IP Library Granted Patent US 11,334,251
Granted Patent B2
US 11,334,251 · App. 16/915,709 · Granted May 17, 2022

SSD operation in a nonoptimal memory environment

Inventors: Dmitry Vaysman (San Jose, CA); Eran Erez (Bothell, WA); Daniel Edward Tuers (Kapaa, HI); Grishma Shah (Milpitas, CA); Eakta Anchila (San Jose, CA); Man Lung Mui (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G06F3/0616G06F1/206G06F3/0634G06F3/0658G06F3/0679
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,334,251
App. No.
16/915,709
Granted
May 17, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to thermal throttling a nonvolatile memory device in a data storage device. Nonvolatile memory devices can sustain higher temperatures for a limited duration of time as part of the lifecycle/operation of the device. By allowing for a small margin of time at a higher temperature of operation, the maximum capability of the data storage device is increased. In so doing, the data storage device reliability can be maintained while increasing the device performance.

Claims (31)

1. A data storage device, comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device; and

a controller coupled to the nonvolatile memory device, wherein the controller includes a weighted counter configured to track a temperature and a temperature exposure time for the nonvolatile memory device, and wherein the controller is configured to:

receive temperature measurements from one or more temperature locations inside the data storage device;

calculate a percentage of operational time that the nonvolatile memory device can be exposed to a temperature that exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold; and

permit the nonvolatile memory device to operate at a temperature that exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold for the percentage of operational time calculated.

2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the nonvolatile memory device is a NAND device.

3. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor coupled to the controller.

4. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to change the predetermined temperature threshold.

5. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to track multiple temperature thresholds.

6. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the weighted counter is further configured to count an amount of temperature samples below and above a temperature threshold.

7. The data storage device of claim 6 , wherein the weighted counter is further configured to track a duration of time that the nonvolatile memory device operates at a temperature exceeding the temperature threshold.

8. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to throttle the data storage device to lower the temperature of the nonvolatile memory device.

9. A data storage device, comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device; and

a controller coupled to the nonvolatile memory device, wherein the controller includes a weighted counter configured to track temperature and temperature exposure time for the nonvolatile memory device, and wherein the controller is configured to:

dynamically adjust a period of time that the nonvolatile memory device may exceed a predetermined temperature threshold; and

dynamically adjust the temperature threshold from the predetermined temperature threshold.

10. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to dynamically adjust the predetermined temperature threshold based upon temperature readings of an ASIC.

11. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to dynamically adjust the predetermined temperature threshold based upon temperature readings of the nonvolatile memory device.

12. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to throttle power to the data storage device.

13. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to throttle command fetching from a host device.

14. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to track cycling of the nonvolatile memory device.

15. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the nonvolatile memory device is a first nonvolatile memory device, the data storage device further comprising a second nonvolatile memory device, wherein the first nonvolatile memory device and the second nonvolatile memory device are disposed at different thermal locations.

16. The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to control temperature exposure for the first nonvolatile memory device independent of the second nonvolatile memory device.

17. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to reset the temperature threshold upon detecting a secure erase event, a trimming of all LBAs, a logically empty drive, or combinations thereof.

18. A data storage device, comprising:

a nonvolatile memory device;

means to throttle the data storage device when a temperature threshold is exceeded; and

means to track a temperature of the nonvolatile memory device and to track a time of exposure to the temperature of the nonvolatile memory device.

19. The data storage device of claim 18 , further comprising means to adjust the temperature threshold.

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 - 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 1, 2020
From: VAYSMAN, DMITRY; EREZ, ERAN; TUERS, DANIEL EDWARD; SHAH, GRISHMA; ANCHILA, EAKTA; MUI, MAN LUNG
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 053104/0347 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,688,118