Patents Examined by Uyen Smet
  • Patent number: 11386952
    Abstract: A method for performing memory access of a Flash cell of a Flash memory includes: performing a first sensing operation corresponding to a first sensing voltage to generate a first digital value of the Flash cell; according to a result of the first sensing operation, performing a plurality of second sensing operations to generate a second digital value of the Flash cell representing at least one candidate threshold voltage of the Flash cell; determining the threshold voltage of the memory Flash cell according to the at least one candidate threshold voltage; determining soft information of a bit stored in the Flash cell according to the threshold voltage of the Flash cell; and using the soft information to perform soft decoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Chieh Yang, Hsiao-Te Chang, Wen-Long Wang
  • Patent number: 11385802
    Abstract: A data storage device is configured to mark data for refresh in response to determining that a first measured temperature associated with writing the data to the memory exceeds a first threshold. The data storage device is further configured to refresh the marked data in response to determining that a second measured temperature associated with the memory is below a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Eran Sharon, Nian Niles Yang, Idan Alrod, Evgeny Mekhanik, Mark Shlick, Joanna Lai
  • Patent number: 11387831
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a controller and a memory. The controller includes a host interface and a memory interface. The controller receives inputs from the host, internal storage device inputs, device lifetime calculations, temperature readings and voltage readings. The controller then dynamically adjusts the frequency and voltage for the memory interface based upon the inputs received. As such, the memory interface operates are optimum conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yonatan Tzafrir, Mordekhay Zehavi, Eyal Widder
  • Patent number: 11387404
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided which comprises one or more magnetoelectric spin orbit (MESO) minority gates with different peripheral complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit techniques in the device layer including: (1) current mirroring, (2) complementary supply voltages, (3) asymmetrical transistor sizing, and (4) using transmission gates. These MESO minority gates use the multi-phase clock to prevent back propagation of current so that MESO gate can correctly process the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Huichu Liu, Tanay Karnik, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Daniel Morris, Kaushik Vaidyanathan, Ian Young
  • Patent number: 11380701
    Abstract: Methods and structures of a three-dimensional memory device are disclosed. In an example, the memory device includes a substrate having one or more first recesses in a first region and one or more second recesses in a second region. A liner layer is disposed over the sidewalls and bottom of the one or more first recesses in the first region and an epitaxially-grown material is formed in the one or more second recesses in the second region. One or more NAND strings are formed over the epitaxially-grown material disposed in the one or more second recesses, and one or more vertical structures are formed over the one or more first recesses in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yue Qiang Pu, Jin Wen Dong, Jun Chen, Zhenyu Lu, Qian Tao, Yushi Hu, Zhao Hui Tang, Li Hong Xiao, Yu Ting Zhou, Sizhe Li, Zhaosong Li
  • Patent number: 11380388
    Abstract: In the examples disclosed herein, a memory array can have a first group of memory cells coupled to a first digit line at a first level and a second group of memory cells coupled to a second digit line at the first level. A third digit line can be at a second level and can be coupled to a main sense amplifier. A first vertical thin film transistor (TFT) can be at a third level between the first and second levels can be coupled between the first digit line and the third digit line. A second vertical TFT can be at the third level and can be coupled between the second digit line and the third digit line. A local sense amplifier can be coupled to the first and second digit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Charles L. Ingalls
  • Patent number: 11373716
    Abstract: A program method of a non-volatile memory device, the non-volatile memory device including a cell string having memory cells stacked perpendicular to a surface of a substrate, the method includes performing a first program phase including programming a first memory cell connected to a first word line and applying a first pass voltage to other word lines above or below the first word line, and performing a second program phase including programming a second memory cell after the first memory cell is completely programmed, the second memory cell being connected to a second word line closer to the substrate than the first word line, applying a second pass voltage to a first word line group below the second word line and applying a third pass voltage to a second word line group above the second word line, the second pass voltage being lower than the third pass voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wandong Kim, Jinwoo Park, Seongjin Kim, Sang-wan Nam
  • Patent number: 11367493
    Abstract: A program method of a non-volatile memory device, the non-volatile memory device including a peripheral circuit region and a memory cell region including a cell substrate and a cell string having memory cells stacked perpendicular to a surface of a cell substrate, the method includes performing a first program phase including programming a first memory cell connected to a first word line and applying a first pass voltage to other word lines above or below the first word line, and performing a second program phase including programming a second memory cell being connected to a second word line closer to the cell substrate, applying a second pass voltage to a first word line group below the second word line and applying a third pass voltage to a second word line group above the second word line, the second pass voltage being lower than the third pass voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wandong Kim, Jinwoo Park, Seongjin Kim, Sang-Wan Nam
  • Patent number: 11355195
    Abstract: A program method of a nonvolatile memory device that performs a plurality of program loops is provided. At least one of the plurality of program loops includes dividing a channel of a selected cell string into a first side channel and a second side channel during a first interval and a second interval, turning off a string selection transistor of the selected cell string by applying a string select line voltage of a first level during the first interval, and boosting a first voltage of the first side channel and a second voltage of the second side channel, and turning on the string selection transistor by applying the string select line voltage of a second level different from the first level during the second interval, and performing a hot carrier injection (HCI) program operation on a selected memory cell corresponding to the first side channel or the second side channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Won-bo Shim, Ji-ho Cho, Yong-seok Kim, Byoung-taek Kim, Sun-gyung Hwang
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11355208
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described to program memory cells and verify stored values programmed into the cells. The next stage in stored memory can be moved to the current verification iteration when certain conditions are met. Verification can include counting bits that exceed a voltage value for a stage being verified to produce a bit count number and determining if the bit count number for the stage being verified meets a threshold value. If the bit count number does not meet the threshold, the verification process can continue with a current verify iteration and thereafter move to a next verify iteration. If the bit count number does meet the threshold, the process can add a next stage to the current verify iteration and thereafter move to a next verify iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien, Fanglin Zhang, Zhuojie Li, Huai-Yuan Tseng
  • Patent number: 11335421
