Patents by Inventor Manuel Antonio D'Abreu

Manuel Antonio D'Abreu 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: 20140173180
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a memory and a controller and may perform a method that includes updating, in the controller, a value of a particular counter of a set of counters in response to a read access to a particular region of the non-volatile memory that is tracked by the particular counter. Read accesses to a first region of the non-volatile memory are tracked by a first counter of the set of counters and read accesses to a second region of the non-volatile memory are tracked by a second counter of the set of counters. The method includes, in response to the value of the particular counter indicating that a count of read accesses to the particular region equals or exceeds a first threshold, initiating a remedial action to the particular region of the non-volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Patent number: 8737130
    Abstract: A method includes determining a programming step size for a word line of a memory in a data storage device. The programming step size is determined at least partially based on a count of memory elements of the word line to be programmed to a particular state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Dimitris Pantelakis, Stephen Skala
  • Publication number: 20140068382
    Abstract: In a data storage device that includes a non-volatile memory, a method includes determining that a current error correction code page count (CEC) is at least as large as a target error correction code page count (TEC). The CEC is a page count of error correction code (ECC) pages of data read from the memory during a time period from a previous time to a particular time using a set of reference voltages. In response to the CEC being at least as large as the TEC, the method includes updating a subset of the set of reference voltages conditioned upon a difference between a current mean error count (CMEC) and a previous mean error count being at least as large as a target mean delta error. The CMEC is based on a count of read errors associated with the ECC pages read during the time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: SATEESH DESIREDDI, JAYAPRAKASH NARADASI, ANAND VENKITACHALAM, MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20140029336
    Abstract: A method includes, in a data storage device that includes a non-volatile memory, selecting an updated reference voltage as one of a reference voltage, a first alternate reference voltage and a second alternate reference voltage. The first alternate reference voltage and the second alternate reference voltage are calculated based on the reference voltage and based on a voltage increment. Selection of the updated reference voltage is based on a comparison of error counts, each error count associated with a unique one of the reference voltage, the first alternate reference voltage, and the second alternate reference voltage. The method includes resetting the reference voltage to the updated reference voltage, resetting the voltage increment to a reset voltage increment that is smaller than the voltage increment, and selecting an additional updated reference voltage based on the reset reference voltage and based on the reset voltage increment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: ANAND VENKITACHALAM, SATEESH DESIREDDI, JAYAPRAKASH NARADASI, MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20130275832
    Abstract: A method in a data storage device including a memory and an error correction coding (ECC) engine. A first ECC page including a data block and first main ECC data is stored to the memory. The first main ECC data is usable by the ECC engine to correct errors in the first ECC page. A second ECC page including first additional ECC data is also stored to the memory. The first additional ECC data is usable by the ECC engine to correct errors in a single sub-block of multiple sub-blocks within the data block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20130275651
    Abstract: A method includes decreasing a programming step size from a first value to a second value for a block of a memory device. The programming step size is decreased at least partially based on determining that an error count corresponding to the block satisfies a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Patent number: 8560919
    Abstract: A method in a data storage device with a memory includes receiving bit values to be stored at a set of cells of the memory and interleaving the received bit values to form multiple interleaved groups of data bits according to an adjustable parameter. The method also includes writing the multiple interleaved groups of data bits to the set of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala, Jayaprakash Naradasi, Anand Venkitachalam
  • Publication number: 20130246878
    Abstract: A method may be performed at a data storage device that includes a memory and a controller. The method includes providing user data to a variable-bit error correction coding (ECC) encoder. The ECC encoder generates a first set of parity bits. A first number of parity bits in the first set of parity bits is determined based on stored counts of read errors. The method also includes storing the user data and the first set of parity bits to a memory of the data storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: DEEPAK PANCHOLI, MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Patent number: 8539313
    Abstract: A method includes, after data is stored at a data area of a memory device and error correction code (ECC) data corresponding to the data is stored at an ECC area corresponding to the data area, detecting a triggering condition. In response to detecting the triggering condition, the method also includes storing second ECC data in the ECC area, where the second ECC data includes redundant information for a first portion of the data area and storing third ECC data at the memory device. The third ECC data includes redundant information for a second portion of the data area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
  • Publication number: 20130238955
