Patents by Inventor Steven Sprouse

Steven Sprouse 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: 9229801
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Uday Chandrasekhar, Jianmin Huang, Steven Sprouse, Nian Niles Yang, Xinde Hu
  • Patent number: 9218953
    Abstract: A low profile USB flash memory device, and methods of forming same, are disclosed. The USB flash memory device includes an integrated circuit memory portion and a USB connector. The memory portion and the USB connector may be integrally formed on the same substrate. The USB flash memory device includes a substrate on which is mounted one or more flash memory die, a controller die, passive components and an LED for indicating when the memory is being accessed. In contrast to prior art USB memory devices which used TSOP packages mounted on a printed circuit board, the semiconductor die of the present invention are affixed to the substrate and wire bonded in a SIP configuration. Omitting the encapsulated TSOP packages allows a reduction in the overall thickness of the USB flash memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Upadhyayula, Robert C. Miller, Hem Takiar, Steven Sprouse, Ka Ian Yung
  • Publication number: 20150347229
    Abstract: A memory controller configures a plurality of word lines associated with a respective block of a 3D memory device in a first configuration, where the first configuration includes a set of configuration parameters for each word line of the plurality of word lines determined at least in part on the vertical positions of each word line relative to a substrate of the 3D memory device and, while the plurality of word lines are configured in the first configuration, writes data to and reads data from the respective block. For the respective block, the memory controller: adjusts a first parameter in the respective set of configuration parameters corresponding to a respective word line of the plurality of word lines in response to detecting a first trigger condition as to the respective word line and, after adjusting the first parameter, writes data to and reads data from the respective word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: James M. Higgins, Robert W. Ellis, Neil R. Darragh, Aaron K. Olbrich, Navneeth Kankani, Steven Sprouse
  • Patent number: 9176862
    Abstract: A method and system for SLC-MLC Wear Balancing in a flash memory device is disclosed. The flash memory device includes a single level cell (SLC) portion and a multi-level cell (MLC) portion. The age of the SLC portion and the MLC portion may differ, leading potentially to one portion wearing out before the other. In order to avoid this, a controller is configured to receive an age indicator from one or both of the SLC portion and the MLC portion, determine, based on the age indicator, whether to modify operation of the SLC portion and/or the MLC portion, and in response to determining to modifying operation, modify the operation of the at least one of the SLC portion or the MLC portion. The modification of the operation may thus balance wear between the SLC and MLC portions, thereby potentially extending the life of the flash memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Chen, Sergey Anatolievich Gorobets, Steven Sprouse
  • Patent number: 9135105
    Abstract: A method may be performed in a data storage device that includes a memory including a three-dimensional (3D) memory and a controller, in response to a request to read data from the memory. The data is located within a first word line of the memory. The method includes accessing the data from the first word line and determining, based on a probability threshold, whether to perform a remedial action with respect to a second word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Chris Avila, Steven Sprouse, Abhijeet Manohar, Yichao Huang
  • Patent number: 9110822
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory that includes a three-dimensional (3D) memory. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Uday Chandrasekhar, Jianmin Huang, Steven Sprouse, Nian Niles Yang, Xinde Hu
  • Patent number: 9092340
    Abstract: A method and system for achieving die parallelism through block interleaving includes non-volatile memory having a multiple non-volatile memory dies, where each die has a cache storage area and a main storage area. A controller is configured to receive data and write sequentially addressed data to the cache storage area of a first die. The controller, after writing sequentially addressed data to the cache storage area of the first die equal to a block of the main storage area of the first die, writes additional data to a cache storage area of a next die until sequentially addressed data is written into the cache area of the next die equal to a block of the main storage area. The cache storage area may be copied to the main storage area on the first die while the cache storage area is written to on the next die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Sprouse, Chris Avila, Jianmin Huang
  • Patent number: 9063862
    Abstract: A method and system for cache management in a storage device is disclosed. A portion of unused memory in the storage device is used for temporary data cache so that two levels of cache may be used (such as a permanent data cache and a temporary data cache). The storage device may manage the temporary data cache in order to maintain clean entries in the temporary data cache. In this way, the storage area associated with the temporary data cache may be immediately reclaimed and retasked for a different purpose without the need for extraneous copy operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: William Wu, Sergey Anatolievich Gorobets, Steven Sprouse, Alan Bennett
  • Patent number: 9063879
    Abstract: A method performed in a data storage device including a non-volatile memory includes reading a representation of data, the representation corresponding to one or more selected states of storage elements of a group of storage elements of the non-volatile memory. The method includes, in response to a count of errors in the representation of the data exceeding a threshold, scheduling a remedial action to be performed on the group of storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Chris Avila, Steven Sprouse, Jianmin Huang, Yichao Huang, Kulachet Tanpairoj
  • Publication number: 20150155156
    Abstract: A low profile USB flash memory device, and methods of forming same, are disclosed. The USB flash memory device includes an integrated circuit memory portion and a USB connector. The memory portion and the USB connector may be integrally formed on the same substrate. The USB flash memory device includes a substrate on which is mounted one or more flash memory die, a controller die, passive components and an LED for indicating when the memory is being accessed. In contrast to prior art USB memory devices which used TSOP packages mounted on a printed circuit board, the semiconductor die of the present invention are affixed to the substrate and wire bonded in a SIP configuration. Omitting the encapsulated TSOP packages allows a reduction in the overall thickness of the USB flash memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Suresh Upadhyayula, Robert C. Miller, Hem Takiar, Steven Sprouse, Ka Ian Yung
