APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CHANGING CELL MODE OF FLASH MEMORY

摘要

PURPOSE: An apparatus and method for changing a cell mode of a NAND flash memory are provided to increase the lifetime of the NAND flash memory by automatically changing a multilevel cell mode into a signal level cell mode to write data when the lifetime of the NAND flash memory approaches a preset limit lifetime. CONSTITUTION: A reading and writing unit(12) reads data in a NAND flash memory(13-15) with one of a multilevel cell mode and a single level cell mode. A control unit(11) checks management data written in the NAND flash memory by controlling the reading and writing unit. The control unit automatically changes the multilevel cell mode into the single level cell mode based on the management data when the lifetime of the NAND flash memory approaches a preset limit lifetime.