Patents by Inventor Zhenlei Shen

Zhenlei Shen 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: 10381097
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for performing read mode tuning. An apparatus includes an error rate storage circuit that determines error rate information. An apparatus includes a mode selection circuit that determines a read mode of a plurality of read modes for reading a set of memory cells based on error rate information. The plurality of read modes may include a fast read mode and a normal read mode. An apparatus includes a read circuit that performs a read on a set of memory cells based on a read mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Grishma Shah, Philip David Reusswig, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20190130989
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for performing read mode tuning. An apparatus includes an error rate storage circuit that determines error rate information. An apparatus includes a mode selection circuit that determines a read mode of a plurality of read modes for reading a set of memory cells based on error rate information. The plurality of read modes may include a fast read mode and a normal read mode. An apparatus includes a read circuit that performs a read on a set of memory cells based on a read mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Grishma Shah, Philip David Reusswig, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20190108090
    Abstract: A non-volatile storage apparatus includes a set of non-volatile memory cells and one or more control circuits in communication with the set of non-volatile memory cells. The one or more control circuits are configured to identify a most recently written portion of the set of non-volatile memory cells and to compare an error rate of data stored in the most recently written portion with a reference error rate from a reference portion of the set of non-volatile memory cells to determine whether the most recently written portion is fully written or partially written.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, Nian Niles Yang, Chao-Han Cheng
  • Patent number: 10108471
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling blocks in a memory device using a health indicator (such as the failed bit count) for the blocks are disclosed. However, the health indicator may exhibit noise, thereby resulting in an unreliable indicator of the health of the blocks in the memory device. In order to filter out the noise, a rolling average of the health indicator may be determined, and compared to the current health indicator. The comparison with the rolling average may indicate whether the current health indicator is an outlier, and thus should not be used. The health indicator may also be used to predict a future health indicator for different blocks in the memory device. Using the predicted future health indicator, the use of the blocks may be changed in order to more evenly wear the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, Xinde Hu, Lei Chen, Yiwei Song
  • Patent number: 10068655
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for inferring threshold voltage distributions associated with memory cells via interpolation are described herein. A number of embodiments include determining soft data for a group of memory cells each programmed to one of a number of data states, wherein the soft data comprises a number of different soft data values, determining a quantity of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values, and inferring at least a portion of a threshold voltage distribution associated with the group of memory cells via an interpolation process using the determined quantities of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 10048898
    Abstract: A storage device with a memory may include memory block leveling that improves data retention by considering localized temperature. A block's distance from a heat source may result in variance of data retention. The localized temperature may be used to improve data retention through a relocation, refreshing, or leveling of blocks that considers their physical location on the die and/or in the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Niles Yang, Xinde Hu, Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 9983828
    Abstract: A data storage device may perform a method that includes identifying a first life stage of multiple life stages of the data storage device. The method includes determining a first health scheme based on the first life stage and generating a first health indicator associated with a region of the memory based on the first health scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20170358366
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for inferring threshold voltage distributions associated with memory cells via interpolation. A number of embodiments include determining soft data for a group of memory cells each programmed to one of a number of data states, wherein the soft data comprises a number of different soft data values, determining a quantity of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values, and inferring at least a portion of a threshold voltage distribution associated with the group of memory cells via an interpolation process using the determined quantities of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 9779828
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for inferring threshold voltage distributions associated with memory cells via interpolation are described herein. An example includes determining soft data for a group of memory cells each programmed to one of a number of data states, wherein the soft data comprises a number of different soft data values, determining a quantity of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values, and inferring at least a portion of a threshold voltage distribution associated with the group of memory cells via an interpolation process using the determined quantities of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20170228180
    Abstract: A method includes, in a data storage device that includes a non-volatile memory having multiple memory dies, determining whether one or more metablocks are metablock update candidates based on relinking metrics corresponding to the one or more metablocks. Each memory die includes multiple blocks of storage elements and metablocks are formed through linking of blocks from the multiple memory dies. The method also includes comparing a number of the metablock update candidates to a relinking pool threshold. The method further includes, in response to the number of the metablock update candidates satisfying the relinking pool threshold, updating the linking of the blocks of the metablock update candidates to form updated metablocks. Linking of blocks may be updated by changing fields of a metablock data table, and blocks may be grouped based on block health values to extend an average useful life of the updated metablocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventor: Zhenlei SHEN
  • Patent number: 9632712
