Patents by Inventor James Fitzpatrick

James Fitzpatrick 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).

  • Publication number: 20220317937
    Abstract: A memory sub-system configured to iterative calibrate read voltages, where higher read voltages are calibrated based on the calibration results of lower read voltages. For example, a memory device initially determines first read voltages of a group of memory cells. The memory device calculates a second read voltage optimized to read the group of memory cells according to first signal and noise characteristics measured based on at least one of the first read voltages. A third read voltage is estimated based on an offset of the second read voltage from a corresponding voltage among the first read voltages. Second signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cells are measured based on the third read voltage. The memory device then calculates a fourth read voltage optimized to read the group of memory cells according to the second signal and noise characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: AbdelHakim S. Alhussien, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, James Fitzpatrick, Patrick Robert Khayat
  • Patent number: 11462265
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. After receiving the data bits, a memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of values of the data bits according to a mapping between combinations of values of bits and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into a plurality of groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels. XOR (or XNOR) is used to combine the data bits into bits of a group identification of a first group, among the plurality of groups, that contains the first level. The memory device reads, using the group identification, the data bits back from the first memory cell to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell to represent the data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Patent number: 11456038
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. After receiving the data bits, a memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of bit values according to a mapping between combinations of bit values and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into a plurality of groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels. A group identification of a first group, among the plurality of groups, containing the first level is determined for the memory cell. The memory device reads, using the group identification, a subset of the data bits back from the first memory cell, and combines the bits of the group identification and the subset to recover the entire set of data bits to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell to represent the data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220300428
    Abstract: A memory sub-system configured to manage programming mode transitions to accommodate a constant size of data transfer between a host system and a memory sub-system. The memory sub-system counts single-page transitions of atomic programming modes performed within a memory sub-system and determines whether or not to allow any two-page transition of atomic programming modes based on whether an odd or even number of the single-page transitions have been counted. When an odd number of the transitions have been counted, no two-page transition is allowed; otherwise, one or more two-page transitions are allowable. A next transition of atomic programming modes is selected based on the determining of whether or not to allow any two-page transitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Sanjay Subbarao, James Fitzpatrick
  • Publication number: 20220283950
    Abstract: Storage device programming methods, systems and devices are described. A method may generate a mapping of data based on a set of data, the mapping of data including a first mapped data and a second mapped data. The method may include performing a first programming operation to write, in a first mode, the first mapped data to the memory device. The method may include storing the second mapped data to a cache. The method may include generating a second set of data, based on an inverse mapping of the mapping of data including the second mapped data from the cache and the first mapped data from the memory device, for writing, in a second mode, to the memory device, wherein the second set of data includes the set of data, and the first mode and the second mode correspond to different modes of writing to the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernie RUB, Mostafa EL GAMAL, Niranjay RAVINDRAN, Richard David BARNDT, Henry CHIN, Ravi J. KUMAR, James FITZPATRICK
  • Patent number: 11430526
    Abstract: In a coarse programming, the threshold voltage of the memory cell is programmed to a first level representative of N?1 bit values data according to a first mapping between combinations of values of N?1 possible bits and threshold levels. A group identification is representative of whether the first level is an odd or even numbered level in the first mapping. For a fine programming, the memory cell is read, based on the group identification, to obtain the N?1 bit values; and at least one additional bit is received to join the N?1 bit values to form at least N bit values. The threshold voltage of the memory cell is then finely programmed to a second level representative of the at least N bit values according to a second mapping between combinations of values of the at least N possible bits and threshold levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220270686
    Abstract: A memory device to determine a voltage optimized to read a group of memory cells. In response to a command, the memory device reads the group of memory cells at a plurality of test voltages to determine a set of signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cells. The memory device determines or recognizes a shape of a distribution of the signal and noise characteristics over the plurality of test voltages. Based on the shape, the memory device selects an operation in determining an optimized read voltage of the group of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: AbdelHakim S. Alhussien, James Fitzpatrick, Patrick Robert Khayat, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy
  • Publication number: 20220246214
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. A memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of bit values according to a mapping between bit value combinations and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels and having associated read voltages separating threshold levels in the subset. A group identification of a first group, among the groups, containing the first level is determined for the memory cell. The memory device applies read voltages of different groups, interleaved in an increasing order in a sequence, to read the memory cell when a read voltage applied is associated with the first group. The data bits read back from the memory cell are used to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Patent number: 11403042
    Abstract: A memory sub-system configured to iterative calibrate read voltages, where higher read voltages are calibrated based on the calibration results of lower read voltages. For example, a memory device initially determines first read voltages of a group of memory cells. The memory device calculates a second read voltage optimized to read the group of memory cells according to first signal and noise characteristics measured based on at least one of the first read voltages. A third read voltage is estimated based on an offset of the second read voltage from a corresponding voltage among the first read voltages. Second signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cells are measured based on the third read voltage. The memory device then calculates a fourth read voltage optimized to read the group of memory cells according to the second signal and noise characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: AbdelHakim S. Alhussien, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, James Fitzpatrick, Patrick Robert Khayat
  • Patent number: 11372765
    Abstract: Storage device programming methods, systems and devices are described. A method may generate a mapping of data based on a set of data, the mapping of data including a first mapped data and a second mapped data. The method may include performing a first programming operation to write, in a first mode, the first mapped data to the memory device. The method may include storing the second mapped data to a cache. The method may include generating a second set of data, based on an inverse mapping of the mapping of data including the second mapped data from the cache and the first mapped data from the memory device, for writing, in a second mode, to the memory device, wherein the second set of data includes the set of data, and the first mode and the second mode correspond to different modes of writing to the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernie Rub, Mostafa El Gamal, Niranjay Ravindran, Richard David Barndt, Henry Chin, Ravi J. Kumar, James Fitzpatrick
