IP Library Granted Patent US 10,115,471
Granted Patent B1
US 10,115,471 · App. 15/583,738 · Granted Oct 30, 2018

Storage system and method for handling overheating of the storage system

Inventors: Nian Niles Yang (Mountain View, CA); Eran Erez (San Jose, CA); Zelei Guo (San Jose, CA); Dmitry Vaysman (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11C16/30G11C16/10
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,115,471
App. No.
15/583,738
Granted
Oct 30, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

A storage system and method for handling overheating of the storage system are disclosed. The method comprises determining whether a temperature sensed by a temperature sensor is above a first threshold temperature; and in response to determining that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above the first threshold temperature, lowering a voltage supplied by a power supply to one or more components in the storage system comprising transistors, wherein lowering the voltage supplied to the one or more components reduces temperature by reducing leakage current of the transistors.

Claims (30)

1. A method for handling overheating of a storage system, the method comprising:

performing the following in a storage system comprising a memory, a temperature sensor, a power supply, and a controller, wherein the controller comprises transistors:

executing first computer-readable program code by the controller to:

determine whether a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above a first threshold temperature by comparing the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to the first threshold temperature; and

in response to determining that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above the first threshold temperature, perform a thermal throttling operation to reduce a number of memory operations performed in the memory; and

executing second computer-readable program code by the controller to:

determine whether the thermal throttling operation was successful in lowering the temperature below the first threshold temperature by comparing a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor after performing the thermal throttling operation to the first threshold temperature; and

in response to determining that the thermal throttling operation was unsuccessful in lowering the temperature below the first threshold temperature, lower a voltage supplied by the power supply to the controller, wherein lowering the voltage supplied to the controller reduces temperature by reducing leakage current of the transistors in the controller.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising lowering the voltage supplied by the power supply to another component that comprises transistors in the storage system until the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is lower than the first threshold temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises one or more of the following: a random access memory and analog circuitry.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises a three-dimensional memory.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage system is embedded in a host.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage system is removably connected to a host.

7. A storage system comprising:

a memory;

a temperature sensor;

a power supply;

a controller comprising transistors;

first computer-readable program code means for:

determining whether a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above a first threshold temperature by comparing the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to the first threshold temperature; and

in response to determining that the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above the first threshold temperature, performing a thermal throttling operation to reducing a number of memory operations performed in the memory; and

second computer-readable program code means for:

determining whether the thermal throttling operation was successful in lowering the temperature below the first threshold temperature by comparing a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor after performing the thermal throttling operation to the first threshold temperature; and

in response to determining that the thermal throttling operation was unsuccessful in lowering the temperature below the first threshold temperature sensor, lowering a voltage supplied by the power supply to the controller, wherein lowering the voltage supplied to the controller reduces temperature by reducing leakage current of transistors in the controller.

8. The storage system of claim 7 further comprising:

means for reducing the voltage supplied to the memory to a voltage needed to execute a particular memory operation.

9. The storage system of claim 7 , wherein the controller comprises one or more of the following: a random access memory and analog circuitry.

10. The storage system of claim 7 , wherein the memory comprises a three-dimensional memory.

11. The storage system of claim 7 , wherein the storage system is embedded in a host.

12. The storage system of claim 7 , wherein the storage system is removably connected to a host.

Assignments (10)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0494 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067982/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067567/0682 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052915 FRAME 0566 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052915/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2017
From: YANG, NIAN NILES; EREZ, ERAN; GUO, ZELEI; VAYSMAN, DMITRY
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 042231/0227 →