Patents by Inventor Minna LI

Minna LI 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: 11972815
    Abstract: The memory device includes a controller that is configured to program a plurality of memory cells of a selected word line in a plurality of programming loops and count the number of programming loops to complete programming. The controller is also configured to compare the number of programming loops to complete programming of the memory cells of the selected word line to at least one of a predetermined upper limit and a predetermined lower limit to determine if a plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure. In response to the controller making a determination that the plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure, the controller is configured to conduct a post write read operation at least one word line of the plurality of word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ke Zhang, Minna Li, Li Liang
  • Patent number: 11894077
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and operating method are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and disposed in memory holes and configured to retain a threshold voltage. The memory holes are organized in rows grouped in strings. A control means is coupled to the word lines and the memory holes and programs the memory cells associated with a first one of the strings in a program operation and acquire a smart verify programming voltage in a smart verify operation including smart verify loops. The control means discards the smart verify programming voltage and determines another smart verify programming voltage in another smart verify operation on the memory cells associated with a second one of the strings in response to a quantity of the smart verify loops needed to complete programming of the memory cells associated with the first one of the strings being outside a predetermined threshold criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Ke Zhang, Minna Li, Liang Li
  • Patent number: 11894087
    Abstract: The disclosed test circuit includes: an input terminal, a processing circuit, and an output terminal. The input terminal receives an input signal. The input signal includes a test command for indicating a test target circuit module and an address of the target circuit module. The processing circuit responds to the test command and the target. The address of the circuit module determines the test mode signal, the test mode signal carries the test type, the test mode signal is used to trigger the target circuit module to perform the test corresponding to the test type, and the output terminal sends the test mode signal to the target circuit module according to the address of the target circuit module. Thus, the test mode signal can be accurately transmitted to different circuit modules in the memory chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: MinNa Li
  • Publication number: 20230368851
    Abstract: The memory device includes a controller that is configured to program a plurality of memory cells of a selected word line in a plurality of programming loops and count the number of programming loops to complete programming. The controller is also configured to compare the number of programming loops to complete programming of the memory cells of the selected word line to at least one of a predetermined upper limit and a predetermined lower limit to determine if a plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure. In response to the controller making a determination that the plane containing the selected word line is at an elevated risk for read failure, the controller is configured to conduct a post write read operation at least one word line of the plurality of word lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ke Zhang, Minna Li, Li Liang
  • Publication number: 20230268015
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and operating method are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and disposed in memory holes and configured to retain a threshold voltage. The memory holes are organized in rows grouped in strings. A control means is coupled to the word lines and the memory holes and programs the memory cells associated with a first one of the strings in a program operation and acquire a smart verify programming voltage in a smart verify operation including smart verify loops. The control means discards the smart verify programming voltage and determines another smart verify programming voltage in another smart verify operation on the memory cells associated with a second one of the strings in response to a quantity of the smart verify loops needed to complete programming of the memory cells associated with the first one of the strings being outside a predetermined threshold criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ke Zhang, Minna Li, Liang Li
  • Publication number: 20230197179
    Abstract: This application provides a test circuit. The circuit includes: an input terminal, a processing circuit, and an output terminal. The input terminal receives an input signal. The input signal includes a test command for indicating a test target circuit module and an address of the target circuit module. The processing circuit responds to the test command and the target. The address of the circuit module determines the test mode signal, the test mode signal carries the test type, the test mode signal is used to trigger the target circuit module to perform the test corresponding to the test type, and the output terminal sends the test mode signal to the target circuit module according to the address of the target circuit module. Thus, the test mode signal can be accurately transmitted to different circuit modules in the memory chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventor: MinNa LI
  • Patent number: 11621202
    Abstract: Alignment of a first wafer bonded to a second wafer can be determined using electrical wafer alignment methods. A wafer stack can be formed by overlaying a second wafer over a first wafer such that second metal bonding pads of the second wafer contact first metal bonding pads of the first wafer. A leakage current or a capacitance measurement step is performed between first alignment diagnostic structures in the first wafer and second alignment diagnostic structures in the second wafer for multiple mating pairs of first semiconductor dies in the first wafer and second semiconductor dies in the second wafer to determine the alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Jenny Qin, Minna Li
  • Publication number: 20220285233
    Abstract: Alignment of a first wafer bonded to a second wafer can be determined using electrical wafer alignment methods. A wafer stack can be formed by overlaying a second wafer over a first wafer such that second metal bonding pads of the second wafer contact first metal bonding pads of the first wafer. A leakage current or a capacitance measurement step is performed between first alignment diagnostic structures in the first wafer and second alignment diagnostic structures in the second wafer for multiple mating pairs of first semiconductor dies in the first wafer and second semiconductor dies in the second wafer to determine the alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Liang LI, Jenny QIN, Minna LI