Patent ID: 8627188
Filing Date: 2014-01-07
Classification: G06F,G11C

Abstract:
1. A method for decoding a plurality of flash memory cells which are error-correction-coded, the method comprising: providing a hard-decoding success indication indicating whether or not hard-decoding is at least likely to be successful; and soft-decoding the plurality of flash memory cells at a first resolution only if the hard-decoding success indication indicates that the hard-decoding is not at least likely to be successful; wherein said hard-decoding success indication comprises an a priori indication of whether or not hard-decoding yet to be performed, is at least likely to be successful; wherein said a priori indication is based on at least one indication of the quality of the flash memory cells; wherein said indication of the quality of the flash memory cells is based at least partly on a comparison of at least a statistic representing the current state of a sample of said plurality of flash memory cells with a reliably stored indication of a previous state of said sample.