Patents by Inventor Sasa Tomic

Sasa Tomic 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: 11762569
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: maintaining a first subset of the plurality of blocks in a first pool, where the blocks maintained in the first pool are configured in SLC mode. A second subset of the plurality of blocks is maintained in a second pool, where the blocks maintained in the second pool are configured in multi-bit-per-cell mode. A current I/O rate for the memory is identified during runtime, and a determination is made as to whether the current I/O rate is outside a first range. In response to determining that the current I/O rate is not outside the first range, the blocks maintained in the first pool are used to satisfy incoming host writes. Moreover, in response to determining that the current I/O rate is outside the first range, the blocks maintained in the second pool are used to satisfy incoming host writes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Radu Ioan Stoica, Roman Alexander Pletka, Timothy Fisher, Nikolaos Papandreou, Sasa Tomic, Nikolas Ioannou, Aaron Daniel Fry, Charalampos Pozidis, Andrew D. Walls
  • Patent number: 11681556
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting a performance of a computing system, the method comprising receiving by the computing system at least one command to execute a computational workload from a client, applying by the computing system an identification method identifying a first system resource of the system resources which limits an execution performance of the computational workload, performing a temporary adjustment of an allocation of the first system resource to the client and evaluating whether this improves an execution performance of the computational workload, and, if this is the case, offering to the client to permanently adjust the allocation of the first system resource to the client and adjusting the allocation of the first system resource to the client permanently in case of receiving a corresponding instruction from the client. The invention also relates to a computing system and a computer program product which implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sasa Tomic, Zoltan Arnold Nagy, Niels Dominic Pardon
  • Patent number: 11360903
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one approach, includes: determining a current read heat value of each logical page which corresponds to write requests that have accumulated in a destage buffer. Each of the write requests is assigned to a respective write queue based on the current read heat value of each logical page which corresponds to the write requests. Moreover, each of the write queues correspond to a different page stripe which includes physical pages, the physical pages included in each of the respective page stripes being of a same type. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional approaches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Alexander Pletka, Timothy Fisher, Aaron Daniel Fry, Nikolaos Papandreou, Nikolas Ioannou, Sasa Tomic, Radu Ioan Stoica, Charalampos Pozidis, Andrew D. Walls
  • Patent number: 11334492
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, is for calibrating read voltages for a block of memory. The computer-implemented method includes: determining a calibration read mode of the block, and using the calibration read mode to determine whether pages in the block should be read using full page read operations. In response to determining that the pages in the block should not be read using full page read operations, a current value of a partial page read indicator for the block is determined. The block is further calibrated by reading only a portion of each page in the block, where the current value of the partial page read indicator determines which portion of each respective page in the block is read. Moreover, the current value of the partial page read indicator is incremented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis, Roman Alexander Pletka, Sasa Tomic, Nikolas Ioannou, Radu Ioan Stoica
  • Patent number: 11314595
    Abstract: A RAID controller periodically collects an indication of a current compression ratio achieved by each of a plurality of storage devices within the RAID. The RAID controller determines a placement of data and the parity information within at least one of the plurality of storage devices according to at least one of a plurality of factors associated with the current compression ratio. The RAID controller writes the data and the parity information to the at least one of the plurality of storage devices according to the determined placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roman Alexander Pletka, Sasa Tomic, Timothy Fisher, Nikolaos Papandreou, Nikolas Ioannou, Aaron Fry
  • Patent number: 11302403
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one approach, is for calibrating read voltages associated with a block of memory having more than one word-line therein. The computer-implemented method includes: for each of the word-lines in the block: calculating an absolute shift value for a reference read voltage associated with the given word-line. A relative shift value is also determined for each of the remaining read voltages associated with the given word-line, and the relative shift values are determined with respect to the reference read voltage. Moreover, each of the read voltages associated with the given word-line are adjusted using the absolute shift value and each of the respective relative shift values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis, Nikolas Ioannou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Radu Ioan Stoica, Sasa Tomic, Timothy Fisher, Aaron Daniel Fry
  • Patent number: 11264103
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: determining a current operating state of a block of memory. The block includes more than one type of page therein, and at least one read voltage is associated with each of the page types. The current operating state of the block is further used to produce a hybrid calibration scheme for the block which identifies a first subset of the read voltages, and a second subset of the read voltages. The read voltages in the second subset are further organized in one or more groupings. A unique read voltage offset value is calculated for each of the read voltages in the first subset, and a common read voltage offset value is also calculated for each grouping of read voltages in the second subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis, Nikolas Ioannou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Radu Ioan Stoica, Sasa Tomic, Timothy Fisher, Aaron Daniel Fry, Andrew D. Walls
  • Patent number: 11221911
    Abstract: A memory controller for recovering data due to transient effects of nonvolatile memory is provided. A memory controller receives a read request for a page stored in the nonvolatile memory. The memory controller issues a first read command. The memory controller records a time stamp for the first read command. In response to a failure during the first read command, the memory controller waits for a delay after the recorded time stamp and the memory controller issues a second read command to the page, wherein the second read command applies a read voltage offset that is dependent on the delay between the first read command and the second read command and at least one other parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis, Nikolas Ioannou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Sasa Tomic
  • Patent number: 11188261
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for controlling operation of an array of non-volatile memory cells comprising cells which are selectively configurable for single-bit and multibit storage. The method includes a memory controller selectively configuring the array for operation in a hybrid mode, in which the array comprises both cells configured for single-bit storage and cells configured for multibit storage, and a multibit mode in which all cells in the array are configured for multibit storage. The method further includes the memory controller dynamically switching between the hybrid and multibit mode configurations of the array corresponding to array capacity-usage traversing a defined threshold level associated with enhance endurance of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Radu Ioan Stoica, Nikolas Ioannou, Sasa Tomic, Charalampos Pozidis
  • Patent number: 11182089
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: determining whether a number of blocks included in a first ready-to-use (RTU) queue is in a first range of the first RTU queue. In response to determining that the number of blocks included in the first RTU queue is in the first range, a determination is made as to whether a number of blocks included in a second RTU queue is in a second range of the second RTU queue. Moreover, in response to determining that the number of blocks included in the second RTU queue is not in the second range, valid data is relocated from one of the blocks in a first pool which corresponds to the first RTU queue. The block in the first pool is erased, and transferred from the first pool to the second RTU queue which corresponds to a second pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines.Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Alexander Pletka, Radu Ioan Stoica, Sasa Tomic, Nikolaos Papandreou, Nikolas Ioannou, Aaron Daniel Fry, Timothy Fisher, Charalampos Pozidis, Andrew D. Walls
  • Patent number: 11176036
    Abstract: An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes non-volatile memory configured to store data, and a controller and logic integrated with and/or executable by the controller, the logic being configured to: determine, by the controller, that at least one block of the non-volatile memory and/or portion of a block of the non-volatile memory meets a retirement condition, re-evaluate, by the controller, the at least one block and/or the portion of a block to determine whether to retire the at least one block and/or the portion of a block, indicate, by the controller, that the at least one block and/or the portion of a block remains usable when a result of the re-evaluation is not to retire the block, and indicate, by the controller, that the at least one block and/or the portion of a block is retired when the result of the re-evaluation is to retire the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles J. Camp, Timothy J. Fisher, Aaron D. Fry, Nikolas Ioannou, Ioannis Koltsidas, Roman A. Pletka, Sasa Tomic
  • Patent number: 11157379
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, is for wear leveling blocks of memory. The computer-implemented method includes: determining the health of blocks of memory which are configured in multi-bit-per-cell mode. The blocks configured in multi-bit-per-cell mode are in a second pool, while blocks that are configured in single-level cell (SLC) mode are in a first pool. Moreover, the computer-implemented method is performed in some approaches with a proviso that the health of a block of memory is not determined while the block is configured in SLC mode. Moreover, health values are assigned to the blocks of memory in the second pool based on the health of the respective block. Each of the health values is further correlated with a respective data temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Alexander Pletka, Aaron Daniel Fry, Sasa Tomic, Nikolaos Papandreou, Nikolas Ioannou, Radu Ioan Stoica, Timothy Fisher
  • Patent number: 11151053
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, is for maintaining heat information of data while in a cache. The computer-implemented method includes: transferring data from non-volatile memory to the cache, such that the data is stored in a first page in the cache. Previous read and/or write heat information associated with the data is maintained by preserving one or more bits in a hash table which correspond to the data in the first page. Moreover, the data is destaged from the first page in the cache to the non-volatile memory, and the one or more bits in the hash table which correspond to the data are updated to reflect current read and/or write heat information associated with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolas Ioannou, Nikolaos Papandreou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Sasa Tomic, Radu Ioan Stoica, Timothy Fisher, Aaron Daniel Fry, Charalampos Pozidis, Andrew D. Walls
  • Patent number: 11152059
    Abstract: Performing a calibration of a NAND flash memory block that is in an open state. An open state of the NAND flash memory block is detected, the NAND flash memory block comprising a plurality of memory pages, each of which comprising a plurality of memory cells. A group of pages of the NAND flash memory block being in an open state having comparable characteristics is identified. A calibration of read voltage values to pages of the group of identified pages is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Roman A. Pletka, Sasa Tomic, Nikolas Ioannou, Charalampos Pozidis, Aaron D. Fry, Timothy Fisher
  • Patent number: 11138124
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: determining whether a number of blocks included in a RTU queue associated with a first block pool is in a first predetermined range. In response to determining that the number of blocks included in the RTU queue is not in the first predetermined range, a determination is made as to whether a current I/O workload is in a second predetermined range. In response to determining that the current I/O workload is in the second predetermined range, for each block in the first block pool having a desired amount of metadata associated with the pages in the given block: a subset of pages in the given block are selected and data is relocated therefrom to a block in the second block pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sasa Tomic, Radu Ioan Stoica, Nikolaos Papandreou, Nikolas Ioannou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Aaron Daniel Fry, Timothy Fisher
  • Publication number: 20210294656
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting a performance of a computing system, the method comprising receiving by the computing system at least one command to execute a computational workload from a client, applying by the computing system an identification method identifying a first system resource of the system resources which limits an execution performance of the computational workload, performing a temporary adjustment of an allocation of the first system resource to the client and evaluating whether this improves an execution performance of the computational workload, and, if this is the case, offering to the client to permanently adjust the allocation of the first system resource to the client and adjusting the allocation of the first system resource to the client permanently in case of receiving a corresponding instruction from the client. The invention also relates to a computing system and a computer program product which implement the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Sasa Tomic, Zoltan Arnold Nagy, Niels Dominic Pardon
  • Patent number: 11126360
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, is for managing a plurality of blocks of memory in two or more pools. The computer-implemented method includes: maintaining a first subset of the plurality of blocks in a first pool, where the blocks maintained in the first pool are configured in single-level cell (SLC) mode. A second subset of the plurality of blocks is also maintained in a second pool, where the blocks maintained in the second pool are configured in multi-bit-per-cell mode. Current workload input/output (I/O) metrics are also identified during runtime. Moreover, a size of the first subset of blocks in the first pool and a size of the second subset of blocks in the second pool are adjusted based on the current workload I/O metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Radu Ioan Stoica, Roman Alexander Pletka, Nikolas Ioannou, Nikolaos Papandreou, Sasa Tomic
  • Patent number: 11119855
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, is for selectively storing parity data in different types of memory which include a higher performance memory and a lower performance memory. The computer-implemented method includes: receiving a write request, and determining whether the write request includes parity data. In response to determining that the write request includes parity data, a determination is made as to whether a write heat of the parity data is in a predetermined range. In response to determining that that write heat of the parity data is in the predetermined range, another determination is made as to whether the parity data has been read since a last time the parity data was updated. Furthermore, in response to determining that the parity data has been read since a last time the parity data was updated, the parity data is stored in the higher performance memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolas Ioannou, Timothy Fisher, Roman Alexander Pletka, Nikolaos Papandreou, Radu Ioan Stoica, Sasa Tomic, Aaron Daniel Fry
  • Patent number: 11120882
    Abstract: A method of optimizing a read threshold voltage shift value for non-volatile memory units organized as memory pages may be provided. An ECC check is performed for active page reads. The method comprises, as part of the read operation, determining a status of the memory page, and reading a memory page with a current threshold voltage shift (TVS) value. Additionally, the method comprises, upon determining that a read memory page command passed an ECC check, returning corrected data read, and upon determining that the read memory page did not pass the ECC check, adjusting the current TVS value based on the status of the memory page to be read. Furthermore, the method comprises, while the read memory pages continues to not pass the ECC check, repeating the adjusting the current TVS value and the determining that the read memory page passes ECC check until a stop condition is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolas Ioannou, Charalampos Pozidis, Sasa Tomic, Nikolaos Papandreou, Roman A. Pletka, Aaron D. Fry, Timothy Fisher
  • Patent number: 11094383
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: detecting that a calibration of a first page group has been triggered, and evaluating a hierarchical page mapping to determine whether the first page group correlates to one or more other page groups in non-volatile memory. In response to determining that the first page group does correlate to one or more other page groups in the non-volatile memory, a determination is made as to whether to promote at least one of the one or more other page groups for calibration. In response to determining to promote at least one of the one or more other page groups for calibration, the first page group and the at least one of the one or more other page groups are calibrated. Moreover, each of the page groups includes one or more pages in non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Sasa Tomic, Roman A. Pletka, Nikolas Ioannou, Charalampos Pozidis, Aaron D. Fry, Timothy J. Fisher