The Technology
The Noise Recycling Decoder (NRD) is a novel decoding scheme for multi-level flash memory (MLC) that significantly enhances data reliability and storage capacity without increasing hardware complexity. Traditional MLC flash stores multiple bits per cell, but higher density reduces voltage margins, making cells more vulnerable to noise and read errors.
The NRD technology introduces an adaptation of Noise Recycling to flash memory – digitally estimate and remove noise by recycling the noise information through sequential multi-stage decoding. This process leads to dramatic reductions in bit error rate (BER) and enhanced storage performance compared to conventional approaches.
Advantages
- Higher Storage Capacity: NRD achieves superior storage rates by exploiting intra-cell noise correlation, resulting in rate gains over standard MLC decoding.
- Improved Reliability: Demonstrates lower bit and block error rates under both mild and high-noise conditions.
- Low Complexity & Compatibility: Fully digital and compatible with existing flash memory architectures; requires no additional analog circuitry or change in fabrication process.
- Energy & Speed Efficiency: Supports read operations compatible with HDD, supporting low energy consumption in NAND flash operations.
- Universal Coding Compatibility: Works seamlessly with any coding technique.
Applications
- Solid-State Drives (SSD): Improved reliability and storage efficiency for consumer, enterprise, and data-center flash drives.
- Embedded Systems: Enhanced endurance and error correction for flash-based controllers in automotive, industrial, and IoT applications.
- Edge and AI Storage Systems: Energy-efficient, high-density flash decoding for on-device learning and edge computing.
- Next-Generation Flash Controllers: Integration into flash controller firmware or hardware to support advanced multi-level flash memory devices.
Business Development Contacts