Patents by Inventor Chi-Kong Lee

Chi-Kong Lee 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: 9773557
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for programming data into a multi-plane memory device employ a multi-plane data order. To allow multiple data pages to be programmed without a need to increase the size of page buffers, in some implementations, a data transfer scheme at which the data pages are programmed can be manipulated. Specifically, data across all channels can first be programmed into a first plane of the multi-plane flash memory device in parallel. While the data transfer program operation is in progress, data to be programmed into a succeeding plane (e.g., plane “1”) can be read into and cached in one or more page buffers. After the data transfer program for the first plane is complete, data cached in the page buffers can be immediately latched and programmed into the multi-plane flash memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Goto, Chi-Kong Lee, Masayuki Urabe
  • Patent number: 9547444
    Abstract: Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with selectively scheduling memory accesses in parallel are described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining, by a hardware controller, an access speed associated with a page request. The page request is a request to access a memory page in a memory device. The access speed is a number of clock cycles used to access the memory page addressed by the page request. The method also includes scheduling when the page request will be executed based, at least in part, on the access speed by assigning the page request to be executed in parallel with at least one other page request that is to access a different memory page in the memory device using a same number of clock cycles as the page request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: MARVELL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Xueshi Yang, Chi Kong Lee
  • Patent number: 9348536
    Abstract: In some implementations, a method includes receiving information in a storage device controller from one or more storage devices in a solid state drive system over one or more channels; and for information received over each of the one or more channels, determining whether a condition for sending the information received over the channel to a host device is satisfied, and sending the information received over the channel to the host device when the condition for sending the information is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Tony Yoon, Hyunsuk Shin, Chi Kong Lee
  • Patent number: 9218284
    Abstract: In some implementations, an apparatus includes a first programmable hardware timer that specifies an initial wait time before issuing two or more commands to a storage device, and a second programmable hardware timer that specifies an interval time between at least two commands of the two or more commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Tony Yoon, Akio Goto, Chi Kong Lee, Masayuki Urabe
  • Patent number: 9183141
    Abstract: A system including a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM), an interface module and a control module. The NVSM stores first and second blocks of data. The first or second block of data is non-page based such that a size of the first block of data or a size of the second block of data is not an integer multiple of a page of data. The interface module transfers the first and second blocks of data during respectively a first data transfer event and a second data transfer event. The control module, based on descriptors, controls the first and second data transfer events such that the interface module transfers the first block of data between the interface module and the NVSM while transferring the second block of data between the interface module and the NVSM. The descriptors include respective sets of instructions for transferring the first and second blocks of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Fred Au, Jungil Park, Hyunsuk Shin
  • Patent number: 9158675
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and techniques are provided for processing data from a storage medium. A stripe of data stored on the storage medium is read, where the stripe comprises a plurality of data allocation units (AUs) and a parity AU. Error correction decoding is applied to each of the plurality of data AUs to produce a plurality of decoded data AUs. It is determined whether a value of the parity AU is satisfied by values of bytes in the plurality of decoded data AUs. The plurality of decoded data AUs are output in response to a determination that the value of the parity AU is satisfied by the values of bytes in the plurality of decoded data AUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Siu-Hung Frederick Au, Fei Sun, Hyunsuk Shin, Chi Kong Lee
  • Patent number: 9152553
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to controlling memory devices with a generic command descriptor. In some implementations, an apparatus, systems, or methods can include a memory controller including an interface configured to connect with a NAND memory device and circuitry configured to receive a descriptor of a command sequence including multiple segments for managing the NAND memory device. The descriptor can include option information corresponding to each segment of the command sequence. The circuitry can also be configured to generate the command sequence for managing the NAND memory device based, at least in part, on the option information of the descriptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyunsuk Shin, Chi Kong Lee, Chih-Ching Chen
  • Patent number: 9147470
