Patents by Inventor Abhijith Prakash

Abhijith Prakash has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11264110
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for periodically refreshing word line voltages in a block of memory cells based on the susceptibility of the block to read errors. One source of read errors is delayed read disturb which results from a low word line voltage during idle periods of the memory device. In one aspect, periodic refresh operations are optimized based on factors such as a number of bits per cell in the block and number of program-erase (P-E) cycles. For example, at high P-E cycles, the amplitude of a refresh voltage for a single-level cell (SLC) block can be 0 V or lower while the amplitude of a refresh voltage for a multi-level cell (MLC) block can be an intermediate voltage between 0 V and a pass voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Jiahui Yuan
  • Patent number: 11139030
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of NAND strings in a block with word lines connected to cells of the NAND strings and select lines connected to select gate transistors of the NAND strings. A plurality of blocks are connected together and selected for operations using a block select signal. A control circuit is configured to, after a read operation of memory cells of the block, hold a block select signal applied to a block select line to select a group of blocks having a same block select line at an on level. The control circuit can further discharge an unselected control gate in the group of blocks from a charged level to a lower level, lower than charged, prior to turning off the block select signal and charge the unselected control gate to a level greater than the lower level after the block select signal transitions from the on level to an off level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Anubhav Khandelwal
  • Publication number: 20210257039
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for periodically refreshing word line voltages in a block of memory cells based on the susceptibility of the block to read errors. One source of read errors is delayed read disturb which results from a low word line voltage during idle periods of the memory device. In one aspect, periodic refresh operations are optimized based on factors such as a number of bits per cell in the block and number of program-erase (P-E) cycles. For example, at high P-E cycles, the amplitude of a refresh voltage for a single-level cell (SLC) block can be 0 V or lower while the amplitude of a refresh voltage for a multi-level cell (MLC) block can be an intermediate voltage between 0 V and a pass voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Jiahui Yuan
  • Patent number: 11043280
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for periodically refreshing word line voltages in a group of blocks in a memory device. In one aspect, each group of blocks stores the same number of bits per cell. For example, one group of blocks can be reserved for single level cell (SLC) data and another group of blocks can be reserved for multi-level cell (MLC) data. A common refresh voltage signal can be applied to the blocks in a group, where the voltage signal is optimized based on the number of bits per cell stored by the memory cells of the group. For an SLC block, the refresh voltage signal can decrease a floating voltage of the word lines. For an MLC block, the refresh voltage signal can increase a floating voltage of the word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Jiahui Yuan
  • Patent number: 11037641
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for periodically refreshing word line voltages in a memory device. A decision to perform a refresh operation is made based on the temperature and number of program-erase (P-E) cycles. In one approach, the refresh operation is not performed if the number of P-E cycles is below a threshold number and/or the temperature is below a threshold temperature. When the temperature and number of P-E cycles indicate that a refresh operation should be performed, a timer counts an elapsed time until the elapsed time reaches an allowed discharge time. The allowed discharge time can be based on the temperature, number of P-E cycles, and other factors which affect an expected number of fail bits. The allowed discharge time can also change as the temperature changes during the counting of the elapsed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Vishwanath Basavaegowda Shanthakumar, Jiahui Yuan
  • Publication number: 20210174886
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for periodically refreshing word line voltages in a memory device. A decision to perform a refresh operation is made based on the temperature and number of program-erase (P-E) cycles. In one approach, the refresh operation is not performed if the number of P-E cycles is below a threshold number and/or the temperature is below a threshold temperature. When the temperature and number of P-E cycles indicate that a refresh operation should be performed, a timer counts an elapsed time until the elapsed time reaches an allowed discharge time. The allowed discharge time can be based on the temperature, number of P-E cycles, and other factors which affect an expected number of fail bits. The allowed discharge time can also change as the temperature changes during the counting of the elapsed time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Vishwanath Basavaegowda Shanthakumar, Jiahui Yuan
  • Patent number: 10861537
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for operating non-volatile storage. Peak current consumption may be reduced in connection with sensing non-volatile memory cells. Peak current consumption may be reduced when a first read condition is present. In one aspect, the value of a parameter of a voltage that is applied to a word line during a pre-read phase of a sense operation is controlled in order to reduce peak current consumption when the first read condition is present. Examples of the parameter include a ramp rate, a number of intermediate voltage levels, and a start time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Deepanshu Dutta, Abhijith Prakash
  • Publication number: 20200258558
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of NAND strings in a block with word lines connected to cells of the NAND strings and select lines connected to select gate transistors of the NAND strings. A control circuit is configured to, after a read operation of memory cells of the block apply substantially zero volts to the global word lines to discharge the word lines to substantially zero volts. The control circuit is further configured to turn off the select gate transistors to isolate channels, turn off the block select transistors to isolate the word lines from the global word lines, and with the block select transistors turned off, apply a low positive voltage on the global word lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Anubhav Khandelwal, Deepanshu Dutta, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Wei Zhao, Dengtao Zhao
  • Patent number: 10726891
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of NAND strings in a block with word lines connected to cells of the NAND strings and select lines connected to select gate transistors of the NAND strings. A control circuit is configured to, after a read operation of memory cells of the block apply substantially zero volts to the global word lines to discharge the word lines to substantially zero volts. The control circuit is further configured to turn off the select gate transistors to isolate channels, turn off the block select transistors to isolate the word lines from the global word lines, and with the block select transistors turned off, apply a low positive voltage on the global word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhijith Prakash, Anubhav Khandelwal, Deepanshu Dutta, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Wei Zhao, Dengtao Zhao