Patents by Inventor Barak Rotbard
Barak Rotbard 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: 10296062Abstract: A memory controller includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with one or more memory devices that require an operation voltage. The memory devices are capable of obtaining the operation voltage either from a power supply external to the memory device or from respective charge pumps internal to the memory devices. The processor is configured to predict storage activity in the memory devices, and to cause the memory devices to select a source for the operation voltage between the power supply and the respective charge pumps in accordance with the predicted storage activity.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2018Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Assaf Shappir
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Patent number: 10115476Abstract: A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Eyal Gurgi, Yoav Kasorla, Barak Rotbard, Shai Ojalvo
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Publication number: 20180173285Abstract: A memory controller includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with one or more memory devices that require an operation voltage. The memory devices are capable of obtaining the operation voltage either from a power supply external to the memory device or from respective charge pumps internal to the memory devices. The processor is configured to predict storage activity in the memory devices, and to cause the memory devices to select a source for the operation voltage between the power supply and the respective charge pumps in accordance with the predicted storage activity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2018Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Assaf Shappir
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Patent number: 9898059Abstract: A memory controller includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with one or more memory devices that require an operation voltage. The memory devices are capable of obtaining the operation voltage either from a power supply external to the memory device or from respective charge pumps internal to the memory devices. The processor is configured to predict storage activity in the memory devices, and to cause the memory devices to select a source for the operation voltage between the power supply and the respective charge pumps in accordance with the predicted storage activity.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Assaf Shappir
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Patent number: 9817595Abstract: A controller includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with one or more memory devices that include multiple memory blocks. The processor is configured to hold information regarding power consumption of the memory blocks, to group at least some of the memory blocks into one or more storage groups, based on the information, such that the memory blocks in each storage group jointly consume less than a predefined power limit when the memory blocks in the storage group are applied a storage operation in parallel, and to apply the storage operation, in parallel, to the memory blocks in a selected storage group.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Itay Sagron
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Publication number: 20170262033Abstract: A memory controller includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with one or more memory devices that require an operation voltage. The memory devices are capable of obtaining the operation voltage either from a power supply external to the memory device or from respective charge pumps internal to the memory devices. The processor is configured to predict storage activity in the memory devices, and to cause the memory devices to select a source for the operation voltage between the power supply and the respective charge pumps in accordance with the predicted storage activity.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2016Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Assaf Shappir
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Publication number: 20170220280Abstract: A controller includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with one or more memory devices that include multiple memory blocks. The processor is configured to hold information regarding power consumption of the memory blocks, to group at least some of the memory blocks into one or more storage groups, based on the information, such that the memory blocks in each storage group jointly consume less than a predefined power limit when the memory blocks in the storage group are applied a storage operation in parallel, and to apply the storage operation, in parallel, to the memory blocks in a selected storage group.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2016Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Itay Sagron
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Patent number: 9568971Abstract: A storage device includes a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory and a controller. The volatile memory supports a normal mode and a self-refresh mode. The controller is configured to store data for a host in the non-volatile memory while using the volatile memory in the normal mode and, in response to receiving a power-down command from the host, to deactivate at least part of the storage device and to switch the volatile memory from the normal mode to the self-refresh mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Avraham Poza Meir, Evan R. Boyle, Christopher J. Sarcone, Barak Rotbard
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Publication number: 20160336078Abstract: A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Eyal Gurgi, Yoav Kasorla, Barak Rotbard, Shai Ojalvo
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Patent number: 9417948Abstract: A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2015Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Eyal Gurgi, Yoav Kasorla, Barak Rotbard, Shai Ojalvo
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Publication number: 20160231797Abstract: A storage device includes a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory and a controller. The volatile memory supports a normal mode and a self-refresh mode. The controller is configured to store data for a host in the non-volatile memory while using the volatile memory in the normal mode and, in response to receiving a power-down command from the host, to deactivate at least part of the storage device and to switch the volatile memory from the normal mode to the self-refresh mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2015Publication date: August 11, 2016Inventors: Avraham Poza Meir, Evan R. Boyle, Christopher J. Sarcone, Barak Rotbard