    Abstract: Apparatus for programming a non-volatile memory, the apparatus having corresponding methods and tangible computer-readable media, comprise: a command memory configured to hold a plurality of command templates, wherein each of the command templates specifies a sequence of pad signals; a state machine configured to i) receive descriptors, wherein each of the descriptors includes a pointer to a respective one of the command templates in the command memory, and ii) generate the sequence of pad signals based on the command template indicated by the respective pointer; and a non-volatile memory interface configured to provide, to pads of the non-volatile memory, the sequence of pad signals generated by the state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: MARVELL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Ching Chen, Hyunsuk Shin, Chi Kong Lee, Xueting Yu
  • Patent number: 9146824
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to management of bit line errors based on a stored set of data. In some implementations, a system can include a device including non-volatile solid state memory and a memory controller. The memory controller can be configured to identify, from the solid state memory of the device, one or more bit line errors for the device upon power up of the system, construct a set of data corresponding to the one or more bit line errors for the device, store the set of data, at least in part, in the device, and, upon a subsequent power up of the system, identify the one or more bit line errors for the device from the stored set of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Ching Chen, Hyunsuk Shin, Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Frederick Au, Jungil Park, Fei Sun
  • Patent number: 9141538
    Abstract: A storage drive including first, second, third, fourth and fifth modules. The first module is configured to control transfer of blocks of data between a host device and the storage drive. The second module is configured to transfer the blocks of data to and from a non-volatile semiconductor memory in the storage drive. The third module is configured to generate a first descriptor, which describes a transfer of blocks of data between the second module and the non-volatile semiconductor memory. The fourth module is configured to, according to the first descriptor, generate second descriptors. Each of the second descriptors corresponds to a respective one of the blocks of data. The fifth module is configured to generate instruction signals based on the second descriptors. The second module is configured to, based on the instruction signals, transfer the blocks of data between the first module and the non-volatile semiconductor memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Frederick Au, Jungil Park, Hyunsuk Shin, Wei Xu, Jinjin He, Fei Sun
  • Patent number: 9081668
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and techniques are provided for writing data to a storage medium. A stripe of the storage medium is interfaced via one or more data transfer channels, where the stripe comprises a plurality of pages of the storage medium. A data stream is received and the data stream is portioned into a plurality of allocation units (AUs), where each AU in the plurality of AUs has a pre-determined byte length. A first portion of a selected AU from the plurality of AUs is written to a first page of the plurality of pages and a second portion of the selected AU is written to a second page of the plurality of pages by consecutively writing bytes of the selected AU from a starting byte on the first page to an ending byte on the second page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: MARVELL WORLD TRADE LTD.
    Inventors: Siu-Hung Frederick Au, Fei Sun, Hyunsuk Shin, Chi Kong Lee
  • Patent number: 8964498
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, systems and methods are provided for reducing an amount of peak power consumption in a device. In certain implementations, a first signal and a second signal are received, wherein the first signal and the second signal are indicative of amounts of power consumption in a device. The first signal is combined with the second signal to generate a combined signal, and at least a portion of the second signal is shifted in time to cause a combination of the first signal and the shifted portion to have a peak amplitude less than a peak amplitude of the combined signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyunsuk Shin, Jungil Park, Chi Kong Lee, Chih-Ching Chen
  • Publication number: 20150039817
    Abstract: A system including a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM), an interface module and a control module. The NVSM stores first and second blocks of data. The first or second block of data is non-page based such that a size of the first block of data or a size of the second block of data is not an integer multiple of a page of data. The interface module transfers the first and second blocks of data during respectively a first data transfer event and a second data transfer event. The control module, based on descriptors, controls the first and second data transfer events such that the interface module transfers the first block of data between the interface module and the NVSM while transferring the second block of data between the interface module and the NVSM. The descriptors include respective sets of instructions for transferring the first and second blocks of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Fred Au, Jungil Park, Hyunsuk Shin
  • Patent number: 8874874
