Patents by Inventor Qin Zhen

Qin Zhen 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: 11908521
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory includes memory cells, word lines connected to the memory cells, and a set of regular control gate drivers connected to the word lines. The control gate drivers include different subsets of control gate drivers that receive different sources of voltage and provide different output voltages. A redundant control gate driver, that receives the different sources of voltage and provides the different output voltages, is included that can replace any of the regular control gate drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Qin Zhen
  • Patent number: 11775374
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for detecting a defect in a memory cell array during program operations. A defect can be detected by comparing the programming speed of memory cells connected to different word lines, for one or more programmed data states. The comparison can involve adjacent word lines in a block, or word lines in different blocks and planes. The comparison involves comparing two word lines in terms of a number of program-verify loops used to reach the programmed data states or to transition between programmed data states. If a program loop delta is not within an allowable range for one or more of the programmed data states, it can be concluded that a defect is present. The block which has the slower programming word line can be identified as a bad block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Chenxiao Xu, Qin Zhen
  • Publication number: 20230245703
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory includes memory cells, word lines connected to the memory cells, and a set of regular control gate drivers connected to the word lines. The control gate drivers include different subsets of control gate drivers that receive different sources of voltage and provide different output voltages. A redundant control gate driver, that receives the different sources of voltage and provides the different output voltages, is included that can replace any of the regular control gate drivers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Qin Zhen
  • Publication number: 20220334902
    Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques are described for detecting a defect in a memory cell array during program operations. A defect can be detected by comparing the programming speed of memory cells connected to different word lines, for one or more programmed data states. The comparison can involve adjacent word lines in a block, or word lines in different blocks and planes. The comparison involves comparing two word lines in terms of a number of program-verify loops used to reach the programmed data states or to transition between programmed data states. If a program loop delta is not within an allowable range for one or more of the programmed data states, it can be concluded that a defect is present. The block which has the slower programming word line can be identified as a bad block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Chenxiao Xu, Qin Zhen
  • Patent number: 11335419
    Abstract: An erase operation for data memory cells is integrated with a process for detecting dummy memory cells and/or select gate transistors which have an out-of-range threshold voltage. In one aspect, an erase operation is performed for the data memory cells of a block followed by a supplementary verify operation for the dummy memory cells and/or select gate transistors. In another aspect, the verify operation occurs during the erase operation and, optionally, also in a supplementary verify operation. A separate pass/fail status can be set for the erase verify of the data memory cells and the verify of the dummy memory cells and/or select gate transistors operations, where the block is assigned to a potential bad block pool or bad block pool based on a status return combination. The out-of-range dummy memory cells and/or select gate transistors can be adjusted by programming or erasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Ming Wang, Qin Zhen
  • Patent number: 11073570
    Abstract: Techniques and apparatuses are provided for testing a charge pump. A test circuit detects voltage drop-offs in a voltage signal provided by a charge pump in a test period. A comparator is used to compare the voltage signal to a divided down, delayed version of the signal. A counting circuit is connected to an output of the comparator to determine a number of the drop-offs in the test period. A control circuit such as an on-chip state machine compares the number of drop-offs to a maximum allowable number of drop-offs to set a pass/fail status of the charge pump. The control circuit can configure various parameters of the test, including a ratio of a voltage divider, and the maximum allowable number of drop-offs based on the charge pump being tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Li, Hui Jia, Qin Zhen