    Abstract: A method includes initiating a first decode operation of data at an error correction code (ECC) hard bit decoder in a data storage device that includes a controller and a memory. The method further includes, in response to the first decode operation indicating that the data is uncorrectable by the first decode operation, identifying one or more bits of the data that correspond to a disturb condition test pattern, changing a value of the one or more identified bits of the data to generate modified data, and initiating a second decode operation at the ECC hard bit decoder using the modified data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20130223151
    Abstract: A method includes determining a programming step size for a word line of a memory in a data storage device. The programming step size is determined at least partially based on a count of memory elements of the word line to be programmed to a particular state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Patent number: 8484542
    Abstract: A method in a data storage device receiving data including a data block and main error correction coding (ECC) data for the data block. The data block includes a first sub-block of data and a second sub-block of data. The method also includes initiating an ECC operation to process the data block using the main ECC data. In response to the ECC operation indicating uncorrectable errors in the data block, first additional ECC data that is external to the data block is retrieved and a second ECC operation is initiated to process the first sub-block of data using the first additional ECC data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio d'Abreu, Stephen Skala
  • Publication number: 20130159766
    Abstract: A method of managing wear leveling in a data storage device includes determining whether a reliability measurement associated with a first portion of a first nonvolatile memory die satisfies a threshold. The first nonvolatile memory die is included in a plurality of memory dies. The method includes, in response to determining that the reliability measurement associated with the first portion of the first nonvolatile memory die satisfies the threshold, transferring first data from the first portion of the first nonvolatile memory die to a second nonvolatile memory die of the plurality of memory dies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
  • Patent number: 8429468
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, at a controller coupled to a memory array, a method includes receiving an indication that a first group of data bits read from the memory array includes errors that are uncorrectable by an error correction coding (ECC) engine. A count of the first group of data bits having a particular bit value may be compared to a prior count of data bits having the particular bit value. In response to determining that the count exceeds the prior count, a bit of the first group of data bits that has the particular bit value and that corresponds to a same memory cell as a corrected data bit of a second group of data bits is identified. A value of the identified bit of the first group may be changed to generate an adjusted group of data bits. The adjusted group of data bits may be provided to the ECC engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio d'Abreu, Stephen Skala, Carlos Joseph Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8418026
    Abstract: A method in a memory device includes receiving data including a data block and main error correction coding (ECC) data for the data block. The data block includes a first sub-block of data and first ECC data corresponding to the first sub-block. An ECC operation is initiated to process the data block using the main ECC data. In response to the ECC operation indicating uncorrectable errors in the data, a first sub-block ECC operation is initiated to process the first sub-block of data using the first ECC data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
  • Publication number: 20130073924
    Abstract: A data storage device includes a memory including a plurality of storage elements. The memory is configured to read a group of the storage elements using a first read voltage to obtain a first plurality of bit values. A controller is coupled to the memory. The controller is configured to initiate a first error correction code (ECC) procedure on the first plurality of bit values. In response to the first ECC procedure determining that the first plurality of bit values is not correctable, the controller is further configured to instruct the memory to read the group of the storage elements using a second read voltage to obtain a second plurality of bit values, and to change one or more values of the first plurality of bit values to corresponding values of the second plurality of bit values to generate a first plurality of corrected bit values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20130003480
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first memory die including a first memory core, a second memory die including a second memory core, and a periphery die coupled to the first memory die and to the second memory die. The periphery die includes periphery circuitry corresponding to the first memory core and periphery circuitry corresponding to the second memory core. The periphery die is responsive to a memory controller and configured to initiate a first memory operation at the first memory core and a second memory operation at the second memory core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, DEEPAK PANCHOLI
  • Publication number: 20130007349
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first semiconductor device including a NAND flash memory core. The apparatus also includes a second semiconductor device including periphery circuitry associated with the NAND flash memory core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, DEEPAK PANCHOLI
  • Publication number: 20130007350
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first semiconductor device including a memory core. The apparatus also includes a second semiconductor device including periphery circuitry associated with the memory core. The second semiconductor device includes a second serializer/deserializer communication interface coupled to a first serializer/deserializer communication interface of a memory controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, DEEPAK PANCHOLI
  • Patent number: 8341498
    Abstract: A method includes reading data from a data area of a word line and reading first ECC data from an ECC area of the word line. The method also includes, in response to determining that an error indicator exceeds a threshold, storing second ECC data in the ECC area. The second ECC data corresponds to a subsection of the data area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala