Patents by Inventor Charles Moana Hook

Charles Moana Hook 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: 9218895
    Abstract: A memory card and methods for testing memory cards are disclosed herein. The memory card has a test interface that allows testing large numbers of memory cards together. Each memory card may have a serial data I/O contact and a test select contact. The memory cards may only send data via the serial data I/O contact when selected, which may allow many memory cards to be connected to the same serial data line during test. Moreover, existing test socket boards may be used without adding additional external circuitry. Thus, cost effective testing of memory cards is provided. In some embodiments, the test interface allows for a serial built in self test (BIST).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Moana Hook, Loc Tu, Nyi Nyi Thein, James Floyd Cardosa, Ian Arthur Myers
  • Publication number: 20140351653
    Abstract: A memory card and methods for testing memory cards are disclosed herein. The memory card has a test interface that allows testing large numbers of memory cards together. Each memory card may have a serial data I/O contact and a test select contact. The memory cards may only send data via the serial data I/O contact when selected, which may allow many memory cards to be connected to the same serial data line during test. Moreover, existing test socket boards may be used without adding additional external circuitry. Thus, cost effective testing of memory cards is provided. In some embodiments, the test interface allows for a serial built in self test (BIST).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Charles Moana Hook, Loc Tu, Nyi Nyi Thein, James Floyd Cardosa, Ian Arthur Myers
  • Patent number: 8826086
    Abstract: A memory card and methods for testing memory cards are disclosed herein. The memory card has a test interface that allows testing large numbers of memory cards together. Each memory card may have a serial data I/O contact and a test select contact. The memory cards may only send data via the serial data I/O contact when selected, which may allow many memory cards to be connected to the same serial data line during test. Moreover, existing test socket boards may be used without adding additional external circuitry. Thus, cost effective testing of memory cards is provided. In some embodiments, the test interface allows for a serial built in self test (BIST).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Moana Hook, Loc Tu, Nyi Nyi Thein, James Floyd Cardosa, Ian Arthur Myers
  • Patent number: 8446772
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for automatically self-disabling a memory die in the event that a programmable element on the memory die for indicating whether the memory die is defective cannot be trusted. Memory die are provided with chip enable circuitry to allow particular memory die to be disabled. If the programmable element can be trusted, the state of the programmable element is provided to the chip enable circuitry to enable/disable the memory die based on the state. However, if the programmable element cannot be trusted, then the chip enable circuitry may automatically disable the memory die. This provides a greater yield for multi-chip memory packages because packages having memory die with a programmable element that cannot be trusted can still be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Nyi Nyi Thein
  • Publication number: 20130033935
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for automatically self-disabling a memory die in the event that a programmable element on the memory die for indicating whether the memory die is defective cannot be trusted. Memory die are provided with chip enable circuitry to allow particular memory die to be disabled. If the programmable element can be trusted, the state of the programmable element is provided to the chip enable circuitry to enable/disable the memory die based on the state. However, if the programmable element cannot be trusted, then the chip enable circuitry may automatically disable the memory die. This provides a greater yield for multi-chip memory packages because packages having memory die with a programmable element that cannot be trusted can still be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Nyi Nyi Thein
  • Publication number: 20120201091
    Abstract: A memory card and methods for testing memory cards are disclosed herein. The memory card has a test interface that allows testing large numbers of memory cards together. Each memory card may have a serial data I/O contact and a test select contact. The memory cards may only send data via the serial data I/O contact when selected, which may allow many memory cards to be connected to the same serial data line during test. Moreover, existing test socket boards may be used without adding additional external circuitry. Thus, cost effective testing of memory cards is provided. In some embodiments, the test interface allows for a serial built in self test (BIST).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Charles Moana Hook, Loc Tu, Nyi Nyi Thein, James Floyd Cardosa, Ian Arthur Myers
  • Patent number: 8018769
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be used to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Yan Li
  • Publication number: 20100020614
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be used to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: LOC TU, CHARLES MOANA HOOK, YAN LI
  • Patent number: 7606077
    Abstract: High performance non-volatile memory devices have the programming voltages trimmed for individual types of memory pages and word lines. A group of word lines within each erasable block of memory are tested successive program loops to minimize the problem of incurring excessive number of erase/program cycles. An optimum programming voltage for a given type of memory pages is derived from statistical results of a sample of similar of memory pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Li, Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook
  • Patent number: 7606091
    Abstract: High performance non-volatile memory devices have the programming voltages trimmed for individual types of memory pages and word lines. A group of word lines within each erasable block of memory are tested in successive program loops to minimize the problem of incurring excessive number of erase/program cycles. An optimum programming voltage for a given type of memory pages is derived from statistical results of a sample of similar of memory pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Li, Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook
  • Patent number: 7599223
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Yan Li
  • Patent number: 7453731
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sandisk Corporation
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Yan Li
  • Publication number: 20080062785
    Abstract: High performance non-volatile memory devices have the programming voltages trimmed for individual types of memory pages and word lines. A group of word lines within each erasable block of memory are tested successive program loops to minimize the problem of incurring excessive number of erase/program cycles. An optimum programming voltage for a given type of memory pages is derived from statistical results of a sample of similar of memory pages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Yan Li, Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook
  • Publication number: 20080062765
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Yan Li
  • Publication number: 20080062770
    Abstract: In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook, Yan Li
  • Publication number: 20080062768
    Abstract: High performance non-volatile memory devices have the programming voltages trimmed for individual types of memory pages and word lines. A group of word lines within each erasable block of memory are tested in successive program loops to minimize the problem of incurring excessive number of erase/program cycles. An optimum programming voltage for a given type of memory pages is derived from statistical results of a sample of similar of memory pages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Yan Li, Loc Tu, Charles Moana Hook