Patents by Inventor Dennis Ea

Dennis Ea 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: 9728262
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory systems with multi-write direction memory units are disclosed. In one implementation an apparatus comprises a non-volatile memory and a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to select an empty memory block of the non-volatile memory for the storage of data; examine an identifier associated with the memory block to determine a write direction for the storage of data; and write data to the memory block beginning with an initial word line of the memory block or a last word line of the memory block dependent on the write direction. The controller is further configured to erase the memory unit and, in response to erasing the memory unit, modify the identifier to change the write direction for a subsequent write of data to the memory block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Baran, Aaron Lee, Mrinal Kochar, Mikhail Palityka, Dennis Ea, Yew Yin Ng, Abhijeet Bhalerao
  • Publication number: 20170125104
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory systems with multi-write direction memory units are disclosed. In one implementation an apparatus comprises a non-volatile memory and a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to select an empty memory block of the non-volatile memory for the storage of data; examine an identifier associated with the memory block to determine a write direction for the storage of data; and write data to the memory block beginning with an initial word line of the memory block or a last word line of the memory block dependent on the write direction. The controller is further configured to erase the memory unit and, in response to erasing the memory unit, modify the identifier to change the write direction for a subsequent write of data to the memory block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ivan Baran, Aaron Lee, Mrinal Kochar, Mikhail Palityka, Dennis Ea, Yew Yin Ng, Abhijeet Bhalerao
  • Publication number: 20160180945
    Abstract: A method of searching for a boundary between a written portion and an unwritten portion of an open block may include performing a word line by word line binary search of a first physical area of the open block to identify a last written word line of the first physical area of the block, and subsequently, searching in at least a second physical area of the open block based on the last written word line of the first physical area of the block as identified by the binary search.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Yew Yin Ng, Gautam Dusija, Dennis Ea, Mrinal Kochar
  • Patent number: 8924626
    Abstract: A method and system for phasing power-intensive operations is disclosed. A non-volatile storage device controller detects a power reset. The controller is in communication with non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. In response to detecting a power reset, the controller determines a current consumption necessary to reset the non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. The controller simultaneously resets all of the non-volatile memories when the determined current consumption is less than a current consumption threshold. If the determined current consumption is greater than the current consumption threshold, the controller resets a first subset of the plurality of non-volatile memories, and after a predetermined delay, resets a second subset of the non-volatile memories. Therefore, a power-intensive operation may be performed without exceeding a current consumption threshold by dividing the operation into a sequence of steps that do not exceed the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Dennis Ea, Jianmin Huang, Alexander Kwok-Tung Mak, Farookh Moogat
  • Publication number: 20110271036
    Abstract: A method and system for phasing power-intensive operations is disclosed. A non-volatile storage device controller detects a power reset. The controller is in communication with non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. In response to detecting a power reset, the controller determines a current consumption necessary to reset the non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. The controller simultaneously resets all of the non-volatile memories when the determined current consumption is less than a current consumption threshold. If the determined current consumption is greater than the current consumption threshold, the controller resets a first subset of the plurality of non-volatile memories, and after a predetermined delay, resets a second subset of the non-volatile memories. Therefore, a power-intensive operation may be performed without exceeding a current consumption threshold by dividing the operation into a sequence of steps that do not exceed the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Dennis Ea, Jianmin Huang, Alexander Kwok-Tung Mak, Farookh Moogat