  • Patent number: 9043517
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable multipass programming in buffers implemented in non-volatile data storage systems (e.g., using one or more flash memory devices). In one aspect, a portion of memory (e.g., a page in a block of a flash memory device) may be programmed many (e.g., 1000) times before an erase is required. Some embodiments include systems, methods and/or devices to integrate Bloom filter functionality in a non-volatile data storage system, where a portion of memory storing one or more bits of a Bloom filter array may be programmed many (e.g., 1000) times before the contents of the portion of memory need to be moved to an unused location in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SANDISK ENTERPRISE IP LLC
    Inventors: Steven Sprouse, Yan Li
  • Patent number: 9025374
    Abstract: A method includes reading a representation of tracking data from at least a portion of a non-volatile memory. The method further includes adjusting a read voltage based on a comparison between a number of bits in tracking data as compared to a count of bits in the representation of the tracking data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Ryan Takafuji, Seungjune Jeon, Chris Avila, Steven Sprouse
  • Publication number: 20150089324
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: UDAY CHANDRASEKHAR, JIANMIN HUANG, STEVEN SPROUSE, NIAN NILES YANG, XINDE HU
  • Publication number: 20150089325
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory that includes a three-dimensional (3D) memory. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: UDAY CHANDRASEKHAR, JIANMIN HUANG, STEVEN SPROUSE, NIAN NILES YANG, XINDE HU
  • Publication number: 20150071008
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory and methods of reading non-volatile memory are provided for managing and reducing read related disturb. Techniques are introduced to reduce read disturb using state-dependent read pass voltages for particular word lines during a read operation. Because of their proximity to a selected word line, adjacent word lines can be biased using state-dependent pass voltages while other unselected word lines are biased using a standard or second set of pass voltages. Generally, each state-dependent pass voltage applied to a word line adjacent to the selected word line is larger than the second set of pass voltages applied to other unselected word lines, although this is not required. Other word lines, may also be biased using state-dependent pass voltages. System-level techniques are provided with or independently of state-dependent pass voltages to further reduce and manage read disturb. Techniques may account for data validity and memory write and erase cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Chris Avila, Steven Sprouse, Alexandra Bauche
  • Patent number: 8947883
    Abstract: A low profile USB flash memory device, and methods of forming same, are disclosed. The USB flash memory device includes an integrated circuit memory portion and a USB connector. The memory portion and the USB connector may be integrally formed on the same substrate. The USB flash memory device includes a substrate on which is mounted one or more flash memory die, a controller die, passive components and an LED for indicating when the memory is being accessed. In contrast to prior art USB memory devices which used TSOP packages mounted on a printed circuit board, the semiconductor die of the present invention are affixed to the substrate and wire bonded in a SIP configuration. Omitting the encapsulated TSOP packages allows a reduction in the overall thickness of the USB flash memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Upadhyayula, Robert C. Miller, Hem Takiar, Steven Sprouse, Ka Ian Yung
  • Patent number: 8891303
    Abstract: A memory controller configures a plurality of word lines associated with a respective block of a 3D memory device in a first configuration, where the first configuration includes a set of configuration parameters for each word line of the plurality of word lines determined at least in part on the vertical positions of each word line relative to a substrate of the 3D memory device and, while the plurality of word lines are configured in the first configuration, writes data to and reads data from the respective block. For the respective block, the memory controller: adjusts a first parameter in the respective set of configuration parameters corresponding to a respective word line of the plurality of word lines in response to detecting a first trigger condition as to the respective word line and, after adjusting the first parameter, writes data to and reads data from the respective word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Higgins, Robert W. Ellis, Neil R. Darragh, Aaron K. Olbrich, Navneeth Kankani, Steven Sprouse
  • Publication number: 20140281685
    Abstract: A method may be performed in a data storage device that includes a memory including a three-dimensional (3D) memory and a controller, in response to a request to read data from the memory. The data is located within a first word line of the memory. The method includes accessing the data from the first word line and determining, based on a probability threshold, whether to perform a remedial action with respect to a second word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: NIAN NILES YANG, CHRIS AVILA, STEVEN SPROUSE, ABHIJEET MANOHAR, YICHAO HUANG
  • Publication number: 20140281766
    Abstract: A method may be performed in a data storage device that includes a memory and a controller, in response to a request to read data from the memory. The data is located within a first word line of the memory. The method includes accessing the data from the first word line and determining, based on a probability threshold, whether to perform a remedial action with respect to a second word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: NIAN NILES YANG, CHRIS AVILA, STEVEN SPROUSE, ABHIJEET MANOHAR, YICHAO HUANG
  • Patent number: RE45771
    Abstract: During a programming data transfer process in a non-volatile storage system, recording units of data are transferred from a host to a memory device, such as a memory card. For each recording unit, pages of data are arranged in an order such that a page which takes longer to write to a memory array of the memory device is provided before a page which takes less time to write. Overall programming time for the recording unit is reduced since a greater degree of parallel processing occurs. While the page which takes longer to program is being programmed to the memory array, the page which takes less time to program is being transferred to the memory device. After programming is completed, the memory device signals the host to transfer a next recording unit. The pages of data may include lower, middle and upper pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Sprouse, Jianmin Huang, Chris Avila, Yichao Huang, Emilio Yero