IP Library Granted Patent US 11,017,867
Granted Patent B2
US 11,017,867 · App. 16/824,584 · Granted May 25, 2021

Adjustable read retry order based on decoding success trend

Inventors: Niang-Chu Chen (Irvine, CA); Jun Tao (Ladera Ranch, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11C16/26G11C8/10G11C11/4087G11C11/5642G11C16/08G11C29/42G11C29/44G11C29/52H03M13/1102G11C16/0483G11C2211/5632
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,017,867
App. No.
16/824,584
Granted
May 25, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and media for decoding data are described. A sequence of read-level voltages for decoding operations may be determined based on a trend of decoding success indicators, including a first decoding success indicator and a second decoding success indicator. The first decoding success indicator is obtained from a more recent successful decoding operation. The first one of the sequence may be set to a read-level voltage of the first decoding success indicator. If the read-level voltage of the first decoding success indicator is less than a read-level voltage of the second decoding success indicator, then the trend is decreasing, and the second one of the sequence may be set to a read-level voltage less than that of the first one of the sequence. After executing one or more decoding operations, the decoding success indicators may be updated based on the read-level voltage of the current successful decoding operation.

Claims (44)

1. A method for decoding operations, the method comprising:

determining a sequence of read-level voltages based on a trend of decoding success indicators that comprise a first decoding success indicator and a second decoding success indicator;

performing one or more decoding operations on data read from memory cells based on the sequence of read-level voltages; and

maintaining the decoding success indicators, based at least on a successful one of the one or more decoding operations,

wherein the first decoding success indicator is more recent than the second decoding success indicator, and wherein the trend of the decoding success indicators is decreasing when a read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator is less than a read-level voltage corresponding to the second decoding success indicator, and

wherein maintaining the decoding success indicators comprises:

when a read-level voltage used for the successful one of the one or more decoding operations is different from the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator,

setting the read-level voltage corresponding to the second decoding success indicator to the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator; and

setting the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator to the read-level voltage used for the successful one of the one or more decoding operations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the sequence of read-level voltages comprises setting a first read-level voltage in the sequence of read-level voltages to the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the sequence of read-level voltages comprises setting a second read-level voltage of the sequence to a read-level voltage that is less than the first read-level voltage when the trend of the decoding success indicators is decreasing.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a first one of the one or more decoding operations is based on the first read-level voltage, and a subsequent one of the one or more decoding operations is based on the second read-level voltage.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the read-level voltages in the sequence comprise a lowest read-level voltage among the read-level voltages, and wherein when one read-level voltage in the sequence is the lowest read-level voltage, a next read-level voltage in the sequence is a read-level voltage next to and higher than the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the read-level voltages in the sequence comprise a lowest read-level voltage and a highest read-level voltage among the read-level voltages in the sequence, and wherein when one read-level voltage in the sequence is the lowest or the highest read-level voltage, the method comprises determining a next read-level voltage in the sequence based on a direction reverse of the trend.

7. A data storage device, comprising:

memory cells; and

a controller configured to cause:

determining a sequence of read-level voltages based on a trend of decoding success indicators that comprise a first decoding success indicator and a second decoding success indicator;

performing one or more decoding operations on data read from the memory cells based on the sequence of read-level voltages; and

maintaining the decoding success indicators, based at least on a successful one of the one or more decoding operations,

wherein the first decoding success indicator is more recent than the second decoding success indicator, and wherein the trend of the decoding success indicators is decreasing when a read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator is less than a read-level voltage corresponding to the second decoding success indicator, and

wherein maintaining the decoding success indicators comprises:

when a read-level voltage used for the successful one of the one or more decoding operations is different from the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator,

setting the read-level voltage corresponding to the second decoding success indicator to the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator; and

setting the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator to the read-level voltage used for the successful one of the one or more decoding operations.

8. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein determining the sequence of read-level voltages comprises setting a first read-level voltage in the sequence of read-level voltages to the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator.

9. The data storage device of claim 8 , wherein determining the sequence of read-level voltages comprises setting a second read-level voltage of the sequence to a read-level voltage that is less than the first read-level voltage when the trend of the decoding success indicators is decreasing.

10. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein a first one of the one or more decoding operations is based on the first read-level voltage, and a subsequent one of the one or more decoding operations is based on the second read-level voltage.

11. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein the read-level voltages comprise a lowest read-level voltage among the read-level voltages, and wherein when one read-level voltage in the sequence is the lowest read-level voltage, a next read-level voltage in the sequence is a read-level voltage next to and higher than a first read-level voltage in the sequence of read-level voltages.

12. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein the read-level voltages comprise a lowest read-level voltage and a highest read-level voltage among the read-level voltages in the sequence, and wherein when one read-level voltage in the sequence is the lowest or the highest read-level voltage, the controller is configured to cause determining a next read-level voltage in the sequence based on a direction reverse of the trend.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

means for determining a sequence of read-level voltages based on a trend of decoding success indicators that comprise a first decoding success indicator and a second decoding success indicator;

means for performing one or more decoding operations on data read from memory cells based on the sequence of read-level voltages; and

means for maintaining the decoding success indicators, based at least on a successful one of the one or more decoding operations,

wherein the first decoding success indicator is more recent than the second decoding success indicator, and wherein the trend of the decoding success indicators is decreasing when a read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator is less than a read-level voltage corresponding to the second decoding success indicator, and

wherein the means for maintaining the decoding success indicators comprises:

when a read-level voltage used for the successful one of the one or more decoding operations is different from the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator,

means for setting the read-level voltage corresponding to the second decoding success indicator to the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator; and

means for setting the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator to the read-level voltage used for the successful one of the one or more decoding operations.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for determining the sequence of read-level voltages comprises means for setting a first read-level voltage in the sequence of read-level voltages to the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the sequence of read-level voltages comprises means for setting a second read-level voltage of the sequence to a read-level voltage that is less than the first read-level voltage when the trend of the decoding success indicators is decreasing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a first one of the one or more decoding operations is based on the first read-level voltage, and a subsequent one of the one or more decoding operations is based on the second read-level voltage.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the read-level voltages comprise a lowest read-level voltage among the read-level voltages, and wherein when one read-level voltage in the sequence is the lowest read-level voltage, a next read-level voltage in the sequence is a read-level voltage next to and higher than the read-level voltage corresponding to the first decoding success indicator.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the read-level voltages comprise a lowest read-level voltage and a highest read-level voltage among the read-level voltages in the sequence, and wherein when one read-level voltage in the sequence is the lowest or the highest read-level voltage, the apparatus comprises means for determining a next read-level voltage in the sequence based on a direction reverse of the trend.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
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 →
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 - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
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 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 053482 FRAME 0453 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058966/0279 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 053482/0453 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2020
From: CHEN, NIANG-CHU; TAO, JUN
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 052369/0310 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16052523 · Aug 1, 2018
Provisional Application 62684157 · Jun 12, 2018
Related Publication 20200219571A1 · Jul 9, 2020