Patents Assigned to SanDisk Technologies LLC
  • Patent number: 9690491
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory system may have a group of non-volatile memory cells having a plurality of predetermined portions, where each predetermined portion is associated with an open host write block of a different host data type than each other predetermined portion. A host data router directs received data from a host to an appropriate predetermined portion based on a determined data type. A maintenance data router, based on predetermined minimum capacity overprovisioning targets for each predetermined portion, operates to adjust an amount of overprovisioning of physical capacity among the plurality of predetermined portions to reduce write amplification and increase performance in predetermined portions having data with a higher probability of host update. The method may include selecting a particular predetermined portion and a particular block within the selected predetermined portion on which to perform a maintenance operation to achieve the desired capacity overprovisioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Alan Welsh Sinclair
  • Patent number: 9690515
    Abstract: A storage module may include a non-volatile memory module and a controller that communicates with the non-volatile memory module using a communications bus. In response to receipt of a host command, the controller may generate one or more sets of context commands for communication of data on the communications bus between the controller and an area of memory. The controller may execute the sets of context commands in a cache sequence. During execution of the context commands in the cache sequence, the controller may determine an opportunity window that occurs after execution of a context command of a prior set and before execution of a context command of a current set, during which the controller may utilize the communications bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Edward Tuers, Gary Lin, Abhijeet Manohar
  • Patent number: 9684474
    Abstract: A storage module may include a controller configured to communicate with a memory having a plurality of memory dies. The controller may include a plurality of bond pads, where each bond pad is configured to communicate a same type of memory signal, and where each bond pad is electrically connected to at least one but less than all of the plurality of memory dies. A core of the controller may identify a memory die that it wants to communicate a memory signal and an associated bond pad with which to communicate the memory signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Vikram Somaiya
  • Patent number: 9685484
    Abstract: Technology is described for reversible resistivity memory having a crystalline silicon bit line. In one aspect, a memory structure comprises a hollow pillar of crystalline silicon inside of reversible resistivity material. The crystalline silicon may serve as a bit line. The memory structure may further comprise conductive material that forms word lines coupled to the outer surface of the reversible resistivity material. A memory cell comprises a portion of the reversible resistivity material between the crystalline silicon and one of the word lines. In one aspect, the hollow pillar of crystalline silicon surrounds a gate oxide, which surrounds a conductive transistor gate. Thus, the hollow pillar of crystalline silicon may function as a channel of a transistor. In one aspect, the crystalline silicon has predominantly a (100) orientation with respect to an inner surface of the reversible resistivity material. In one aspect, the crystalline silicon is a single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Peter Rabkin, Perumal Ratnam, Masaaki Higashitani, Chris Petti
  • Patent number: 9685454
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is 3D memory with vertical NAND strings having a III-V compound channel, as well as methods of fabrication. The III-V compound has at least one group III element and at least one group V element. The III-V compound provides for high electron mobility transistor cells. Note that III-V materials may have a much higher electron mobility compared to silicon. Thus, much higher cell current and overall cell performance can be achieved. Also, the memory device may have better read-write efficiency due to much higher carrier mobility and velocity. The tunnel dielectric of the memory cells may have an Al2O3 film in direct contact with the III-V NAND channel. The drain end of the NAND channel may be a metal-III-V alloy in direct contact with a metal region. The body of the source side select transistor could be formed from the III-V compound or from crystalline silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Peter Rabkin, Jayavel Pachamuthu, Johann Alsmeier, Masaaki Higashitani
  • Publication number: 20170169867
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system, a circuit, and method for process and temperature compensation in an integrated circuit. For example, the system includes a bus, a data latch, and a voltage generator. The data latch includes a plurality of transistors coupled to the bus. The voltage generator includes a tracking transistor with one or more physical characteristics that substantially match one or more respective physical characteristics—e.g., gate width and gate length dimensions—of at least one of the plurality of transistors in the data latch. The voltage generator is configured to adjust a pre-charged voltage on the bus based on an electrical characteristic of the tracking transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amul DESAI, Hao Nguyen, Man Mui, Ohwon Kwon
  • Patent number: 9678832
    Abstract: A storage module and method for on-chip copy gather are provided. In one embodiment, a storage module is provided with a memory comprising a plurality of word lines and a plurality of data latches. The memory copies data from a first word line into a first data latch and copies data from a second word line into a second data latch. The memory then copies only some of the data from the first data latch and only some of the data from the second data latch into a third data latch. After that, the memory copies the data from the third data latch to a third word line. In another embodiment, a storage module is provided comprising a memory and an on-chip copy gather module. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Daniel E. Tuers, Abhijeet Manohar, Sergei Gorobets
  • Patent number: 9679640
    Abstract: A non-volatile storage system is provided that includes a reversible resistance-switching memory cell and a controller coupled to the reversible resistance-switching memory cell. The controller is configured to program the reversible resistance-switching memory cell to three or more memory states while limiting the current through the memory cell to less than between about 0.1 microamp and about 30 microamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9678863
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for hybrid checkpointed memory. A method includes referencing data of a range of virtual memory of a host. The referenced data is already stored by a non-volatile medium. A method includes writing, to a non-volatile medium, data of a range of virtual memory that is not stored by the non-volatile medium. A method includes providing access to data of a range of virtual memory from a non-volatile medium using a persistent identifier associated with referenced data and written data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nisha Talagala, Swaminathan Sundararaman, Nick Piggin, Ashish Batwara, David Flynn
  • Patent number: 9680686
