Patents by Inventor Kengo Kurose

Kengo Kurose 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).

  • Publication number: 20230360714
    Abstract: A memory system according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor memory, and a memory controller. The semiconductor memory comprises memory cells and word lines. Each of the word lines is connected to the memory cells. The memory controller executes a patrol operation including a read operation of the semiconductor memory. The word lines are classified into one of first and second groups. The memory controller executes patrol operations in which the word lines are respectively selected in a first patrol period and, in a second patrol period subsequent to the first patrol period, executes a patrol operation in which the word line included in the first group is selected and omits a patrol operation in which the word line included in the second group is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsukasa TOKUTOMI, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Kiwamu WATANABE, Kengo KUROSE
  • Publication number: 20230297473
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a memory controller obtains first data in a first page using a first voltage, obtains a first shift amount based on a first and second number. The first and second numbers represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in a first and second manner between the first data and first expected data. The controller obtains second data in the second page using a second voltage and a second shift amount, and obtains a third shift amount based on a third and fourth number, the third and fourth numbers respectively represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in the first and second manner between the second data and second expected data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Marie TAKADA
  • Patent number: 11756642
    Abstract: A memory system according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor memory, and a memory controller. The semiconductor memory comprises memory cells and word lines. Each of the word lines is connected to the memory cells. The memory controller executes a patrol operation including a read operation of the semiconductor memory. The word lines are classified into one of first and second groups. The memory controller executes patrol operations in which the word lines are respectively selected in a first patrol period and, in a second patrol period subsequent to the first patrol period, executes a patrol operation in which the word line included in the first group is selected and omits a patrol operation in which the word line included in the second group is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Tokutomi, Masanobu Shirakawa, Kiwamu Watanabe, Kengo Kurose
  • Patent number: 11755236
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a shift register memory writes data having a first size corresponding to a capacity of a block to a plurality of layers of a plurality of data storing shift strings included in the block, in response to a first command sequence specifying a first write mode from a controller. In response to a second command sequence specifying a second write mode from the controller, the shift register memory writes data having a second size smaller than the capacity of the block to the plurality of layers of one or more first data storing shift strings of the plurality of data storing shift strings, without writing data to each of other data storing shift strings except the one or more first data storing shift strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo Kurose, Masanobu Shirakawa, Naomi Takeda, Hideki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11698834
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a memory controller obtains first data in a first page using a first voltage, obtains a first shift amount based on a first and second number. The first and second numbers represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in a first and second manner between the first data and first expected data. The controller obtains second data in the second page using a second voltage and a second shift amount, and obtains a third shift amount based on a third and fourth number, the third and fourth numbers respectively represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in the first and second manner between the second data and second expected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Kurose, Masanobu Shirakawa, Marie Takada
  • Patent number: 11609814
    Abstract: A memory system includes a semiconductor storage device and a memory controller including a storage circuit that stores correction value for read voltages in association with the word line, and a control circuit that reads data from the memory cells, performs a correction operation on the read data to determine a number of error bits therein, determines the correction value for each read voltage based on the number of error bits and a ratio of a lower tail fail bit count and an upper tail fail bit count, and stores the correction values for the read voltages in the storage circuit. The lower tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in a first state having threshold voltages of an adjacent state, and the upper tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in the adjacent state having threshold voltages of the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo Kurose, Masanobu Shirakawa
  • Publication number: 20230047861
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory device and a controller. The semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell configured to store data. The controller is configured to output a first parameter and a first command. The first parameter relates to an erase voltage for a first erase operation with respect to the first memory cell. The first command instructs the first erase operation. The controller outputs the first command after outputting the first parameter to the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Hideki YAMADA, Marie TAKADA
  • Patent number: 11514986
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory device and a controller. The semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell configured to store data. The controller is configured to output a first parameter and a first command. The first parameter relates to an erase voltage for a first erase operation with respect to the first memory cell. The first command instructs the first erase operation. The controller outputs the first command after outputting the first parameter to the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo Kurose, Masanobu Shirakawa, Hideki Yamada, Marie Takada
  • Publication number: 20220245030
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a memory controller obtains first data in a first page using a first voltage, obtains a first shift amount based on a first and second number. The first and second numbers represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in a first and second manner between the first data and first expected data. The controller obtains second data in the second page using a second voltage and a second shift amount, and obtains a third shift amount based on a third and fourth number, the third and fourth numbers respectively represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in the first and second manner between the second data and second expected data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Marie TAKADA
  • Patent number: 11334432
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a memory controller obtains first data in a first page using a first voltage, obtains a first shift amount based on a first and second number. The first and second numbers represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in a first and second manner between the first data and first expected data. The controller obtains second data in the second page using a second voltage and a second shift amount, and obtains a third shift amount based on a third and fourth number, the third and fourth numbers respectively represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in the first and second manner between the second data and second expected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Kurose, Masanobu Shirakawa, Marie Takada
  • Publication number: 20220066688
