IP Library Granted Patent US 11,508,416
Granted Patent B2
US 11,508,416 · App. 17/203,533 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Management of thermal throttling in data storage devices

Inventors: Kiran Kumar Eemani (Bangalore, IN); Sridhar Prudvi Raj Gunda (Bangalore, IN); Shivam Chawla (Rohtak, IN)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11C5/14G06F11/3037G06F11/3062
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 11,508,416
App. No.
17/203,533
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for management of thermal throttling in data storage devices are provided. One such data storage device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM), an always-on (AON) memory, and a processor coupled to the NVM and AON memory. The processor is configured to: receive an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state; store, responsive to the indication, status information of the data storage device in the AON memory; cause, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, the data storage device to enter a low power state wherein the only component of the data storage device that remains on is the AON memory; and restore, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory.

Claims (73)

1. A data storage device, comprising:

a non-volatile memory (NVM);

an always-on (AON) memory; and

a processor coupled to the NVM and the AON memory, the processor configured to:

receive an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state;

store, responsive to the indication, status information of the data storage device in the AON memory;

cause, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, the data storage device to enter a low power state wherein the only component of the data storage device that remains on is the AON memory; and

restore, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory,

wherein the AON memory is configured to operate at a temperature greater than the first temperature threshold.

2. A data storage device, comprising:

a non-volatile memory (NVM);

an always-on (AON) memory; and

a processor coupled to the NVM and the AON memory, the processor configured to:

receive an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state;

determine whether the temperature of the data storage device exceeds the temperature threshold after a preselected period after the indication;

store, responsive to the indication and the determination that the temperature of the data storage device still exceeds the temperature threshold after the preselected period, the status information of the data storage device in the AON memory;

cause, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, the data storage device to enter a low power state wherein the only component of the data storage device that remains on is the AON memory; and

restore, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory.

3. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

operate, responsive to the determination that the temperature of the data storage device does not exceed the temperature threshold for the preselected period, without causing the data storage device to enter the low power state.

4. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the preselected period is in a range from about 2 seconds to about 3 seconds.

5. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the status information comprises at least one of boot block information, directory information, or context information for the processor.

6. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a second indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a second temperature threshold that is less than the first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in the powered-on state; and

activate, responsive to the second indication, a thermal throttling and thereby cause the data storage device to enter a power state that consumes less power than the powered-on state.

7. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the first temperature threshold corresponds to a maximum allowed temperature before a data loss occurs in the NVM based on temperature.

8. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to report the temperature of the data storage device and positioned proximate the NVM.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive commands from a host device; and

execute the commands using the NVM.

10. A method for use with a data storage device including a non-volatile memory (NVM) and an always-on (AON) memory, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state;

storing, responsive to the indication, status information of the data storage device in the AON memory;

reducing, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, a power usage of the data storage device to a low power state such that the only component of the data storage device that remains on is the AON memory; and

restoring, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory,

wherein the AON memory is configured to operate at a temperature greater than the first temperature threshold.

11. A method for use with a data storage device including a non-volatile memory (NVM) and an always-on (AON) memory, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state;

determining whether the temperature of the data storage device still exceeds the first temperature threshold after a preselected period after the indication;

storing, responsive to the indication and the determining that the temperature of the data storage device still exceeds the temperature threshold after the preselected period, the status information of the data storage device in the AON memory;

reducing, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, a power usage of the data storage device to a low power state such that the only component of the data storage device that remains on is the AON memory; and

restoring, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

operating, responsive to the determining that the temperature of the data storage device does not exceed the temperature threshold for the preselected period, without causing the data storage device to enter the low power state.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the status information comprises at least one of boot block information, directory information, or context information for a processor of the data storage device.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a second indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a second temperature threshold that is less than the first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in the powered-on state; and

activating, responsive to the second indication, a thermal throttling and thereby causing the data storage device to enter a power state that consumes less power than the powered-on state.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first temperature threshold corresponds to a maximum allowed temperature before a data loss occurs in the NVM based on temperature.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

sensing a temperature at the NVM; and

generating the indication of the temperature of the data storage device using the sensed NVM temperature.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving commands from a host device; and

executing the commands using the NVM.

18. A data storage device, comprising:

a non-volatile memory (NVM);

an always-on (AON) memory;

means for receiving an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state;

means for storing, responsive to the indication, status information of the data storage device in the AON memory;

means for reducing, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, a power usage of the data storage device such that the only component of the data storage device that remains on is the AON memory; and

means for restoring, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory,

wherein the AON memory is configured to operate at a temperature greater than the first temperature threshold.

19. A data storage device, comprising:

a non-volatile memory (NVM);

an always-on (AON) memory; and

a processor coupled to the NVM and the AON memory, the processor configured to:

receive an indication that a temperature of the data storage device exceeds a first temperature threshold, while the data storage device is in a powered-on state;

store, responsive to the indication, status information of the data storage device in the AON memory;

cause, responsive to the indication and the stored status information, the data storage device to enter a low power state; and

restore, responsive to the data storage device resuming the powered-on state, the status information to the data storage device from the AON memory,

wherein the AON memory is configured to operate at a temperature greater than the first 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 056285 FRAME 0292 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058982/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 056285/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2021
From: EEMANI, KIRAN KUMAR; GUNDA, SRIDHAR PRUDVI RAJ; CHAWLA, SHIVAM
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055639/0320 →