    Abstract: A container file containing a media file and a pluggable codec is sent to a receiver where the pluggable codec interfaces to a media player application, according to a predefined interface, to play the media file. A header in the container file indicates the locations of the media file and the pluggable codec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Eran Shen
  • Patent number: 9678874
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing eviction of data. A cache write module stores data on a non-volatile storage device sequentially using a log-based storage structure having a head region and a tail region. A direct cache module caches data on the non-volatile storage device using the log-based storage structure. The data is associated with storage operations between a host and a backing store storage device. An eviction module evicts data of at least one region in succession from the log-based storage structure starting with the tail region and progressing toward the head region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: David Nellans, David Atkisson, Jim Peterson, Jeremy Garff, Michael Zappe
  • Patent number: 9678877
    Abstract: A buffer cache interposed between a non-volatile memory and a host may be partitioned into segments that may operate with different policies. Cache policies include write-through, write and read-look-ahead. Write-through and write back policies may improve speed. Read-look-ahead cache allows more efficient use of the bus between the buffer cache and non-volatile memory. A session command allows data to be maintained in volatile memory by guaranteeing against power loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kevin M. Conley, Reuven Elhamias
  • Patent number: 9673304
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes forming a dielectric material above a substrate, forming a hole in the dielectric material, the hole disposed in a first direction, forming a word line layer above the substrate via the hole, the word line layer disposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, forming a nonvolatile memory material on a sidewall of the hole, forming a local bit line in the hole, and forming a memory cell including the nonvolatile memory material at an intersection of the local bit line and the word line layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Michiaki Sano, Akira Nakada, Tetsuya Yamada, Manabu Hayashi, Takashi Matsubara, Sung Tae Lee, Akio Nishida
  • Patent number: 9673216
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of forming memory cell films in 3D memory. An opening having a sidewall may be formed through a stack of alternating layers of silicon oxide and silicon nitride. Bird's beaks may be formed in the silicon nitride at interfaces with the silicon oxide. In one aspect, bird's beaks are formed using a wet SiN etch. In one aspect, bird's beaks are formed by oxidizing SiN. A dilute hydrofluoric acid (DHF) clean may be performed within the opening after forming the bird's beaks in the silicon nitride. A memory cell film may be formed in the opening after performing the DHF clean. The memory cell film is straight, or nearly straight, from top to bottom in a memory hole. The memory cell film is not as susceptible to parasitic charge trapping as a memory cell film having a wavy contour. Therefore, neighbor WL interference may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ashish Baraskar, Liang Pang, Yingda Dong, Ching-huang Lu
  • Patent number: 9673274
    Abstract: A NAND memory is provided that includes a memory cell region and a peripheral region. The peripheral region includes a shallow trench isolation trench disposed in a substrate. The shallow trench isolation trench has a first tab extension and a second tab extension. The first tab extension is disposed at a top portion of the shallow trench isolation trench, and extends in a first direction from the shallow trench isolation trench. The second tab extension is disposed at a top portion of the shallow trench isolation trench, and extends in a second direction from the shallow trench isolation trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Yusuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9673207
    Abstract: A NAND memory is provided that includes a memory cell region and a peripheral region. The peripheral region includes a shallow trench isolation trench disposed in a substrate. The shallow trench isolation trench includes a first top surface, and a second top surface. A difference between a height of the second top surface and a height of the first top surface is less than a predetermined value ?MAX.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Yusuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9673257
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes forming a transistor by forming a first a rail gate disposed in a first direction above a substrate, forming a second rail gate disposed in a second direction above the substrate, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and forming a bridge section disposed between the first rail gate and the second rail gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Seje Takaki, Manabu Hayashi, Akira Nakada, Ryousuke Itou, Takuro Maede, Kengo Kajiwara, Tetsuya Yamada
  • Publication number: 20170154925
    Abstract: A non-volatile data storage device comprises pairs of immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines that are independently driven by respective and vertically oriented bit line selector devices. The isolation between the immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines also isolates from one another respective memory cells of the non-volatile data storage device such that leakage currents cannot flow from memory cells connected to a first of the immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines to memory cells connected to the second of the pair of immediately adjacent and isolated-from-one-another local bit lines. A method programming a desire one of the memory cells includes applying boosting voltages to word lines adjacent to the bit line of the desired memory cell while not applying boosting voltages to word lines adjacent to the other bit line of the pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Seiji Shimabukuro, Teruyuki Mine, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Naoki Takeguchi
  • Patent number: 9665296
    Abstract: The following embodiments generally relate to the use of a “swap area” in a non-volatile memory as an extension to volatile memory in a computing device. These embodiments include techniques to use both volatile memory and non-volatile swap memory to pre-load a plurality of applications, to control the bandwidth of swap operations, to encrypt data stored in the swap area, and to perform a fast clean-up of the swap area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Wu, Jian Chen, Ashish Karkare, Alon Marcu, Vsevolod Mountaniol
  • Patent number: RE46446
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer-readable code for maintaining flash data structures in accordance with events of a flash memory system are disclosed. Both an events log as well as at least one flash management table are maintained in flash memory. For at least one point in time, a most recently stored flash memory table is indicative of an earlier state of the flash memory system, while at least one event that is more recent than the earlier state is stored in the events log. During power-up, the flash management table is retrieved from flash memory. If the most recent event of the flash memory table is earlier than the most recent event of the events log, events are retrieved from the events log in order to update the flash memory table. Optionally, the updated flash memory table is saved to flash memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Menahem Lasser