IP Library Granted Patent US 11,250,892
Granted Patent B2
US 11,250,892 · App. 16/888,009 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Pre-charge ramp rate control for peak current based on data latch count

Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien (San Jose, CA); Juan Lee (Sunnyvale, CA); Huai-Yuan Tseng (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G11C7/12G11C7/106G11C7/1087G11C16/10G11C16/30G11C16/3481
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,250,892
App. No.
16/888,009
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Aspects of a storage device including a memory and a controller are provided which allow for reduction of current during program operations using pre-charge ramp rate control based on an inhibit bit line count acquired from data latches. When the inhibit bit line count is within a bit line count range, the controller pre-charges bit lines in memory at a first ramp rate to a first target voltage, and when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range, the controller pre-charges the bit lines at a second, faster ramp rate to a second, smaller target voltage. The inhibit bit line count may increase throughout a program operation, and the bit line count range may be configured for the middle of the program operation where current is typically high. Thus, a balance in power consumption and performance may be achieved during program operations using ramp rate control.

Claims (24)

1. A storage device, comprising:

a memory comprising a plurality of bit lines; and

a controller configured to pre-charge the bit lines at a first ramp rate to a first voltage when an inhibit bit line count acquired during a program operation is within a bit line count range, and to pre-charge the bit lines at a second ramp rate faster than the first ramp rate to a second voltage smaller than the first voltage when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range.

2. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to store the first ramp rate in the memory.

3. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to pre-charge the bit lines to a first target voltage when the inhibit bit line count is within the bit line count range, and to pre-charge the bit lines to a second target voltage different than the first target voltage when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range.

4. The storage device of claim 3 , wherein the first target voltage is larger than the second target voltage.

5. The storage device of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to store the first target voltage in the memory.

6. The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises a plurality of planes, and wherein the bit line count range is based on a number of the planes.

7. A storage device, comprising:

a memory comprising a plurality of bit lines; and

a controller configured to pre-charge the bit lines to a first target voltage when an inhibit bit line count acquired during a program operation is within a bit line count range, and to pre-charge the bit lines to a second target voltage lower than the first target voltage and at a rate faster than the pre-charge to the first target voltage when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range.

8. The storage device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to pre-charge the bit lines at a first ramp rate when the inhibit bit line count is within the bit line count range, and to pre-charge the bit lines at a second ramp rate different than the first ramp rate when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range.

9. The storage device of claim 8 , wherein the first ramp rate is slower than the second ramp rate.

10. The storage device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to pre-charge the bit lines during a first time period when the inhibit bit line count is within the bit line count range, and to pre-charge the bit lines during a second time period different than the first time period when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range.

11. The storage device of claim 10 , wherein the program operation comprises a programming phase, wherein the first time period is during the programming phase, and wherein the second time period is prior to the programming phase.

12. The storage device of claim 7 , wherein the memory comprises a plurality of planes, and wherein an upper bound of the bit line count range is based on a number of the planes.

13. A storage device, comprising:

a memory comprising a plurality of bit lines; and

a controller configured to pre-charge the bit lines at a first ramp rate to a first target voltage when an inhibit bit line count acquired during a program operation is within a bit line count range, and to pre-charge the bit lines at a second ramp rate faster than the first ramp rate to a second target voltage smaller than the first target voltage when the inhibit bit line count is outside the bit line count range.

14. The storage device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to store the first target voltage and the second target voltage in the memory.

15. The storage device of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to store the first ramp rate and the second ramp rate in the memory.

16. The storage device of claim 13 , wherein the memory comprises a plurality of planes, and the bit line count range increases with a number of the planes.

17. The storage device of claim 13 , wherein the program operation comprises a programming phase and a program verify phase following the programming phase, wherein the inhibit bit line count is acquired after the program verify phase.

18. The storage device of claim 13 , wherein the program operation comprises a plurality of program verify phases, and wherein the inhibit bit line count is acquired after each of the program verify phases.

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 053926 FRAME 0446 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058966/0321 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 053926/0446 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2020
From: LIEN, YU-CHUNG; LEE, JUAN; TSENG, HUAI-YUAN
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053215/0383 →
Continuity (1)
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