Patents by Inventor Robert W. Ellis
Robert W. Ellis 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).
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Patent number: 9123445Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: determining a bit error rate of a page; calculating a slope based on the bit error rate; and adjusting a threshold voltage for the page based on the slope for reading a memory device.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, James Fitzpatrick, Mark Dancho, Michelle Martin
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Publication number: 20150245533Abstract: Various embodiments described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to dissipate heat generated by electronic components in an electronic system (e.g., a memory system that includes closely spaced memory modules). In one aspect, an electronic system includes a substrate, at least one electronic component, and a heat sink. The at least one electronic component is mechanically coupled to the substrate and thermally coupled to a ground plane of the substrate, such that heat generated by the at least one electronic component is dissipated at least partially to the ground plane of the substrate. The heat sink is mechanically coupled to an edge of the substrate, and thermally coupled to the ground plane of the substrate to at least partially dissipate the heat generated by the at least one electronic component. In some embodiments, the heat sink further includes an attachment structure, a tab and a plurality of heat dissipaters.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2014Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: David A. Wright, David Dean, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150230327Abstract: The system for redirecting airflow includes multiple electronic assemblies arranged adjacent to one another. Each electronic assembly includes a substrate having a substantially flat first surface and an opposing substantially flat second surface. Electronic devices are coupled to each of the first and second surfaces. Each surface also has one or more tabs coupled thereto, where each tab is configured to redirect the airflow over a least one electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2014Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Robert W. Ellis, David Dean
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Patent number: 9098399Abstract: A method of operation of an electronic system includes: forming a superblock by organizing an erase block according to a wear attribute; detecting a trigger count of the wear attribute of the superblock; updating a metadata table with the trigger count; and triggering a recycling event of the superblock based on the metadata table.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, James Fitzpatrick, James Higgins
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Patent number: 9093160Abstract: The embodiments described herein are used to execute staggered memory operations. The method includes, at each of a plurality of distinct memory portions of the storage device, establishing a non-zero command delay parameter distinct from a command delay parameter established for one or more of the other memory portions in the plurality of distinct memory portions. The method further includes, after establishing the non-zero command delay parameter in each of the plurality of distinct memory portions of the storage device, executing memory operations in two or more of the plurality of distinct memory portions of the storage device during overlapping time periods, the executing including, in each memory portion of the plurality of memory portions, delaying execution of a respective memory operation by an amount of time corresponding to the command delay parameter established for that memory portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, James M. Higgins, Vidyabhushan Mohan
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Patent number: 9070481Abstract: A method of operation in a non-volatile memory device, including executing a memory operation with respect to a portion of a non-volatile memory device, and measuring a current corresponding to current drawn by at least the portion of the non-volatile memory device during the memory operation. An age metric is determined for at least the portion of the non-volatile memory device based on age criteria including a characteristic of the measured current. In accordance with a determination that the age metric satisfies one or more predefined threshold criteria, one or more configuration parameters associated with the non-volatile memory device are adjusted. After the adjusting, data is read from and data to the portion of the non-volatile memory device according to the one or more adjusted configuration parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, James M. Higgins, Alexander Kwok-Tung Mak
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Publication number: 20150170716Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable dynamic brownout adjustment in a storage device. In one aspect, the method includes: (1) obtaining a set of power tolerance settings, the set of power tolerance settings used for determining whether one or more power supply voltages provided to the storage device are out of range, (2) in response to a predefined trigger, adjusting the set of power tolerance settings in accordance with one or more parameters of the storage device, (3) determining, in accordance with the adjusted set of power tolerance settings, whether the one or more power supply voltages are out of range, and (4) in accordance with a determination that the one or more power supply voltages are out of range, latching a power fail condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: June 18, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150153802Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and devices used to protect data in a storage device. In one aspect, a method includes, performing a soft power fail operation on a section of the device, the operation including: (1) signaling a power test condition to a first controller on the storage device; (2) providing one or more controllers with power from an energy storage device, where the energy storage device is distinct from a power supply used during normal operation; (3) signaling a power fail condition to the one or more controllers on the storage device, where the one or more controllers communicate with the first controller and correspond to said section of the storage device, and where, in response to the power fail condition, each of the one or more controllers performs a data hardening operation; and (4) resuming normal operation on said section of the storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150153799Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to protect data in a storage device. In one aspect, a method includes (1) powering a power control processor (PCP) (also sometimes called a storage-level microcontroller) using a first input voltage, (2) while the PCP is powered using the first input voltage: (a) operating the PCP in a first mode, and (b) enabling charging of an energy storage device, (3) after achieving a predefined internal state, which includes the energy storage device charged to a predefined level, powering the PCP using a power supply voltage distinct from the first input voltage, and (4) while the PCP is powered using the power supply voltage, operating the PCP in a second mode, where the PCP operates at a higher performance level in the second mode than in the first mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150153800Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable power inrush management of storage devices (e.g., DIMM devices). In one aspect, the method includes, for at least one storage device populated in a slot of a plurality of storage device slots, the plurality of storage device slots configured to be populated by two or more storage devices: (1) detecting a unique location associated with the storage device, (2) determining a time delay for the storage device in accordance with the unique location associated with the storage device, and (3) delaying at least one