Patent ID: 9734919
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: G11C

Claim:
1. A method of operating a memory device, comprising: transferring a group of non-volatile, solid state memory cells from an active list that includes memory cells accessible to a host to a temporary list that includes memory cells temporarily inaccessible to the host, memory cells included in the temporary list maintained at a temperature that is substantially the same as or lower than that of memory cells included in the active list; determining an elapsed time interval during which the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list; determining a number of times that the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list; determining if the number of times that that the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list is less than a predetermined threshold; if it is determined that the number of times that the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list is less than the predetermined threshold, checking a first trigger condition indicative of a decrease in bit error rate of the group of memory cells included in the temporary list, the first trigger condition comprising a determination that the elapsed time interval has reached a predetermined time interval value, the predetermined time interval value based on a number of program/erase cycles of the group of memory cells; if it is determined that the number of times that the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list is greater to or equal to the predetermined threshold, checking a second trigger condition, the second trigger condition different than the first trigger condition; transferring the group of memory cells from the temporary list to the active list in response to the time interval reaching the predetermined time interval value if number of times that the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list is less than the predetermined threshold; and transferring the group of memory cells from the temporary list to the active list in response to the second trigger condition being reached if it is determined that the number of times that the group of memory cells has been included in the temporary list is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold.