the preset data is less than a preset threshold; if the Hamming distance is less than the preset threshold, determining that the output data comprises third data and fourth data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the third data and the fourth data are the poison data; and if the Hamming distance is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, decoding the target data based on a first error feature, a second error feature, and a third error feature, and determining, based on a decoding result, the output data and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data, wherein the first error feature is an error feature of the target data, the second error feature is an error feature of the second preset data, and the third error feature is an error feature of the third preset data. (0076, where such a threshold may be equal to or otherwise based at least in part on a minimum distance or “hamming distance” of an error correction code or other error handling capability.)It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of a data storage including poison data signals of Kim with the teaching of Fackenthal, which teaches target data in order to select the data written to the memory.
With regards to claim 11, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 10:
wherein the decoding the target data based on at the first error feature, the second error feature, and the third error feature, and determining, the output data and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: decoding the target data based on the first error feature and the second error feature, to obtain a first decoding result; decoding the target data based on the first error feature and the third error feature, to obtain a second decoding result; decoding the target data based on the first error feature, to obtain a third decoding result; if only the first decoding result is success, determining that the output data comprises second decoded data and second data, the poison data indication information indicates that the second decoded data is not the poison data and the second data is the poison data, and the second decoded data corresponds to the second target data; if only the second decoding result is success, determining that the output data comprises third data and first decoded data, the poison data indication information indicates that the third data is the poison data and the first decoded data is not the poison data, and the first decoded data corresponds to the first target data; if only the third decoding result is success, determining that the output data comprises the first decoded data and the second decoded data, and the output data indicates that the first decoded data and the second decoded data are not the poison data; and if at least two of the first decoding result, the second decoding result, and the third decoding result are success or all of the first decoding result, the second decoding result, and the third decoding result are failure, determining that the output data comprises the third data and the fourth data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the third data and the fourth data are the poison data. (0009, ECC encoding on the main data to generate the first parity data using an ECC, replaces a portion of the first parity data with the poison flag to generate the second parity data in the poison mode, stores the poison flag and the second parity data in a parity cell region, and performs an ECC decoding operation on the main data and the poison flag based on the second parity data to protect the poison flag.)
With regards to claim 12, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 7:
wherein the memory comprises a first memory rank and the-a-second memory rank, the target data comprises the-a-first target data and the second target data, and the preset data comprises the second preset data and the a third preset data; and the determining, based-n-preset-data-and-the-target-data the output data to be sent to processor and the poison data indication information that indicates whether the output data is the poison data comprises: determining the output data and the poison data indication information based on the-a first error feature, the-a second error feature, and -the-a third error feature, wherein the first error feature is the error feature of the target data, the second error feature is the error feature of the second preset data, and the third error feature is the error feature of the third preset data; if the first error feature is equal to the third error feature, the output data comprises the first target data and the second target data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is not the poison data and the second target data is the poison data; if the first error feature is equal to the second error feature, the output data comprises the first target data and the second target data, and the poison data indication information indicates that the first target data is the poison data and the second target data is not the poison data; and if the first error feature is an all-zero polynomial, the output data comprises the first target data and the second target data, and the poison data indication information indicates that neither the first target data nor the second target data is the poison data (0103 Therefore, the selective poison flag injector 430 may output the first parity data PRT1 in response to the poison mode signal PMS designating the normal mode and may output the second parity data PRT2 and the poison flag PF in response to the poison mode signal PMS designating the poison mode)
With regards to claim 13, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches and corresponds to claim 1 and is analyzed accordingly.
With regards to claim 14, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 13 and corresponds to claim 2 as analyzed accordingly.
With regards to claim 15, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 13 and corresponds to claim 3 as analyzed accordingly.
With regards to claim 16, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 13 and corresponds to claim 4 as analyzed accordingly.
With regards to claim 17, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 13 and corresponds to claim 5 as analyzed accordingly.
With regards to claim 18, Kim in view of Fackenthal teaches the method of claim 17 and corresponds to claim 6 as analyzed accordingly.
Prior Art Made of Record
The prior art mode of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
Applicant’s disclosure:
LIN (WO 2023/197935 A1): The method comprises: obtaining output data from a processor, the output data comprising target data to be written into a memory and poison data indication information corresponding to the target data, and the poison data indication information being used for indicating whether the target data is poison data; and writing preset data into the memory according to the poison data indication information, or writing write data determined according to the target data into the memory. According to the technical solution, poison data can be indicated without sacrificing a check bit. Therefore, by using the technical solution, the poison data stored in the memory can be identified, and the problem of degradation of an error correction capability caused by sacrificing the check bit is also avoided.
Conclusion
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/V.P./Examiner, Art Unit 2111
/GUERRIER MERANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2111 2/18/2026