Solid state storage device with quick boot from nand media

Abstract

Several embodiments of memory devices and related methods for initializing such memory devices based on initialization information stored in NAND-based memory media. In one embodiment, a memory device can include a controller operably coupled to the memory media. The controller is configured to determine whether the initialization information stored at a region of the memory media is valid, initialize the memory device based at least in part on the initialization information when valid, and invalidate the initialization information stored at the region of the memory media by writing to the region of the memory media without first erasing the region of the memory media.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A memory device, comprising:
 a memory media having a region that stores initialization information; and   a controller operably coupled to the memory media, wherein the controller is configured to
 determine whether the initialization information stored at the region of the memory media is valid, 
 initialize the memory device based at least in part on the initialization information when valid, and 
 invalidate the initialization information stored at the region of the memory media by writing to the region of the memory media without first erasing the region of the memory media such that bit errors are produced in the region of the memory media that can be detected by the controller and that indicate that initialization information is no longer valid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the region of the memory media is a NAND memory page located within a NAND memory block; and 
 writing to the region of the memory media includes writing to the NAND memory page without first erasing the NAND memory block. 
 
     
     
         3 . The memory device of  claim 2  wherein the controller is further configured to:
 write the initialization information to the NAND memory page before shutdown of the memory device; and 
 read the initialization information from the NAND memory page upon startup of the memory device after the shutdown. 
 
     
     
         4 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the region of the memory media is a first region; and 
 the controller is further configured to—
 update the initialization information, and 
 store the updated initialization information in a second region of the memory media. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The memory device of  claim 4  wherein the memory media is a NAND-based memory media. 
     
     
         6 . The memory device of  claim 4  wherein:
 the updated initialization information includes a memory pointer; and 
 the controller is further configured to identify a third region of the memory media available for writing based on the memory pointer. 
 
     
     
         7 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further configured to:
 read out data from the region of the memory media; 
 perform an error code correction routine on at least a portion of the data read out from the region of the memory media; and 
 determine whether the initialization information is valid based at least in part on a result of the error code correction. 
 
     
     
         8 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein the memory media does not comprise random access memory. 
     
     
         9 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes writing over the initialization information with the same initialization information. 
     
     
         10 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes overwriting the initialization information stored at the region of the memory media. 
     
     
         11 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes writing over the initialization information with other information or null data. 
     
     
         12 . The memory device of  claim 1  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes writing to the region of the memory media without first erasing the region of the memory media such that the bit errors that are produced cannot be readily resolved via error code correction. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a memory device, the method comprising:
 determining whether initialization information stored at a region of a memory media of the memory device is valid;   initializing the memory device based at least in part on the initialization information when valid; and   invalidating the initialization information stored at the region of the memory media by writing to the region of the memory media without first erasing the region of the memory media such that bit errors are produced in the region of the memory media that can be detected and that indicate that the initialization information is no longer valid.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 the region of the memory media is a NAND memory page located within a NAND memory block; and 
 writing to the region of the memory media includes writing to the NAND memory page without first erasing the NAND memory block. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 writing the initialization information to the NAND memory page before shutdown of the memory device; and 
 reading the initialization information from the NAND memory page upon startup of the memory device after the shutdown. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 updating the initialization information; and 
 storing the updated initialization information in a second region of the memory media. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising identifying a third region of the memory media available for writing based on a memory pointer included in the updated initialization information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 reading out data from the region of the memory media; 
 performing an error code correction routine on at least a portion of the data read out from the region of the memory media; and 
 determining whether the initialization information is valid based at least in part on a result of the error code correction. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes overwriting the initialization information stored at the region of the memory media. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes writing over the initialization information with (a) the same initialization information, (b) other information, or (c) null data. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13  wherein writing to the region of the memory media includes writing to the region of the memory media without first erasing the region of the memory media such that the bit errors that are produced cannot be readily resolved via error code correction.