    Abstract: Provided herein is a memory device and a method of operating the same. The memory device may include a plurality of memory cells, a peripheral circuit, and a control logic. The peripheral circuit may be configured to perform a plurality of program loops, each including a program pulse apply operation and a program verify operation, on selected memory cells of the plurality of memory cells. The control logic may be configured to control, in response to a suspend command, the peripheral circuit to suspend an n-th program loop of the plurality of program loops, where n is a natural number of 1 or more, and configured to control, in response to a resume command, the peripheral circuit to resume the suspended n-th program loop after performing a recovery pulse apply operation compensating for charges detrapped from a channel area of the selected memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Min Kyu Jeong
  • Patent number: 11335394
    Abstract: Devices and techniques for temperature informed memory refresh are described herein. A temperature counter can be updated in response to a memory device write performed under an extreme temperature. Here, the write is performed on a memory device element in the memory device. The memory device element can be sorted above other memory device elements in the memory device based on the temperature counter. Once sorted to the top of these memory device elements, a refresh can be performed the memory device element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gianni Stephen Alsasua, Harish Reddy Singidi, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Sampath Ratnam, Ashutosh Malshe, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Renato Padilla, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11328781
    Abstract: In a method of programming a memory device, inhibit information is stored to first latch structures and second latch structures. A first state programming voltage is applied to data lines of memory cells of the memory device to program the memory cells to the first state. A first state verification voltage is applied to the data lines of the memory cells to perform a first state verification operation on the memory cells. The first state verification operation verifies first state threshold voltages of the memory cells based on a first target value and also generates failure pattern data of the first state verification operation. The failure pattern data is then stored to the second latch structures. Further, a first level adjusted verification voltage is applied to the data lines of a portion of the memory cells that fails the first level verification operation to perform a first level adjusted verification operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Yangtze Memory Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Weijun Wan
  • Patent number: 11328767
    Abstract: A method for page writes for triple or higher level cell flash memory is provided. The method includes receiving data in a storage system, from a client that is agnostic of page write requirements for triple or higher level cell flash memory, wherein the page write requirements specify an amount of data and a sequence of writing data for a set of pages to assure read data coherency for the set of pages. The method includes accumulating the received data, in random-access memory (RAM) in the storage system to satisfy the page write requirements for the triple or higher level cell flash memory in the storage system. The method includes writing at least a portion of the accumulated data in accordance with the page write requirements, from the RAM to the triple level cell, or the higher level cell, flash memory in the storage system as an atomic write.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Kannan, Peter E. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 11322206
    Abstract: A storage device and an operating method thereof are provided. The storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a memory controller. The non-volatile memory includes memory blocks each including a word lines. The memory controller determines a word line strength of each of the word lines, adjusts a state count of each of the word lines based on the word line strengths, and adjust a program parameter of each of the word lines to decrease a program time variation between the word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinwoo Hong, Chanha Kim, Kangho Roh, Seungkyung Ro, Yunjung Lee, Heewon Lee
  • Patent number: 11322214
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for improving the performance of a memory device are described. An example method includes obtaining a plurality of cell counts for each of a plurality of read voltages applied to the memory device, generating, based on the plurality of cell counts, a set of Gaussian models for a plurality of PV states corresponding to the plurality of read voltages, each of the set of Gaussian models comprising a mean parameter and a standard deviation parameter, determining, based on the set of Gaussian models, the mean parameter and the standard deviation parameter for each of the plurality of PV states, determining, based on the mean parameter and the standard deviation parameter for each of the plurality of PV states, a plurality of updated read voltages, and applying the plurality of updated read voltages to the memory device to retrieve information from the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Aman Bhatia, Haobo Wang, Meysam Asadi
  • Patent number: 11322218
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for error control for memory device are described. A memory device may be configured to perform memory management operations including error control operations. For example, a memory device may be configured to perform an error control operation on data stored in a first memory cell coupled with a source row of a memory array. The memory device may be configured to write the data to a second memory cell coupled with the target row of the memory array based on performing the error control operation on the data and determine whether the management operation is complete based at least in part on the first column address of the first memory cell. The memory device may also generate an output signal to perform the error control operation on a third memory cell coupled with the source row based on determining whether the management operation is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuo Yamamoto, Donald Martin Morgan, Victor Wong, Jongtae Kwak
  • Patent number: 11315623
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to techniques for saturating a host interface are described. A set of data stored at a first memory device may be communicated over an interface during a read operation performed in response to receiving a read request associated with the set of data. A control component may determine if the interface entered an idle state during portions of the read operation. Based on detecting an idle state of the interface, the control component may transfer the set of data from the first memory device to a second memory device. After receiving a second read request for the set of data, the memory device may access the set of data from the second memory device and communicate the set of data over the interface, where the interface may remain in a saturated state throughout the second read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian M. Gyllenskog
  • Patent number: 11302376
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory bank having a set of word lines, a bank control block coupled to the memory bank, wherein the bank control block when in operation provides timing control and data control to facilitate execution of commands to and from the memory bank and a command decoder coupled to the bank control block. The command decoder when in operation transmits to the bank control block a refresh (REF) command associated with a first pump to refresh a memory cell of the memory bank and a row hammer refresh (RHR) command associated with a second pump to refresh a second memory cell of the memory bank in conjunction with a refresh operation, and the bank control block when in operation transmits a first control signal to the command decoder to determine which automatic error check and scrub (AECS) mode operation is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joo-Sang Lee, David R. Brown