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).

  • Publication number: 20140286094
    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: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 8830762
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for dealing with threshold voltage change in memory devices. A number of embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry having sense circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to determine changes in threshold voltages (Vts) associated with the memory cells without using a reference cell, and adjust the sense circuitry based on the determined changes and without using a reference cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20140233314
    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: February 17, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 8797805
    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: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 8797803
    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: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 8788743
    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: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 8711617
    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: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20140098614
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for dealing with threshold voltage change in memory devices. A number of embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry having sense circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to determine changes in threshold voltages (Vts) associated with the memory cells without using a reference cell, and adjust the sense circuitry based on the determined changes and without using a reference cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 8681547
    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: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20140063975
    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 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 8576632
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for dealing with threshold voltage change in memory devices. A number of embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry having sense circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to determine changes in threshold voltages (Vts) associated with the memory cells without using a reference cell, and adjust the sense circuitry based on the determined changes and without using a reference cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20130286736
    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 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20130275714
    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: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick R. Khayat, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Zhenlei Shen
  • Publication number: 20130238863
    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: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Publication number: 20130163346
    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: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Zhenlei Shen
  • Patent number: 8451664
    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 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20130051143
    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: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 8358542
    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: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Radke, Zhenlei Shen, Peter Feeley
  • Publication number: 20120307559
    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: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke
  • Patent number: 8305809
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for dealing with threshold voltage change in memory devices. A number of embodiments include an array of memory cells and control circuitry having sense circuitry coupled to the array. The control circuitry is configured to determine changes in threshold voltages (Vts) associated with the memory cells without using a reference cell, and adjust the sense circuitry based on the determined changes and without using a reference cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenlei Shen, William H. Radke, Peter Feeley