    Abstract: A method includes, in a data storage device that includes a non-volatile memory having multiple memory dies, determining whether one or more metablocks are metablock update candidates based on relinking metrics corresponding to the one or more metablocks. Each memory die includes multiple blocks of storage elements, and metablocks are formed through linking of blocks from the multiple memory dies. The method also includes comparing a number of the metablock update candidates to a relinking pool threshold. The method further includes, in response to the number of the metablock update candidates satisfying the relinking pool threshold, updating the linking of the blocks of the metablock update candidates to form updated metablocks. Linking of blocks may be updated by changing fields of a metablock data table, and blocks may be grouped based on block health values to extend an average useful life of the updated metablocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 9626289
    Abstract: Systems and methods for metablock relinking may be provided. A first physical block of a first metablock may be determined to have a different health than a second physical block of a second metablock based on health indicators of the first and second physical blocks. Each of the health indicators may indicate an extent to which a respective one of the first and second physical blocks may be written to and/or erased before the respective one of the first and second physical blocks becomes defective. The first physical block of the first metablock may be replaced with the second physical block of the second metablock based on a determination that the health of the first physical block of the first metablock is different than the health of the second physical block of the second metablock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Lei Chen, Xinde Hu, Zhenlei Shen, Yiwei Song, Gautam Dusija
  • Patent number: 9552257
    Abstract: Methods for memory cell coupling compensation and apparatuses configured to perform the same are described. One or more methods for memory cell coupling compensation includes determining a state of a memory cell using a voltage that is changed in accordance with a first memory cell coupling compensation voltage, performing an error check on the state of the memory cell, and determining the state of the memory cell using a voltage that is changed in accordance with a second memory cell coupling compensation voltage in response to the error check failing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 9536603
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for determining threshold voltage shift are described. A number of methods for determining threshold voltage shift in memory cells include determining changes in threshold voltage for memory cells at each data state of a first number of data states by searching threshold voltage data of memory cells programmed to the first number of data states and determining changes in threshold voltage for memory cells at each data state of a second number of data states by searching threshold voltage data of memory cells programmed to the second number of data states within a range of threshold voltages, wherein the range is shifted from a previous range based on the changes in threshold voltage for memory cells programmed to the first number of data states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20160364175
    Abstract: A storage device with a memory may include memory block leveling that improves data retention by considering localized temperature. A block's distance from a heat source may result in variance of data retention. The localized temperature may be used to improve data retention through a relocation, refreshing, or leveling of blocks that considers their physical location on the die and/or in the package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Niles Yang, Xinde Hu, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20160217867
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for inferring threshold voltage distributions associated with memory cells via interpolation. A number of embodiments include determining soft data for a group of memory cells each programmed to one of a number of data states, wherein the soft data comprises a number of different soft data values, determining a quantity of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values, and inferring at least a portion of a threshold voltage distribution associated with the group of memory cells via an interpolation process using the determined quantities of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20160203048
    Abstract: Methods for memory cell coupling compensation and apparatuses configured to perform the same are described. One or more methods for memory cell coupling compensation includes determining a state of a memory cell using a voltage that is changed in accordance with a first memory cell coupling compensation voltage, performing an error check on the state of the memory cell, and determining the state of the memory cell using a voltage that is changed in accordance with a second memory cell coupling compensation voltage in response to the error check failing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20160188401
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling blocks in a memory device using a health indicator (such as the failed bit count) for the blocks are disclosed. However, the health indicator may exhibit noise, thereby resulting in an unreliable indicator of the health of the blocks in the memory device. In order to filter out the noise, a rolling average of the health indicator may be determined, and compared to the current health indicator. The comparison with the rolling average may indicate whether the current health indicator is an outlier, and thus should not be used. The health indicator may also be used to predict a future health indicator for different blocks in the memory device. Using the predicted future health indicator, the use of the blocks may be changed in order to more evenly wear the blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, Xinde Hu, Lei Chen, Yiwei Song
  • Patent number: 9361996
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for inferring threshold voltage distributions associated with memory cells via interpolation are described herein. An example includes determining soft data for a group of memory cells each programmed to one of a number of data states, wherein the soft data comprises a number of different soft data values, determining a quantity of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values, and inferring at least a portion of a threshold voltage distribution associated with the group of memory cells via an interpolation process using the determined quantities of memory cells associated with each of the different soft data values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 9355730
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses for mapping between program states and data patterns. One method includes: programming a group of G memory cells such that a combination of respective program states of the group maps to a constellation point corresponding to a received N unit data pattern, the group used to store N/G units of data per memory cell; wherein the constellation point is one of a number of constellation points of a constellation associated with mapping respective program state combinations of the group of memory cells to N unit data patterns; and wherein the constellation comprises a first mapping shell and a second mapping shell, the constellation points corresponding to the respective first and second mapping shells determined, at least partially, based on a polynomial expression of order equal to G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen