Patents by Inventor Michael Sheperek

Michael Sheperek 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: 11941277
    Abstract: An example memory sub-system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is configured to initiate a scan process on a plurality of block families of the memory device; responsive to determining, based on the scan process, that a first block family of the plurality of block families and a second block family of the plurality of block families meet a combining criterion, merge the first block family and the second block family; and responsive to determining that a terminating condition has been satisfied, terminate the scan process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Nowell, Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu
  • Patent number: 11940892
    Abstract: A system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is to perform operations, including initializing a block family associated with the memory device; aggregating temperature values received from one or more temperature sensors of the memory device over time to determine an aggregate temperature; responsive to beginning to program a block residing on the memory device, associating the block with the block family; and in response to the aggregate temperature being greater than or equal to a specified threshold temperature value: performing a soft closure of the block family; initializing an extension timer; continuing to program data to the block; and performing a hard closure of the block family in response to one of the extension timer reaching an extension time value or the block family satisfying a hard closure criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Steven S. Williams
  • Patent number: 11915776
    Abstract: A method can include receiving a request to read data from a block of a memory device, identifying a block family associated with the block of the memory device, identifying a voltage distribution parameter value associated with the block family, wherein the voltage distribution parameter value reflects an aggregate value of a corresponding voltage distribution associated with a plurality of memory cells of the block family, and determining a set of read levels associated with the voltage distribution parameter value, wherein each read level in the set of read levels corresponds to a respective voltage distribution of at least one memory cell comprised by the block of the memory device. The block family can be identified using a data structure that maps block identifiers to corresponding block family identifiers. The voltage distribution parameter value can be identified using a data structure that maps block family identifiers to corresponding voltage parameter values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Shane Nowell, Mustafa N Kaynak, Larry J Koudele
  • Patent number: 11908536
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments related to first-pass continuous read level calibration (cRLC) operations on memory cells of memory systems. A processing device determines that a first programming pass of a programming operation has been performed on a memory cell of a memory component. The processing device then adjusts a read level threshold of the memory cell to be centered between a first programming distribution and a second programming distribution before the second programming pass of the programming operation is performed on the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Publication number: 20240045605
    Abstract: A system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. In some embodiments, the processing device accesses a matrix of threshold voltage offset bins, where a first dimension of the matrix is temperature and a second dimension of the matrix is a temporal voltage shift (TVS) amount. The processing device measures a temperature value based on a reference temperature value for a block family. The processing device measures a TVS value of a voltage level within one or more memory cell of the block family. The processing device retrieves, from the matrix, a threshold voltage offset bin based on the reference temperature value and the TVS value and reads data from any page of the block family via application of a threshold voltage offset, specified by the threshold voltage offset bin, to a base read level voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11886726
    Abstract: An example memory sub-system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is configured to initialize a block family associated with a memory device; initialize a timeout associated with the block family; initializing a low temperature and a high temperature using a reference temperature at the memory device; responsive to programming a block residing on the memory device, associate the block with the block family; and responsive to at least one of: detecting expiration of the timeout or determining that a difference between the high temperature and the low temperature is greater than or equal to a specified threshold temperature value, close the block family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Bruce A. Liikanen, Peter Feeley, Larry J. Koudele, Shane Nowell, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Publication number: 20240021258
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a memory device and a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device can perform operations including determining a value of a data state metric of a memory page, wherein the data state metric value is reflective of a number of bit errors associated with the memory page; upon determining that the data state metric value satisfies a first threshold criterion, obtaining, from a neural network, a value of a voltage distribution metric associated with the page; and upon determining that the voltage distribution metric value satisfies a second threshold criterion, performing a media management operation with respect to a block associated with the page, wherein the media management operation comprises writing data stored at the block to a new block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Michael Sheperek, Chris Smitchger
  • Patent number: 11862274
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system including a memory device having a plurality of physical cells and a processing device, operatively coupled with the memory device. The processing device maintains association of block families with a first (second, etc.) bin of a plurality of bins, each of the plurality of bins associated with one or more read voltage offsets. The read voltage offsets are used to compensate for a temporal read voltage shift caused by a charge loss by memory cells of the block families. Responsive to an occurrence of a power event, the processing device performs diagnostics of one or more blocks of various block families and determines whether to maintain association of the block families with current bins of the respective block families or to associate the block families with different bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11853556
    Abstract: A system including a memory device and a processing device, the processing device to identify a first temperature level of a first set of memory blocks associated with the memory device, and a second temperature level of a second set of memory blocks associated with the memory device, and determine that a condition is satisfied based on a comparison of the first temperature level, the second temperature level, and an adjustable threshold level. In response to the condition being satisfied, the processing device is to combine the first set of memory blocks and the second set of memory blocks to generate a combined set of memory blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Michael Kientz, Larry J. Koudele, Shane Nowell, Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11842772
    Abstract: A first bin boundary for a first voltage bin associated with a die of a memory device is identified. The first bin boundary corresponds to a first block family associated with the first voltage bin. A first bin boundary offset between the first block family and a second block family is determined. The first bin boundary is updated based on the first bin boundary offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steve Kientz
  • Patent number: 11842061
    Abstract: A system comprising a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is to perform operations including initializing a block family associated with the memory device and measuring an opening temperature of the memory device at initialization of the block family. Responsive to programming a page residing on the memory device, the operations further include associating the page with the block family. The operations further include determining a temperature metric value by integrating, over time, an absolute temperature difference between the opening temperature and an immediate temperature of the memory device. The operations further include closing the block family in response to the temperature metric value being greater than or equal to a specified threshold temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steven Michael Kientz
  • Patent number: 11837291
    Abstract: One or more data units at a memory device and that are associated with one or more dice of a die group comprising a plurality of dice are programmed. A voltage offset bin associated with the plurality of dice in the die group is determined based on a subset of dice of the die group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Shane Nowell
  • Patent number: 11817152
    Abstract: A processing device determines a target bit error rate corresponding to a point of a first programming voltage distribution level corresponding to memory cells of a memory sub-system and a second programming voltage distribution corresponding to the memory cells of the memory sub-system. An offset voltage level corresponding to the point at the target bit error rate is selected. A first portion of a first group of the memory cells in the first programming voltage distribution level is programmed at a threshold voltage level to set a first embedded data value. A second portion of a second group of the memory cells in the second programming voltage distribution level is programmed at the threshold voltage level offset by the offset voltage level to set a second embedded data value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Liikanen, Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele
  • Patent number: 11810631
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed including a memory device and a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device can perform operations including determining a value of a data state metric of a memory page; responsive to the data state metric satisfying a first threshold criterion, determining a value of a voltage distribution metric associated with the page; and responsive to the voltage distribution metric value satisfying a second threshold criterion, performing a media management operation with respect to a block associated with the page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Michael Sheperek, Christopher M. Smitchger
  • Patent number: 11791004
    Abstract: A method includes associating, by a processing device, a set of dies of a block family with a die family, wherein the block family is associated with a first threshold voltage offset bin for voltage offsets to be applied in a read operation; and responsive to detecting a triggering event, associating each die of the set of dies with a second threshold voltage offset bin for voltage offsets to be applied in a read operation, wherein the second threshold voltage offset bin is selected based on a representative die of the set of dies associated with the die family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen, Steve Kientz, Anita Ekren, Gerald Cadloni
  • Patent number: 11789640
    Abstract: A data structure that identifies a characteristic of a region that is located between programming distributions of the memory device and that corresponds to read level thresholds at the region is determined. An estimator type is selected from a plurality of estimator types corresponding with the data structure. A read level threshold of the read level thresholds is estimated using the selected estimator type. A read operation is performed at the memory device using the read level threshold estimated using the selected estimator type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11768619
    Abstract: An example memory sub-system includes a memory device and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory device. The processing device is configured to identify a first block family comprising a first set of blocks, wherein the first block family comprises a plurality of blocks that have been programmed within at least one of a specified time window or a specified temperature window; identify a second block family comprising a second set of blocks; and responsive to a determining that a threshold criterion is satisfied, combine the first block family and the second block family by appending, to first block family metadata of the first block family, a record referencing the second set of blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Shane Nowell
  • Patent number: 11755478
    Abstract: A set of two or more block families associated with a bin boundary of a first voltage bin is identified. A determination of at least a first voltage for a first block family of the plurality of block families and a second voltage for a second block family of the plurality of block families based on values of a data state metric for each of the plurality of block families. In response to a determination that a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage satisfies a block family combination criterion, the second block family is merged with the first block family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Shane Nowell
  • Patent number: 11742027
    Abstract: A system includes a memory array with memory cells and a processing device coupled thereto. The processing device performs program targeting operations that include to: determine a set of difference error counts corresponding to programming distributions of the memory array; identify, based on a comparison of the set of difference error counts, valley margins corresponding to the programming distributions; select, based on values of the valley margins, a program targeting rule from a set of rules; perform, based on the program targeting rule, a program targeting operation to adjust a voltage level associated with an erase distribution of the memory array; determine a bit error rate (BER) of the memory array; in response to the BER satisfying a BER control value, reduce the voltage level by a voltage step; and in response to the BER not satisfying the BER control value, increase the voltage level by the voltage step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Liikanen, Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele
  • Patent number: 11735254
    Abstract: A method can include receiving a request to read data from a block of a memory device coupled with a processing device, determining, using a data structure mapping block identifiers to corresponding voltage distribution parameter values, a voltage distribution parameter value associated with the block of the memory device, determining a set of read levels associated with the voltage distribution parameter value, wherein each read level in the set of read levels corresponds to a respective voltage distribution of at least one memory cell comprised by the block, and reading, using the determined set of read levels, data from the block of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shane Nowell, Steven Michael Kientz, Michael Sheperek, Mustafa N Kaynak, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Larry J Koudele, Bruce A Liikanen