Patents by Inventor Steven S. Cheng

Steven S. Cheng 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: 8924626
    Abstract: A method and system for phasing power-intensive operations is disclosed. A non-volatile storage device controller detects a power reset. The controller is in communication with non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. In response to detecting a power reset, the controller determines a current consumption necessary to reset the non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. The controller simultaneously resets all of the non-volatile memories when the determined current consumption is less than a current consumption threshold. If the determined current consumption is greater than the current consumption threshold, the controller resets a first subset of the plurality of non-volatile memories, and after a predetermined delay, resets a second subset of the non-volatile memories. Therefore, a power-intensive operation may be performed without exceeding a current consumption threshold by dividing the operation into a sequence of steps that do not exceed the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Dennis Ea, Jianmin Huang, Alexander Kwok-Tung Mak, Farookh Moogat
  • Patent number: 8413015
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory system includes a memory controller in communication with multiple memory dies through multiple memory interfaces. Multiple ECC blocks are provided to decode data from the multiple memory interfaces. ECC blocks are provided with a clock signal that may have a frequency that is lower than another clock signal that is provided to a host interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Aruna Gutta
  • Patent number: 8406076
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption during an operation in a non-volatile storage device is disclosed. A non-volatile storage device controller that is in communication with a non-volatile memory in the non-volatile storage device receives a characteristic corresponding to a time duration required for the non-volatile memory to complete an operation. The controller disables a circuit that indicates when an operation by the non-volatile memory is complete. The controller then initiates the operation in the non-volatile memory, and maintains the circuit in a disabled state for a first predetermined time that is a portion of the time duration. The controller enables the circuit upon expiration of the first predetermined time and prior to the completion of the operation. The controller receives an indication of the completion of the operation via the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Peter Hwang, Annie C. Chang
  • Patent number: 8301912
    Abstract: Data scrambling techniques implemented externally to a flash memory device are disclosed which can be used in concert with flash memory on-chip copy functionality operating internally to the flash device, thus supporting high performance copying operations. All the data stored in the flash may be scrambled, including headers and control structures. Robust file system operation may be achieved, including the capability to tolerate a power loss at any time, and yet be able to relocate data internally within the flash without having to de-scramble and then re-scramble the data. An exemplary hardware based solution has little or no impact on overall system performance, and may be implemented at very low incremental cost to increase overall system reliability. The data scrambling technique preferably uses a logical address, such as logical block address or logical page address, rather than a physical address, to determine a seed scrambling key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jason T. Lin, Steven S. Cheng, Shai Traister
  • Patent number: 8161231
    Abstract: A memory card has a data scrambler that performs a data scrambling operation on data stored in the memory card according to a device ID associated with the memory card. The device ID is either set at the factory and permanently stored in the card, or configurable by a user or a host system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Publication number: 20110320686
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption during an operation in a non-volatile storage device is disclosed. A non-volatile storage device controller that is in communication with a non-volatile memory in the non-volatile storage device receives a characteristic corresponding to a time duration required for the non-volatile memory to complete an operation. The controller disables a circuit that indicates when an operation by the non-volatile memory is complete. The controller then initiates the operation in the non-volatile memory, and maintains the circuit in a disabled state for a first predetermined time that is a portion of the time duration. The controller enables the circuit upon expiration of the first predetermined time and prior to the completion of the operation. The controller receives an indication of the completion of the operation via the circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Peter Hwang, Annie C. Chang
  • Publication number: 20110271036
    Abstract: A method and system for phasing power-intensive operations is disclosed. A non-volatile storage device controller detects a power reset. The controller is in communication with non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. In response to detecting a power reset, the controller determines a current consumption necessary to reset the non-volatile memories in the non-volatile storage device. The controller simultaneously resets all of the non-volatile memories when the determined current consumption is less than a current consumption threshold. If the determined current consumption is greater than the current consumption threshold, the controller resets a first subset of the plurality of non-volatile memories, and after a predetermined delay, resets a second subset of the non-volatile memories. Therefore, a power-intensive operation may be performed without exceeding a current consumption threshold by dividing the operation into a sequence of steps that do not exceed the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Dennis Ea, Jianmin Huang, Alexander Kwok-Tung Mak, Farookh Moogat
  • Publication number: 20110161573
    Abstract: A memory card has a data scrambler that performs a data scrambling operation on data stored in the memory card according to a device ID associated with the memory card. The device ID is either set at the factory and permanently stored in the card, or configurable by a user or a host system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Patent number: 7971023
    Abstract: In order to maintain a memory system's performance levels to its end-of-life, latency threshold level(s) are specified and associated with different memory system operating parameters. In one embodiment, the memory system monitors and gathers performance statistics in real time, and in accordance with specific memory transfer sizes. A current latency level can be dynamically calculated using the performance statistics and compared to previously established latency threshold levels. If the current latency level is greater than or equal to a specific latency threshold level, the memory system's configuration setting can be adjusted according to the operating parameters associated with the latency threshold level to offset the increased latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Stephen Tam