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a shift register memory writes data having a first size corresponding to a capacity of a block to a plurality of layers of a plurality of data storing shift strings included in the block, in response to a first command sequence specifying a first write mode from a controller. In response to a second command sequence specifying a second write mode from the controller, the shift register memory writes data having a second size smaller than the capacity of the block to the plurality of layers of one or more first data storing shift strings of the plurality of data storing shift strings, without writing data to each of other data storing shift strings except the one or more first data storing shift strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Naomi TAKEDA, Hideki YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20220044738
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a nonvolatile memory and a memory controller. The memory controller is configured: to store, in a buffer, a data set read from a cell unit, and an expected data set generated by an error correction on the data set; to count a number of first and second memory cells corresponding to a first and a second combination of data in the data set and the expected data set, respectively, among the memory cells in the cell unit; to calculate a shift amount of a read voltage used in a read operation from the cell unit, based on the number of the first and second memory cells; and to apply the shift amount to a next read operation from the first cell unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa TOKUTOMI, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Kengo KUROSE, Marie TAKADA, Ryo YAMAKI, Kiyotaka IWASAKI, Yoshihisa KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20220028460
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory device and a controller. The semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell configured to store data. The controller is configured to output a first parameter and a first command. The first parameter relates to an erase voltage for a first erase operation with respect to the first memory cell. The first command instructs the first erase operation. The controller outputs the first command after outputting the first parameter to the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Hideki YAMADA, Marie TAKADA
  • Publication number: 20220005537
    Abstract: A memory system according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor memory, and a memory controller. The semiconductor memory comprises memory cells and word lines. Each of the word lines is connected to the memory cells. The memory controller executes a patrol operation including a read operation of the semiconductor memory. The word lines are classified into one of first and second groups. The memory controller executes patrol operations in which the word lines are respectively selected in a first patrol period and, in a second patrol period subsequent to the first patrol period, executes a patrol operation in which the word line included in the first group is selected and omits a patrol operation in which the word line included in the second group is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa TOKUTOMI, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Kiwamu WATANABE, Kengo KUROSE
  • Patent number: 11195585
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a nonvolatile memory and a memory controller. The memory controller is configured: to store, in a buffer, a data set read from a cell unit, and an expected data set generated by an error correction on the data set; to count a number of first and second memory cells corresponding to a first and a second combination of data in the data set and the expected data set, respectively, among the memory cells in the cell unit; to calculate a shift amount of a read voltage used in a read operation from the cell unit, based on the number of the first and second memory cells; and to apply the shift amount to a next read operation from the first cell unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Tokutomi, Masanobu Shirakawa, Kengo Kurose, Marie Takada, Ryo Yamaki, Kiyotaka Iwasaki, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210357289
    Abstract: A memory system includes a semiconductor storage device and a memory controller including a storage circuit that stores correction value for read voltages in association with the word line, and a control circuit that reads data from the memory cells, performs a correction operation on the read data to determine a number of error bits therein, determines the correction value for each read voltage based on the number of error bits and a ratio of a lower tail fail bit count and an upper tail fail bit count, and stores the correction values for the read voltages in the storage circuit. The lower tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in a first state having threshold voltages of an adjacent state, and the upper tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in the adjacent state having threshold voltages of the first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11152075
    Abstract: A memory system according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor memory, and a memory controller. The semiconductor memory comprises memory cells and word lines. Each of the word lines is connected to the memory cells. The memory controller executes a patrol operation including a read operation of the semiconductor memory. The word lines are classified into one of first and second groups. The memory controller executes patrol operations in which the word lines are respectively selected in a first patrol period and, in a second patrol period subsequent to the first patrol period, executes a patrol operation in which the word line included in the first group is selected and omits a patrol operation in which the word line included in the second group is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Tokutomi, Masanobu Shirakawa, Kiwamu Watanabe, Kengo Kurose
  • Patent number: 11099931
    Abstract: A memory system includes a semiconductor storage device and a memory controller including a storage circuit that stores correction value for read voltages in association with the word line, and a control circuit that reads data from the memory cells, performs a correction operation on the read data to determine a number of error bits therein, determines the correction value for each read voltage based on the number of error bits and a ratio of a lower tail fail bit count and an upper tail fail bit count, and stores the correction values for the read voltages in the storage circuit. The lower tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in a first state having threshold voltages of an adjacent state, and the upper tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in the adjacent state having threshold voltages of the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Kurose, Masanobu Shirakawa
  • Publication number: 20210096949
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a memory controller obtains first data in a first page using a first voltage, obtains a first shift amount based on a first and second number. The first and second numbers represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in a first and second manner between the first data and first expected data. The controller obtains second data in the second page using a second voltage and a second shift amount, and obtains a third shift amount based on a third and fourth number, the third and fourth numbers respectively represent numbers of bits each of which has different values in the first and second manner between the second data and second expected data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA, Marie TAKADA
  • Publication number: 20200409788
    Abstract: A memory system includes a semiconductor storage device and a memory controller including a storage circuit that stores correction value for read voltages in association with the word line, and a control circuit that reads data from the memory cells, performs a correction operation on the read data to determine a number of error bits therein, determines the correction value for each read voltage based on the number of error bits and a ratio of a lower tail fail bit count and an upper tail fail bit count, and stores the correction values for the read voltages in the storage circuit. The lower tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in a first state having threshold voltages of an adjacent state, and the upper tail fail bit count represents the number of memory cells in the adjacent state having threshold voltages of the first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Kengo KUROSE, Masanobu SHIRAKAWA