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: 9318205
    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: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20160103630
    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: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventor: ZHENLEI SHEN
  • Patent number: 9293214
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for determining and using soft data in memory devices and systems. One or more embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to perform a number of sense operations on the memory cells using a number of sensing voltages to determine soft data associated with a target state of the memory cells, and adjust a sensing voltage used to determine the target state based, at least partially, on the determined soft data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20160070643
    Abstract: A method includes, in a data storage device that includes a memory, detecting an operation associated with a block of the memory. The operation is associated with a program/erase cycle. The method further includes, responsive to detecting the operation, performing a comparison between a random number and at least one value of a set of values. The method includes selectively adjusting a value of a counter associated with the block based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventor: ZHENLEI SHEN
  • Publication number: 20160062881
    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: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Lei Chen, Xinde Hu, Zhenlei Shen, Yiwei Song, Gautam Dusija
  • Patent number: 9269450
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for adjusting sensing voltages in devices. One or more embodiments include memory cells, and a controller configured to perform a sense operation on the memory cells using a sensing voltage to determine a quantity of the memory cells having a threshold voltage (Vt) greater than the sensing voltage and adjust a sensing voltage used to determine a state of the memory cells based, at least partially, on the determined quantity of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20160004464
    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 of the multiple memory dies 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventor: ZHENLEI SHEN
  • Patent number: 9230660
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for data modulation for groups of memory cells. Data modulation for groups of memory cells can include modulating N units of data to a combination of programmed states. Each memory cell of a group of G number of memory cells can be programmed to one of M number of programmed states, where M is greater than a minimum number of programmed states needed to store N/G units of data in one memory cell, and where the programmed state of each memory cell of the group is one of the combination of programmed states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 9177659
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for determining and using soft data in memory devices and systems. One or more embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to perform a number of sense operations on the memory cells using a number of sensing voltages to determine soft data associated with a target state of the memory cells, and adjust a sensing voltage used to determine the target state based, at least partially, on the determined soft data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 9171633
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods for operating a memory include filtering a histogram of sensed data of the memory, and adjusting a parameter used to sense the memory using the filtered histogram. Filtering can be accomplished by averaging or summing, and may include weighting the sums or averages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20150255163
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for determining and using soft data in memory devices and systems. One or more embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to perform a number of sense operations on the memory cells using a number of sensing voltages to determine soft data associated with a target state of the memory cells, and adjust a sensing voltage used to determine the target state based, at least partially, on the determined soft data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20150162089
    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: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20150098276
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods for operating a memory include filtering a histogram of sensed data of the memory, and adjusting a parameter used to sense the memory using the filtered histogram. Filtering can be accomplished by averaging or summing, and may include weighting the sums or averages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 8977808
    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: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20150023110
    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: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20150016186
    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: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 8934306
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods for operating a memory include filtering a histogram of sensed data of the memory, and adjusting a parameter used to sense the memory using the filtered histogram. Filtering can be accomplished by averaging or summing, and may include weighting the sums or averages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20140355355
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for adjusting sensing voltages in devices. One or more embodiments include memory cells, and a controller configured to perform a sense operation on the memory cells using a sensing voltage to determine a quantity of the memory cells having a threshold voltage (Vt) greater than the sensing voltage and adjust a sensing voltage used to determine a state of the memory cells based, at least partially, on the determined quantity of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20140351491
    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: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 8848453
    Abstract: An apparatuses and methods for inferring threshold voltage distributions associated with memory cells via interpolation. A 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 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke