Patents by Inventor Stephen Skala

Stephen Skala 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).

  • Publication number: 20120102379
    Abstract: A method in a data storage device with a memory includes receiving bit values to be stored at a set of cells of the memory and interleaving the received bit values to form multiple interleaved groups of data bits according to an adjustable parameter. The method also includes writing the multiple interleaved groups of data bits to the set of cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, JAYAPRAKASH NARADASI, ANAND VENKITACHALAM
  • Publication number: 20120084622
    Abstract: A method includes reading data from a data area of a word line and reading first ECC data from an ECC area of the word line. The method also includes, in response to determining that an error indicator exceeds a threshold, storing second ECC data in the ECC area. The second ECC data corresponds to a subsection of the data area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20110185251
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, at a controller coupled to a memory array, a method includes receiving an indication that a first group of data bits read from the memory array includes errors that are uncorrectable by an error correction coding (ECC) engine. A count of the first group of data bits having a particular bit value may be compared to a prior count of data bits having the particular bit value. In response to determining that the count exceeds the prior count, a bit of the first group of data bits that has the particular bit value and that corresponds to a same memory cell as a corrected data bit of a second group of data bits is identified. A value of the identified bit of the first group may be changed to generate an adjusted group of data bits. The adjusted group of data bits may be provided to the ECC engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio d'Abreu, Stephen Skala, Carlos Joseph Gonzalez
  • Publication number: 20100332943
    Abstract: A method and device for selectively refreshing a region of a non-volatile memory of a data storage device is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes comparing a time stamp received from a host device to a first time stamp retrieved from a data storage device for a first region of a non-volatile memory, the first region including a least recently accessed region of a memory array within the data storage device. The method also includes selectively refreshing the first region based on a comparison of a difference between the time stamp received from the host device and the first time stamp as compared to a threshold, where the threshold is adjusted based on a first error count corresponding to a number of errors detected by an error correction code (ECC) engine with respect to data retrieved from the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
  • Publication number: 20100332949
    Abstract: Systems and methods of tracking error data are disclosed. A method includes receiving a first checksum associated with error locations of a first error correction code operation and receiving a second checksum associated with error locations of a second error correction code operation. The first checksum is compared to the second checksum and an action is initiated on a region of a memory array based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manuel Antonio d'Abreu, Stephen Skala
  • Publication number: 20100332923
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that are responsive to a rate of change of a performance parameter of a memory. In a particular embodiment, a rate of change of a performance parameter of a non-volatile memory is determined. The rate of change is compared to a threshold, and an action is performed in response to determining that the rate of change satisfies the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DANA LEE