  • Publication number: 20220199173
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. After receiving the data bits, a memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of bit values according to a mapping between combinations of bit values and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into a plurality of groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels. A group identification of a first group, among the plurality of groups, containing the first level is determined for the memory cell. The memory device reads, using the group identification, a subset of the data bits back from the first memory cell, and combines the bits of the group identification and the subset to recover the entire set of data bits to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell to represent the data bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220199165
    Abstract: Control logic in a memory device identifies a first plurality of groups of programming distributions, wherein each group comprises a subset of programming distributions associated with a portion of a memory array of the memory device configured as quad-level (QLC) memory. During a first pass of a multi-pass programming operation, the control logic coarsely programs memory cells in the portion configured as QLC memory to initial values representing a second plurality of pages of host data and stores, in a portion of the memory array of the memory device configured as single-level cell (SLC) memory, an indicator of the first plurality of groups of programming distributions with which each of the coarsely programmed memory cells is associated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220199154
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. After receiving the data bits, a memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of values of the data bits according to a mapping between combinations of values of bits and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into a plurality of groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels. XOR (or XNOR) is used to combine the data bits into bits of a group identification of a first group, among the plurality of groups, that contains the first level. The memory device reads, using the group identification, the data bits back from the first memory cell to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell to represent the data bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220199172
    Abstract: In a coarse programming, the threshold voltage of the memory cell is programmed to a first level representative of N?1 bit values data according to a first mapping between combinations of values of N?1 possible bits and threshold levels. A group identification is representative of whether the first level is an odd or even numbered level in the first mapping. For a fine programming, the memory cell is read, based on the group identification, to obtain the N?1 bit values; and at least one additional bit is received to join the N?1 bit values to form at least N bit values. The threshold voltage of the memory cell is then finely programmed to a second level representative of the at least N bit values according to a second mapping between combinations of values of the at least N possible bits and threshold levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220188242
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a multi-tier cache for a memory system are described. A memory device may include memory cells configured as cache storage and memory cells configured as main storage. The cache storage may be a multi-tier cache and may include sets of different types of memory cells or memory cells operated as different types of memory cells, with different latencies, storage densities, or other performance characteristics. The memory device or a controller or host system for the memory device may determine the set of memory cells within the multi-tier cache to which a set of data is to be written, or may move the set of data within the multi-tier cache or between the multi-tier cache and the main storage, based on one or more of a variety of performance considerations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Kulachet Tanpairoj, Nadav Grosz, James Fitzpatrick, Jianmin Huang
  • Publication number: 20220189544
    Abstract: A memory system to generate data with a relation among data groups for reliably storing a predetermined number of bits per memory cell in memory cells. For example, from first groups of date bits, a second group of data bits is generated. Data groups of the predetermined number is formed to have the first groups and the second group and a predetermined relation (e.g., XOR or XNOR) among the data groups. Threshold levels of memory cells in a memory cell group are determined based on a predetermined mapping, where a threshold level of each memory cell is determined to represent one bit from each of the data groups. In the predetermined mapping, bit values represented by any two successive threshold levels differ by one bit. Threshold voltages in the memory cell group are programmed according to the threshold levels to store the data groups with improved reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 11355203
    Abstract: A memory device to determine a voltage optimized to read a group of memory cells. In response to a command, the memory device reads the group of memory cells at a plurality of test voltages to determine a set of signal and noise characteristics of the group of memory cells. The memory device determines or recognizes a shape of a distribution of the signal and noise characteristics over the plurality of test voltages. Based on the shape, the memory device selects an operation in determining an optimized read voltage of the group of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: AbdelHakim S. Alhussien, James Fitzpatrick, Patrick Robert Khayat, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy
  • Publication number: 20220172787
    Abstract: A memory device to perform a calibration of read voltages of a group of memory cells. For example, the memory device can measure signal and noise characteristics of a group of memory cells to determine an optimized read voltage of the group of memory cells and determine an amount of accumulated storage charge loss in the group of memory cells. Subsequently, the memory device can perform a read voltage calibration based on the determined amount of accumulated storage charge loss and a look up table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Patrick Robert Khayat, James Fitzpatrick, AbdelHakim S. Alhussien, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 11335407
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. A memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of bit values according to a mapping between bit value combinations and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels and having associated read voltages separating threshold levels in the subset. A group identification of a first group, among the groups, containing the first level is determined for the memory cell. The memory device applies read voltages of different groups, interleaved in an increasing order in a sequence, to read the memory cell when a read voltage applied is associated with the first group. The data bits read back from the memory cell are used to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Publication number: 20220139468
    Abstract: A memory sub-system configured to execute a read command of a first type using a combine process to read soft bit data and hard bit data from memory cells. For example, a memory device is to: measure signal and noise characteristics of memory cells for the read command; calculate, based on the characteristics, an optimized voltage and two adjacent voltages that have offsets of a same amount from the optimized voltage; read the memory cells for hard bit data using the optimized voltage and for soft bit data using the two adjacent voltages; and transmit, to the processing device, a response including the hard bit data. The soft bit data can be selectively transmitted based on a classification determined from the characteristics. When a read command of a second type is executed, soft bit data is not read; and/or the signal and noise characteristics are not measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: James Fitzpatrick, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick Robert Khayat, AbdelHakim S. Alhussien