1. A memory managing method of a memory system, comprising a nonvolatile memory device and a memory controller controlling the nonvolatile memory device, the memory managing method comprising:
determining whether a program-erase number of a memory block in the nonvolatile memory device reaches a first reference value;
managing a life of the memory block according to a first memory managing method when the program-erase number of the memory block is determined to be less than the first reference value; and
managing the life of the memory block according to a second memory managing method different from the first memory managing method when the program-erase number of the memory block is determined to be greater than the first reference value.
2. The memory managing method of claim 1, wherein the first memory managing method comprises managing the life of the memory block by block unit, and the second memory managing method comprises managing the life of the memory block by word line unit.
3. The memory managing method of claim 2, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device is determined to be greater than the first reference value, at least two word lines located at edges of the memory block are faded out.
4. The memory managing method of claim 3, further comprising:
determining whether the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device reaches a second reference value different from the first reference value.
5. The memory managing method of claim 4, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device is determined to be greater than the second reference value, at least two word lines located nearest the edges of the memory block, from among the word lines remaining after fading-out the at least two word lines at the edges of the memory block, are faded out.
6. The memory managing method of claim 2, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device is determined to be greater than the first reference value, even word lines of word lines in the memory block are faded out and memory cells of odd word lines are used to store data.
7. The memory managing method of claim 6, further comprising:
determining whether the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device reaches a second reference value different from the reference value.
8. The memory managing method of claim 7, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device is determined to be greater than the second reference value, the odd word lines of the word lines in the memory block are faded out, and memory cells of the even word lines are used to store data.
9. The memory managing method of claim 2, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory block in the nonvolatile memory device is determined to be greater than the first reference value, at least two word lines located at edges of the memory block are faded out, and the faded-out at least two word lines are replaced with dummy word lines of the memory block.
10. The memory managing method of claim 2, wherein when the life of the nonvolatile memory device is managed according to the second memory managing method, addresses transferred to the nonvolatile memory device during a write operation where data are sequentially stored in at least two memory blocks of the nonvolatile memory device are partially discontinuous.
11. The memory managing method of claim 2, wherein when the life of the nonvolatile memory device is managed according to the first memory managing method, addresses transferred to the nonvolatile memory device during a write operation where data are sequentially stored in at least two memory blocks of the nonvolatile memory device are continuous.
12. A memory system comprising:
a storage medium including a plurality of nonvolatile memory devices and configured to store data; and
a memory controller including a buffer memory and configured to control the plurality of nonvolatile memory devices,
wherein the memory controller manages a life of each of the nonvolatile memory devices using one of a first memory managing method and a second memory managing method, based on whether a program-erase number of each memory block of each nonvolatile memory device reaches a reference value, and
wherein when the life of each nonvolatile memory device is managed according to the second memory managing method, addresses transferred to the nonvolatile memory device during a write operation where data are sequentially stored in at least two memory blocks of the nonvolatile memory device are partially discontinuous.
13. The memory system of claim 12, wherein when the life of each nonvolatile memory device is managed according to the first memory managing method, addresses transferred to the nonvolatile memory device during a write operation where data are sequentially stored in at least two memory blocks of the nonvolatile memory device are continuous.
14. The memory system of claim 12, wherein the first memory managing method comprises managing a life of each memory block of each nonvolatile memory device by block unit, and the second memory managing method comprises managing a life of each memory block of each nonvolatile memory device by a word line unit.
15. The memory system of claim 12, wherein when the program-erase number of each memory block of each nonvolatile memory device reaches the reference value, the memory controller controls each nonvolatile memory device such that at least two word lines located at both edges of each memory block are faded out or the memory controller controls each nonvolatile memory device such that odd or even word lines of word lines of each memory block are faded out.
16. The memory system of claim 12, wherein each nonvolatile memory device comprises an array logically divided into a first region and a second region, wherein data are stored in the first region according to a single-level cell (SLC) program method in a buffer programming operation, and data are stored in the second region according to a multi-level cell (MLC) program method in a main programming operation.
17. A memory system comprising:
a nonvolatile memory device comprising a memory block including a plurality of word lines; and
a memory controller configured to manage a life of the memory block of the nonvolatile memory device based on a program-erase number of the memory block,
wherein when the program-erase number of the memory block is less than a reference value, the memory controller manages the life of the memory block by block unit, and when the program-erase number of the memory block is greater than the reference value, the memory controller manages the life of the memory block by word line unit.
18. The memory system of claim 17, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory is greater than the reference value, the memory controller causes at least two word lines of the plurality of word lines located at edges of the memory block to be faded out.
19. The memory system of claim 17, wherein when the program-erase number of the memory is greater than the reference value, the memory controller causes odd word lines or even word lines of the plurality of word lines to be faded out.
20. The memory system of claim 17, wherein the memory block further includes a plurality of dummy word lines, and
wherein when the program-erase number of the memory is greater than the reference value, the memory controller causes at least two word lines of the plurality of word lines located at edges of the memory block to be faded out and uses the plurality of dummy word lines in place of the plurality of faded out word lines.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of determining a path for performing a surgical procedure through an anatomical feature of a subject, comprising the steps of:
disposing a target having an array of X-ray opaque markers in a three dimensional pattern, in the region of said anatomical feature of said subject, and in a location fixed relative to said anatomical feature of said subject;
providing an X-ray source to generate fluoroscopic images of said region of said anatomical feature of said subject, including said target;
taking at least two fluoroscopic images of said anatomical feature of said subject including said target, said images being aligned in a generally anterior-posterior orientation;
marking on each of said at least two fluoroscopic images the estimated position of the center of said anatomical feature;
using said target to define the spatial position of said source relative to said anatomical feature of a subject;
generating an axial plane virtual image of said anatomical feature of said subject, including a line for each image alignment, said lines for each image alignment being computed to run between said source and said marked position; and
using the intersection of said lines to generate a safe zone for performing said surgical procedure through said anatomical feature.
2. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said anatomical feature is a pedicle of a vertebra of the subject.
3. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said safe zone is used to provide instructions to a device for drilling pedicle screw holes.
4. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said marking is performed by means of operator intervention.
5. A method according to claim 4 and wherein said marking is performed by means of an image processing procedure.
6. A method of determining a path through an orthopedic feature of a subject, comprising the steps of:
attaching a target to said subject in the region of said orthopedic feature;
providing an X-ray source to generate fluoroscopic images of said orthopedic feature of said subject;
taking at least two fluoroscopic images of said orthopedic feature, said images aligned in a generally anterior-posterior orientation;
marking on each of said fluoroscopic images the estimated position of the center of said orthopedic feature;
using said target to define the spatial position of said source relative to said orthopedic feature of said subject;
generating an axial plane virtual image of said orthopedic feature, comprising lines for each image alignment, said lines to run between said source and said marked positions; and
using the data relating to said lines to determine said path through said orthopedic feature of said subject.
7. A method according to claim 6 and wherein said orthopedic feature is a pedicle of a vertebra of the subject, and said path is a safe path for the insertion of a pedicle screw.