Kioxia Corporation, the world leader in memory solutions, announced today it has been awarded the 2022 Invention Prize by the National Commendation for Invention for its Invention of Optimization of Read Method for Multi-level Flash Memory (patent no. 4892307). Dating back to 1919, the National Commendation for Invention is a Japanese program dedicated to promoting science, technology and recognizing industries with outstanding inventions, ideas and designs. This is the third consecutive year that Kioxia has received an award from this prestigious program.

Awardees (both Kioxia employees):

• Mitsuaki Honma, Chief Specialist, Memory Design Managing Department, Memory Division
• Noboru Shibata, Assistant to General Manager, Device Technology Research & Development Center, Institute of Memory Technology Research & Development

By adopting a new innovative and more evenly distributed-assigned bit-coding, Kioxia’s award-winning technology reduces the expected maximum error rate in multi-level flash memory, and reduces the chip area required for storing error correction codes (ECCs). In addition, this breakthrough development improves the maximum read latency of flash memory.

In response to the increasing demand for large-capacity storage in our digital society, flash memory is becoming increasingly multi-level, whereby more than one bit of data can be stored in each memory cell. Multi-level flash memory, in which three or more bits of data are stored in each memory cell, requires an even higher number of determination operations to discriminate a certain state (threshold voltage) of a memory cell for data readout. In addition, variations in the number of determination operations allocated among bits are even greater in multi-level flash memory, necessitating higher error correction capabilities. In conventional bit-coding, reading a certain bit requires a greater number of determination operations (i.e., more intense reading) compared to reading other bits; it causes increased compound errors in reading such bits. This means that more chip area is required to store the data arising from the increased number of ECCs. This increase in determination operations with conventional bit-coding increases read-latency for those bits.

Guided by its mission of uplifting the world with memory, Kioxia is committed to research and technology development that brings value to people across the world.

About Kioxia

Kioxia is a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). In April 2017, its predecessor Toshiba Memory was spun off from Toshiba Corporation, the company that invented NAND flash memory in 1987. Kioxia is committed to uplifting the world with memory by offering products, services and systems that create choice for customers and memory-based value for society. Kioxia's innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH™, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, SSDs, automotive and data centers.

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