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Patent number: 9405705Abstract: A data storage system includes a plurality of non-volatile memory devices arranged in one or more sets, a main controller and one or more processors. The main controller is configured to accept commands from a host and to convert the commands into recipes. Each recipe includes a list of multiple memory operations to be performed sequentially in the non-volatile memory devices belonging to one of the sets. Each of the processors is associated with a respective set of the non-volatile memory devices, and is configured to receive one or more of the recipes from the main controller and to execute the memory operations specified in the received recipes in the non-volatile memory devices belonging to the respective set.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2014Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael Shachar, Barak Rotbard, Oren Golov, Uri Perlmutter, Dotan Sokolov, Julian Vlaiko, Yair Schwartz
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Patent number: 9336112Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with multiple memory devices over a bus that includes a plurality of parallel data lines. The processor is configured to request the memory devices to provide respective status reports, and to receive the status reports from the memory devices such that, in a given clock cycle of the bus, the multiple status reports from the respective memory devices are received in parallel over respective different subsets of the data lines of the bus.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Asaf Schushan, Barak Rotbard
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Identifying word-line-to-substrate and word-line-to-word-line short-circuit events in a memory block
Patent number: 9330783Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory and a memory controller. The memory includes a memory block that includes memory cells connected by word lines. The memory controller is configured to store data in the memory cells, and to identify a suspected short-circuit event in the memory block by recognizing a deviation of a performance characteristic of at least a given word line in the memory block relative to the performance characteristic of remaining word lines in the memory block.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Avraham Poza Meir, Eyal Gurgi, Yael Shur, Barak Baum -
Patent number: 9317461Abstract: A method for data storage includes, in a system that includes a host having a host memory and a memory controller that is separate from the host and stores data for the host in a non-volatile memory including multiple analog memory cells, storing in the host memory information items relating to respective groups of the analog memory cells of the non-volatile memory. A command that causes the memory controller to access a given group of the analog memory cells is received from the host. In response to the command, a respective information item relating to the given group of the analog memory cells is retrieved from the host memory by the memory controller, and the given group of the analog memory cells is accessed using the retrieved information item.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2014Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Dotan Sokolov, Barak Rotbard
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Publication number: 20150193293Abstract: A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2015Publication date: July 9, 2015Inventors: Eyal Gurgi, Yoav Kasorla, Barak Rotbard, Shai Ojalvo
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Patent number: 9021181Abstract: A method includes accepting data for storage in a memory that is partitioned into multiple memory regions. A memory region is selected for storing the data. At least part of the data is stored in the selected memory region, subject to verifying that all the storage operations applied to the selected memory region are performed within a predefined maximum time interval.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Barak Rotbard, Avraham Meir
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Patent number: 9009547Abstract: A method for data storage includes receiving in a memory device data for storage in a group of analog memory cells. The data is stored in the group by performing a Program and Verify (P&V) process, which applies to the memory cells in the group a sequence of programming pulses and compares respective analog values of the memory cells in the group to respective verification thresholds. Immediately following successful completion of the P&V process, a mismatch between the stored data and the received data is detected in the memory device. An error in storage of the data is reported responsively to the mismatch.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Eyal Gurgi, Yoav Kasorla, Barak Rotbard, Shai Ojalvo
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Publication number: 20150081973Abstract: A data storage system includes a plurality of non-volatile memory devices arranged in one or more sets, a main controller and one or more processors. The main controller is configured to accept commands from a host and to convert the commands into recipes. Each recipe includes a list of multiple memory operations to be performed sequentially in the non-volatile memory devices belonging to one of the sets. Each of the processors is associated with a respective set of the non-volatile memory devices, and is configured to receive one or more of the recipes from the main controller and to execute the memory operations specified in the received recipes in the non-volatile memory devices belonging to the respective set.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Michael Shachar, Barak Rotbard, Oren Golov, Uri Perlmutter, Dotan Sokolov, Julian Vlaiko, Yair Schwartz
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Patent number: 8977805Abstract: In a system that includes a host and a memory controller that is separate from the host and stores data for the host in a non-volatile memory, a method for data storage includes transferring from the memory controller to the host one or more source blocks from the non-volatile memory for compaction. The source blocks are compacted in the host by copying valid data from the source blocks into one or more destination blocks. The destination blocks are transferred from the host to the memory controller, and the destination blocks are stored by the memory controller in the non-volatile memory.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ariel Maislos, Barak Rotbard