  • Patent number: 7953930
    Abstract: A memory card has a data scrambler that performs a data scrambling operation on data stored in the memory card according to a device ID associated with the memory card. The device ID is either set at the factory and permanently stored in the card, or configurable by a user or a host system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Publication number: 20110072328
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory system includes a memory controller in communication with multiple memory dies through multiple memory interfaces. Multiple ECC blocks are provided to decode data from the multiple memory interfaces. ECC blocks are provided with a clock signal that may have a frequency that is lower than another clock signal that is provided to a host interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven S. CHENG, Aruna GUTTA
  • Patent number: 7873803
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory array includes two or more devices, each device containing data that is scrambled using a different scrambling scheme. When the same data is provided and stored in both devices, different data patterns occur in each device, so that if one of the patterns causes data pattern induced errors, the original data can be recreated from another copy that does not share the same data pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Publication number: 20090276570
    Abstract: In order to maintain a memory system's performance levels to its end-of-life, latency threshold level(s) are specified and associated with different memory system operating parameters. In one embodiment, the memory system monitors and gathers performance statistics in real time, and in accordance with specific memory transfer sizes. A current latency level can be dynamically calculated using the performance statistics and compared to previously established latency threshold levels. If the current latency level is greater than or equal to a specific latency threshold level, the memory system's configuration setting can be adjusted according to the operating parameters associated with the latency threshold level to offset the increased latency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven S. CHENG, Stephen TAM
  • Publication number: 20090204824
    Abstract: Data scrambling techniques implemented externally to a flash memory device are disclosed which can be used in concert with flash memory on-chip copy functionality operating internally to the flash device, thus supporting high performance copying operations. All the data stored in the flash may be scrambled, including headers and control structures. Robust file system operation may be achieved, including the capability to tolerate a power loss at any time, and yet be able to relocate data internally within the flash without having to de-scramble and then re-scramble the data. An exemplary hardware based solution has little or no impact on overall system performance, and may be implemented at very low incremental cost to increase overall system reliability. The data scrambling technique preferably uses a logical address, such as logical block address or logical page address, rather than a physical address, to determine a seed scrambling key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Jason T. Lin, Steven S. Cheng, Shai Traister
  • Publication number: 20090150596
    Abstract: A memory card has a data scrambler that performs a data scrambling operation on data stored in the memory card according to a device ID associated with the memory card. The device ID is either set at the factory and permanently stored in the card, or configurable by a user or a host system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Publication number: 20090083485
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory array includes two or more devices, each device containing data that is scrambled using a different scrambling scheme. When the same data is provided and stored in both devices, different data patterns occur in each device, so that if one of the patterns causes data pattern induced errors, the original data can be recreated from another copy that does not share the same data pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Patent number: 4712859
    Abstract: A distributed star network for providing point-to-point and broadcast-type communication among a plurality of user stations is disclosed. The distributed star network is implemented using single mode optical technology including single mode lasers and single mode optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Andres Albanese, Steven S. Cheng
  • Patent number: 4705350
    Abstract: An optical communications network which connects a central office with a plurality of user stations is disclosed.In the central office, the power from a single cw laser is divided over a plurality of single mode optical fibers to transmit information from the central office to the user stations. Each user station includes a directly modulated LED for transmitting information to the central office.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven S. Cheng
  • Patent number: 4658394
    Abstract: An optical distribution architecture is disclosed wherein wavelength stabilized continuous wavelength lasers are centrally positioned in tandem with star couplers to distributed laser power among a plurality of lightguide paths. The laser power apportioned to each such path may then be locally or remotely modulated thereby reducing the number of lasers required to equip a network. Advantageously, lightguide fibres are single mode and polarization maintaining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignees: Bell Communications Research, Inc., AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Steven S. Cheng, Jan Lipson, Stewart D. Personick
  • Patent number: RE45697
    Abstract: Data scrambling techniques implemented externally to a flash memory device are disclosed which can be used in concert with flash memory on-chip copy functionality operating internally to the flash device, thus supporting high performance copying operations. All the data stored in the flash may be scrambled, including headers and control structures. Robust file system operation may be achieved, including the capability to tolerate a power loss at any time, and yet be able to relocate data internally within the flash without having to de-scramble and then re-scramble the data. An exemplary hardware based solution has little or no impact on overall system performance, and may be implemented at very low incremental cost to increase overall system reliability. The data scrambling technique preferably uses a logical address, such as logical block address or logical page address, rather than a physical address, to determine a seed scrambling key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jason T Lin, Steven S Cheng, Shai Traister