Patents by Inventor Masahiro Kano

Masahiro Kano 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: 11776640
    Abstract: A method for programming a non-volatile memory structure, comprises initiating a two-dimensional fractional number of bits-per-cell programming scheme of a plurality of memory cells, wherein the memory structure comprises: (1) a first memory array comprising a first population of memory cells and the associated peripheral circuitry disposed below the first population of cells, (2) a second memory array positioned above the first memory array and comprising a second population of memory cells and associated peripheral circuitry disposed above the second population of cells, and (3) a data bus tap electrically coupling the first and second memory arrays. Further, the method comprises: (1) storing input data in data latches associated with the first array and with the second array. Additionally, the method comprises converting the stored data using data conversion logic implemented by a data path circuit of the first and second arrays and rewriting the converted data to the latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kei Kitamura, Yuki Fujita, Kyosuke Matsumoto, Masahiro Kano, Minoru Yamashita, Ryuji Yamashita, Shuzo Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20230131117
    Abstract: A method for programming a non-volatile memory structure, comprises initiating a two-dimensional fractional number of bits-per-cell programming scheme of a plurality of memory cells, wherein the memory structure comprises: (1) a first memory array comprising a first population of memory cells and the associated peripheral circuitry disposed below the first population of cells, (2) a second memory array positioned above the first memory array and comprising a second population of memory cells and associated peripheral circuitry disposed above the second population of cells, and (3) a data bus tap electrically coupling the first and second memory arrays. Further, the method comprises: (1) storing input data in data latches associated with the first array and with the second array. Additionally, the method comprises converting the stored data using data conversion logic implemented by a data path circuit of the first and second arrays and rewriting the converted data to the latches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kei Kitamura, Yuki Fujita, Kyosuke Matsumoto, Masahiro Kano, Minoru Yamashita, Ryuji Yamashita, Shuzo Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20230110995
    Abstract: A method for programming a non-volatile memory structure, wherein the method comprises initiating a two-dimensional fractional number of bits-per-cell programming scheme with respect to at least a first memory cell and a second memory cell of a plurality of memory cells of the memory structure, wherein the memory structure comprises: (1) a first memory array that comprises a first population of the plurality of memory cells and associated peripheral circuitry disposed below the first population of the plurality of memory cells, (2) a second memory array that is positioned above the first memory array and comprises a second population of the plurality of memory cells and the associated peripheral circuitry that is disposed above the second population of the plurality of memory cells, and (3) a data bus tap electrically coupling the first memory array and the second memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Yuki Fujita, Kei Kitamura, Kyosuke Matsumoto, Masahiro Kano, Minoru Yamashita, Ryuji Yamashita, Shuzo Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11488669
    Abstract: A method for programming three page user data in a memory array of a non-volatile memory system, comprising converting each three-bit value data pattern of the user data into a representative pair of two-bit data values, simultaneously programming two single-state memory cells with a first of the pair of representative two-bit data values, wherein the two single-state memory cells are located along a first common word line of two memory cell strings, and simultaneously programming two single-state memory cells with a second of the pair of representative two-bit data values, wherein the two single-state memory cells are located along a second common word line of the two memory cell strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Keiji Nose, Hiroki Yabe, Masahiro Kano, Yuki Fujita
  • Publication number: 20220208270
    Abstract: A method for programming three page user data in a memory array of a non-volatile memory system, comprising converting each three-bit value data pattern of the user data into a representative pair of two-bit data values, simultaneously programming two single-state memory cells with a first of the pair of representative two-bit data values, wherein the two single-state memory cells are located along a first common word line of two memory cell strings, and simultaneously programming two single-state memory cells with a second of the pair of representative two-bit data values, wherein the two single-state memory cells are located along a second common word line of the two memory cell strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Keiji Nose, Hiroki Yabe, Masahiro Kano, Yuki Fujita
  • Patent number: 10910044
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pair of memory cells configured to represent data using joint data states where one of the joint data states comprises an error-prone joint data state. The apparatus further includes an encoder configured to convert user data into joint data states according to a dual-cell gray-code encoding scheme in which the error-prone joint data state does not encode user data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Hiroki Yabe, Masahiro Kano
  • Publication number: 20200105340
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pair of memory cells configured to represent data using joint data states where one of the joint data states comprises an error-prone joint data state. The apparatus further includes an encoder configured to convert user data into joint data states according to a dual-cell gray-code encoding scheme in which the error-prone joint data state does not encode user data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroki Yabe, Masahiro Kano