Patents by Inventor Bruce A. Liikanen

Bruce A. Liikanen 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: 11953980
    Abstract: An apparatus includes circuitry configured to generate multiple results, each result using a different read voltage, in response to one or each received data access command. The multiple read results may be used to dynamically calibrate a read voltage assigned to generate a read result in response to a read command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald L. Cadloni, Bruce A. Liikanen, Violante Moschiano
  • Patent number: 11955194
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system that comprises a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled with the memory device, to perform operations that include, responsive to detecting a triggering event, selecting a family of memory blocks of the memory device, the selected family being associated with a set of bins, each bin associated with a plurality of read voltage offsets to be applied to base read voltages during read operations. The operations performed by the processing device further include calibration operations to determine data state metric values characterizing application of read voltage offsets of various bins. The operations performed by the processing device further include identifying, based on the determined data state metrics, a target bin and associating the selected family with the target bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Publication number: 20240111445
    Abstract: An example memory sub-system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is configured to initialize a block family associated with a memory device; initialize a timeout associated with the block family; initializing a low temperature and a high temperature using a reference temperature at the memory device; responsive to programming a block residing on the memory device, associate the block with the block family; and responsive to at least one of: detecting expiration of the timeout or determining that a difference between the high temperature and the low temperature is greater than or equal to a specified threshold temperature value, close the block family.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Bruce A. Liikanen, Peter Feeley, Larry J. Koudele, Shane Nowell, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11934666
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory array including a plurality of memory cells; and a controller coupled to the memory array, the controller configured to: determine a target profile including distribution targets, wherein each of the distribution targets represent a program-verify target corresponding to a logic value for the memory cells, determine a feedback measure based on implementing a processing level for processing data, and dynamically adjust the program-verify target according to the feedback measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11908536
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments related to first-pass continuous read level calibration (cRLC) operations on memory cells of memory systems. A processing device determines that a first programming pass of a programming operation has been performed on a memory cell of a memory component. The processing device then adjusts a read level threshold of the memory cell to be centered between a first programming distribution and a second programming distribution before the second programming pass of the programming operation is performed on the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Publication number: 20240045605
    Abstract: A system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. In some embodiments, the processing device accesses a matrix of threshold voltage offset bins, where a first dimension of the matrix is temperature and a second dimension of the matrix is a temporal voltage shift (TVS) amount. The processing device measures a temperature value based on a reference temperature value for a block family. The processing device measures a TVS value of a voltage level within one or more memory cell of the block family. The processing device retrieves, from the matrix, a threshold voltage offset bin based on the reference temperature value and the TVS value and reads data from any page of the block family via application of a threshold voltage offset, specified by the threshold voltage offset bin, to a base read level voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11886726
    Abstract: An example memory sub-system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is configured to initialize a block family associated with a memory device; initialize a timeout associated with the block family; initializing a low temperature and a high temperature using a reference temperature at the memory device; responsive to programming a block residing on the memory device, associate the block with the block family; and responsive to at least one of: detecting expiration of the timeout or determining that a difference between the high temperature and the low temperature is greater than or equal to a specified threshold temperature value, close the block family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Bruce A. Liikanen, Peter Feeley, Larry J. Koudele, Shane Nowell, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11887676
    Abstract: A program effective time (PET) for programming at least a portion of a plurality of memory cells based on one or more program step characteristics is determined. The determined PET and a target PET is compared. In response to the determined PET being different than the target PET, the one or more program step characteristics is adjusted to adjust the determined PET to the target PET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11862274
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system including a memory device having a plurality of physical cells and a processing device, operatively coupled with the memory device. The processing device maintains association of block families with a first (second, etc.) bin of a plurality of bins, each of the plurality of bins associated with one or more read voltage offsets. The read voltage offsets are used to compensate for a temporal read voltage shift caused by a charge loss by memory cells of the block families. Responsive to an occurrence of a power event, the processing device performs diagnostics of one or more blocks of various block families and determines whether to maintain association of the block families with current bins of the respective block families or to associate the block families with different bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11853556
    Abstract: A system including a memory device and a processing device, the processing device to identify a first temperature level of a first set of memory blocks associated with the memory device, and a second temperature level of a second set of memory blocks associated with the memory device, and determine that a condition is satisfied based on a comparison of the first temperature level, the second temperature level, and an adjustable threshold level. In response to the condition being satisfied, the processing device is to combine the first set of memory blocks and the second set of memory blocks to generate a combined set of memory blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Michael Kientz, Larry J. Koudele, Shane Nowell, Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11842061
    Abstract: A system comprising a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is to perform operations including initializing a block family associated with the memory device and measuring an opening temperature of the memory device at initialization of the block family. Responsive to programming a page residing on the memory device, the operations further include associating the page with the block family. The operations further include determining a temperature metric value by integrating, over time, an absolute temperature difference between the opening temperature and an immediate temperature of the memory device. The operations further include closing the block family in response to the temperature metric value being greater than or equal to a specified threshold temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11842772