    Abstract: A storage drive includes a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, an interface, an encoder, and a write module. The first integrated circuit includes a first array of memory cells. The second integrated circuit includes a second array of memory cells. The interface is connected to a host. The interface is configured to receive a first block of data transmitted from the host to the storage drive. The encoder is configured to encode the first block of data. The write module is configured to write (i) a first portion of the encoded first block of data to a first row of the first array of memory cells, and (ii) a second portion of the encoded first block of data to a first row of the second array of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Zining Wu, Lau Nguyen, Pantas Sutardja, Chi-Kong Lee, Tony Yoon
  • Patent number: 8868852
    Abstract: A control system includes a control module configured to control data transfer events of blocks of data between an interface management module and a non-volatile semiconductor memory based on at least two descriptors for each one of the data transfer events. The non-volatile semiconductor memory is prepared for a read event or a program event of the data transfer event. The interface management module and the non-volatile semiconductor memory are configured to operate within a solid-state memory drive. A command management module is configured to generate a parameter signal based on the at least two descriptors. The interface management module is configured to generate instruction signals based on the parameter signal and transmit the instruction signals to the non-volatile semiconductor memory to perform the read event or the program event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Fred Au, Jungil Park, Hyunsuk Shin
  • Patent number: 8788781
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for providing a sequencer that schedules job descriptors are described. The sequencer can manage the scheduling of the job descriptors for execution based on the availability of their respective segments and channels. For example, the sequencer can check the status of the segments, and identify one or more segments that are in busy or full state, or one or more segments that are in non-busy or empty state. Based on the status check, the sequencer can execute job descriptors out of order, and in particular, give priorities to job descriptors whose associated segments are available over job descriptors whose associated segments are in busy or full state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Fred Au, Jungil Park, Hyunsuk Shin
  • Patent number: 8762654
    Abstract: Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with selectively scheduling memory accesses in parallel are described. In one embodiment, a method determines an access speed for a page request. The access speed is a number of clock cycles used to access a memory device of a group of memory devices. The page request is a request to access a memory page mapped to the memory device. Different page requests are selectively scheduled to access different memory devices in parallel. The different page requests access the different memory devices in a same number of clock cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Xueshi Yang, Chi Kong Lee
  • Publication number: 20140173197
    Abstract: A storage drive includes a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, an interface, an encoder, and a write module. The first integrated circuit includes a first array of memory cells. The second integrated circuit includes a second array of memory cells. The interface is connected to a host. The interface is configured to receive a first block of data transmitted from the host to the storage drive. The encoder is configured to encode the first block of data. The write module is configured to write (i) a first portion of the encoded first block of data to a first row of the first array of memory cells, and (ii) a second portion of the encoded first block of data to a first row of the second array of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Zining Wu, Lau Nguyen, Pantas Sutardja, Chi-Kong Lee, Tony Yoon
  • Publication number: 20140122786
    Abstract: In some implementations, an apparatus includes a first programmable hardware timer that specifies an initial wait time before issuing two or more commands to a storage device, and a second programmable hardware timer that specifies an interval time between at least two commands of the two or more commands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Tony Yoon, Akio Goto, Chi Kong Lee, Masayuki Urabe
  • Publication number: 20140108714
    Abstract: A storage drive including first, second, third, fourth and fifth modules. The first module is configured to control transfer of blocks of data between a host device and the storage drive. The second module is configured to transfer the blocks of data to and from a non-volatile semiconductor memory in the storage drive. The third module is configured to generate a first descriptor, which describes a transfer of blocks of data between the second module and the non-volatile semiconductor memory. The fourth module is configured to, according to the first descriptor, generate second descriptors. Each of the second descriptors corresponds to a respective one of the blocks of data. The fifth module is configured to generate instruction signals based on the second descriptors. The second module is configured to, based on the instruction signals, transfer the blocks of data between the first module and the non-volatile semiconductor memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: MARVELL WORLD TRADE LTD.
    Inventors: Chi Kong Lee, Siu-Hung Frederick Au, Jungil Park, Hyunsuk Shin, Wei Xu, Jinjin He, Fei Sun