power-on operation of the storage device by the time delay for the storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150149825Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable power fail latching based on monitoring multiple power supply voltages in a storage device. In one aspect, the method includes: (1) determining whether a first power supply voltage provided to the storage device is out of range for a first time period, (2) determining whether a second power supply voltage provided to the storage device is out of range for a second time period, and (3) in accordance with a determination that at least one of the first power supply voltage is out of range for the first time period and the second power supply voltage is out of range for the second time period, latching a power fail condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150149700Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable performing supervisory functions for a dual in-line memory module (DIMM), at a controller in the DIMM. The method includes upon power-up, determining a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM. In accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are satisfied, the method includes: (1) performing one or more power-up operations, including initiating a usage counter, (2) monitoring a temperature of the DIMM, (3) monitoring the DIMM for occurrence of one or more of a set of predetermined trigger events, and (4) in response to detecting one of the set of predetermined trigger events, logging information corresponding to the detected predetermined event.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150149806Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable power sequencing and data hardening in a storage device. In one aspect, the method includes determining whether a power supply voltage provided to the storage device is higher than an over-voltage threshold. The method further includes, in accordance with a determination that the power supply voltage is higher than the over-voltage threshold, performing a power fail operation, the power fail operation including: (1) signaling a power fail condition to a plurality of controllers on the storage device, (2) transferring data held in volatile memory to non-volatile memory, and (3) removing power from the plurality of controllers on the storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Lace J. Herman, Robert W. Ellis
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Patent number: 9043780Abstract: An electronic system and method of operation thereof includes: a control unit for receiving a patterned signal; a recognizer module, coupled to the control unit, for recognizing an unique trigger from the patterned signal; an operation module, coupled to the recognizer module, for detecting an operational mode from the unique trigger; and a change module, coupled to the operation module, for configuring a system state change of a memory sub-system based on the operational mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, Lace J. Herman
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Publication number: 20150143068Abstract: A system and method of data management with modular erase in a data storage system with a memory array having an erase block and a target block with the target block in a logical unit separate from the erase block including: performing an erase operation on the erase block, the erase operation having an operation matrix configured for partial erasing of the erase block; updating a command status for the erase block; enabling an intervening command on the target block based on the command status indicating an incomplete erase status with the intervening command updating the command status; performing an erase optimization based on the command status; performing an additional erase operation based on the erase optimization; and updating the command status to an erase complete status based on the additional erase operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2013Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: James M. Higgins, Robert W. Ellis, Mark Dancho, James Fitzpatrick
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Publication number: 20150135033Abstract: A method of operation of a data storage system includes: monitoring a data interface bus, the monitoring by a non-volatile memory controller; activating a zero bit counter for detecting a ratio of 1's to 0's on the data interface bus; and adjusting a threshold voltage (Vth), based on the ratio of the 1's to the 0's from the zero bit counter, by the non-volatile memory controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2013Publication date: May 14, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Robert W. Ellis, James M. Higgins, Mark Dancho
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Publication number: 20150135008Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable power sequencing and data hardening in a storage device. In one aspect, a method includes, in response to a first signal received by the storage device, performing a soft power fail operation on a first section of the storage device. The soft power fail operation including: (1) signaling a power fail condition to a first plurality of controllers on the storage device, where the first plurality of controllers correspond to the first section of the storage device, (2) transferring data held in volatile memory of the storage device to non-volatile memory of the storage device, and (3) removing power from the first plurality of controllers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: May 14, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Gregg S. Lucas, Kenneth B. Delpapa, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150124397Abstract: In accordance with some implementations of this invention, an electronic assembly is formed with a thermal channel that controls an air flow for the purpose of dissipating heat generated in the electronic assembly. The electronic assembly includes a top board, a bottom board and a subassembly that further includes a rail, an airflow tab and an interconnect. The subassembly couples the top and bottom boards together. The rail has an opening through which air passes. The interconnect faces the airflow tab, carries electrical signals between the top board and the bottom board, and is configured to channel air directed through the opening of the rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2015Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: David L. Dean, Dennis Bennett, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150127999Abstract: The embodiments described herein include a method and device for adjusting trip points within a storage device. The method includes: obtaining one or more configuration parameters; and based on the one or more configuration parameters, determining a trip voltage. The method also includes comparing the trip voltage with an input voltage. The method further includes triggering a power fail condition in accordance with a determination that the input voltage is less than the trip voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: May 7, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Kenneth B. Delpapa, Gregg S. Lucas, Robert W. Ellis
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Publication number: 20150121537Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable secure erase in a memory device. In one aspect, the method includes detecting a secure erase trigger. The method further includes determining a secure erase algorithm from among one or more secure erase algorithms to use in accordance with the detected secure erase trigger. The method further includes performing a secure erase operation in accordance with the selected secure erase algorithm, the secure erase operation including: (1) signaling a secure erase condition to a plurality of controllers on the memory device, (2) erasing one or more non-volatile memory devices on the memory device, (3) monitoring the secure erase operation, and (4) recording data related to the secure erase operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: SanDisk Enterprise IP LLCInventors: Robert W. Ellis, Gregg S. Lucas