    Abstract: A first bin boundary for a first voltage bin associated with a die of a memory device is identified. The first bin boundary corresponds to a first block family associated with the first voltage bin. A first bin boundary offset between the first block family and a second block family is determined. The first bin boundary is updated based on the first bin boundary offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steve Kientz
  • Patent number: 11836345
    Abstract: A memory profiling system can generate profiles for target memory units of a memory component during runtime of the memory component. The memory profiling system can identify target memory units based on trigger conditions such as memory units crossing a specified depth in error recovery, receipt of a vendor specific (VS) command, memory unit retirement, or excessive background scan rates. In some cases, the memory profiling system can identify additional target memory units that are related to identified target memory units. The characterization processes can include computing voltage threshold (vt) distributions, Auto Read Calibration (ARC) analysis, Continuous Read Level Calibration (cRLC) analysis, DiffEC metrics, or gathering memory component metrics. The memory profiling system can store the generated profiles and can utilize the generated profiles to adjust operating parameters of one or more memory elements of the memory device, in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Chew, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11817152
    Abstract: A processing device determines a target bit error rate corresponding to a point of a first programming voltage distribution level corresponding to memory cells of a memory sub-system and a second programming voltage distribution corresponding to the memory cells of the memory sub-system. An offset voltage level corresponding to the point at the target bit error rate is selected. A first portion of a first group of the memory cells in the first programming voltage distribution level is programmed at a threshold voltage level to set a first embedded data value. A second portion of a second group of the memory cells in the second programming voltage distribution level is programmed at the threshold voltage level offset by the offset voltage level to set a second embedded data value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Liikanen, Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele
  • Patent number: 11789640
    Abstract: A data structure that identifies a characteristic of a region that is located between programming distributions of the memory device and that corresponds to read level thresholds at the region is determined. An estimator type is selected from a plurality of estimator types corresponding with the data structure. A read level threshold of the read level thresholds is estimated using the selected estimator type. A read operation is performed at the memory device using the read level threshold estimated using the selected estimator type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11791004
    Abstract: A method includes associating, by a processing device, a set of dies of a block family with a die family, wherein the block family is associated with a first threshold voltage offset bin for voltage offsets to be applied in a read operation; and responsive to detecting a triggering event, associating each die of the set of dies with a second threshold voltage offset bin for voltage offsets to be applied in a read operation, wherein the second threshold voltage offset bin is selected based on a representative die of the set of dies associated with the die family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steve Kientz, Anita Ekren, Gerald Cadloni
  • Patent number: 11748008
    Abstract: A system includes dice and a processing device operatively coupled to the dice. The processing device to perform operations including: storing data of one or more stripes at a first group of dice; determining that the first group of dice has satisfied an endurance condition threshold comprising a predetermined number of write operations or bit errors; changing the endurance condition threshold to a changed endurance condition threshold, wherein the changed endurance condition threshold is based on a number of the first group of dice to come within a threshold percentage of satisfying the endurance condition threshold; and using the changed endurance condition threshold to determine a time to store data of one or more subsequent stripes at a second group of dice, wherein the second group of dice includes at least one die that is not included in the first group of dice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11742027
    Abstract: A system includes a memory array with memory cells and a processing device coupled thereto. The processing device performs program targeting operations that include to: determine a set of difference error counts corresponding to programming distributions of the memory array; identify, based on a comparison of the set of difference error counts, valley margins corresponding to the programming distributions; select, based on values of the valley margins, a program targeting rule from a set of rules; perform, based on the program targeting rule, a program targeting operation to adjust a voltage level associated with an erase distribution of the memory array; determine a bit error rate (BER) of the memory array; in response to the BER satisfying a BER control value, reduce the voltage level by a voltage step; and in response to the BER not satisfying the BER control value, increase the voltage level by the voltage step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Liikanen, Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele
  • Patent number: 11733928
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to read sample offset most probable bit operation associated with a memory component. A processing device generates a first set of read data associated with a memory component, the first set of read data comprising a first sequence of bit values. The processing device generates a second set of read data associated with the memory component, the second set of read data comprising a second sequence of bit values. The processing device generates a third set of read data associated with the memory component, the third set of read data comprising a third sequence of bit values. A most probable bit operation is performed to compare the first sequence of bit values, the second sequence of bit values, and the third sequence of bit values to generate and store a most probable bit sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11735254
    Abstract: A method can include receiving a request to read data from a block of a memory device coupled with a processing device, determining, using a data structure mapping block identifiers to corresponding voltage distribution parameter values, a voltage distribution parameter value associated with the block of the memory device, determining a set of read levels associated with the voltage distribution parameter value, wherein each read level in the set of read levels corresponds to a respective voltage distribution of at least one memory cell comprised by the block, and reading, using the determined set of read levels, data from the block of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Nowell, Steven Michael Kientz, Michael Sheperek, Mustafa N Kaynak, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Larry J Koudele, Bruce A Liikanen