IP Library Granted Patent US 11,537,292
Granted Patent B2
US 11,537,292 · App. 16/910,886 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Methods and apparatus for enhancing uber rate for storage devices

Inventors: Karin Inbar (Ramat Hasharon, IL); Avichay Haim Hodes (Kfar Ben-Nun, IL); Einat Lev (Rehovot, IL)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G06F3/0616G06F3/064G06F3/0619G06F3/0634G06F3/0653G06F3/0673G06F11/076G06F11/0772
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,537,292
App. No.
16/910,886
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for enhancing reliability of a data storage device. The storage device controller is configured to convert a typical UBER-type event to an MTBF (FFR) event by converting a data error event into a drive functional failure. In this context, the converted error is not counted as an UBER type event for purposes of determining the reliability of the storage device.

Claims (45)

1. A data storage device, comprising:

one or more non-transitory memory devices; and

a controller coupled to the one or more non-transitory memory devices, wherein the controller is configured to execute one or more instructions held in the one or more non-transitory memory devices to perform a method for improving reliability of the data storage device, comprising:

detecting whether a block failure of a block of the data storage device has occurred or a sector failure of the block of the data storage device has occurred, wherein the block failure is associated with an entirety of the block, and wherein the sector failure is associated with less than the entirety of the block; and

entering an assertion mode by the data storage device, wherein the assertion mode comprises:

converting an uncorrectable bit error (UBER) type data failure event to a mean time between failure (MTBF) event when the block failure has occurred, wherein the converting increases an MTBF value associated with the block while maintaining an UBER value associated with the block; and

reflecting the UBER type data failure event as the UBER type data failure event when the sector failure has occurred, wherein the reflecting increases the UBER value while maintaining the MTBF value associated with the block.

2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further comprise updating the storage device to reflect the block failure as a mean time between failure (MTBF) event.

3. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the detected block failure of the storage device is a read failure.

4. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein an uncorrectable bit error rate (UBER) of the storage device is not updated as a result of the block failure.

5. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions further comprise:

detecting a sector failure of the storage device; and

updating the UBER of the storage device to reflect the sector failure.

6. The data storage device of claim 5 , wherein the detected sector failure of the storage device is a read failure.

7. The data storage device of claim 6 , wherein the instructions further comprise causing the data storage device to a functional mode.

8. A data storage device, comprising:

one or more non-transitory memory devices; and

a controller coupled to the one or more non-transitory memory devices, wherein the controller is configured to execute one or more instructions held in the one or more non-transitory memory devices to perform a method for enhancing reliability of the data storage device, the method comprising:

receiving an interrupt indicating that a data failure event has occurred;

determining that the data failure event is either a block failure of a block of the data storage device or a sector failure of the block of the data storage device, wherein the block failure is associated with an entirety of the block, and wherein the sector failure is associated with less than the entirety of the block; and

either:

updating the data storage device to indicate that the data failure event is a mean time between failure (MTBF) event when the data failure event is the block failure, wherein the updating comprises converting an uncorrectable bit error (UBER) type data failure event to the MTBF event, and wherein the converting increases an MTBF value associated with the block while maintaining an UBER value associated with the block; or

reflecting the data failure event as the UBER type data failure event when the data failure event is the sector failure, wherein the reflecting increases the UBER value while maintaining the MTBF value associated with the block.

9. The data storage device of claim 8 , wherein the block failure is an uncorrectable bit error rate (UBER) type data failure event.

10. The data storage device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further comprise putting the data storage device to enter an assertion mode.

11. The data storage device of claim 10 , wherein an UBER of the data storage device is not updated as result of the data failure event.

12. The data storage device of claim 11 , the instructions further comprising:

detecting a second interrupt indicating a second data failure event at the data storage device;

determining that the second data failure event is a sector failure; and

updating the data storage device to indicate that the second data failure event is an UBER event.

13. The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein the second data failure event is a write event.

14. The data storage device of claim 12 , the instructions further comprising placing the data storage device into a mode configured to reflect a block failure as an MTBF event.

15. A data storage device, comprising:

one or more non-transitory memory means; and

a controller means coupled to the one or more non-transitory memory means, wherein the controller means is configured to execute one or more instructions held in the one or more non-transitory memory means to perform a method for enhancing reliability of the data storage device, the method comprising:

receiving an interrupt indicating that a data failure event has occurred;

determining that the data failure event is a failure of at least one sector of a block of a non-transitory memory means of the one or more non-transitory memory means; and

either:

updating the data storage device to indicate that the data failure event is a mean time between failure (MTBF) event when the data failure event is a block failure, wherein a block failure is associated with an entirety of the block, wherein the updating comprises converting an uncorrectable bit error (UBER) type data failure event to the MTBF event, and wherein the converting increases an MTBF value of the block while maintaining an UBER value of the block; or

reflecting the UBER type data failure event as the UBER type data failure event when a sector failure has occurred, wherein a sector failure is associated with less than the entirety of the block, and wherein the reflecting increases the UBER value while maintaining the MTBF value associated with the block.

16. The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one sector is a block.

17. The data storage device of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises placing the data storage device into a functional error mode.

18. The data storage device of claim 17 , wherein the data failure event is a read event.

19. The data storage device of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a sector data failure event.

20. The data storage device of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises updating the data storage device to reflect an uncorrectable bit error rate (UBER) event, and place the data storage device in a functional mode.

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 Jun 25, 2020
From: INBAR, KARIN; HODES, AVICHAY HAIM; LEV, EINAT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053038/0694 →
Continuity (1)
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