IP Library Granted Patent US 11,704,190
Granted Patent B2
US 11,704,190 · App. 17/507,480 · Granted Jul 18, 2023

UECC failure handling method

Inventors: Ramkumar Subramanian (Pleasanton, CA); Mahim Gupta (San Jose, CA); Piyush Sagdeo (Newark, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G06F11/0793G06F3/064G06F3/0619G06F3/0652G06F3/0673G06F11/0727G06F11/1076
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,704,190
App. No.
17/507,480
Granted
Jul 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A data storage device includes a memory device having a plurality of blocks and a controller coupled to the memory device. The controller is configured to determine that an uncorrectable error correction code (UECC) failure has occurred to a block of the plurality of blocks, enable a UECC anti-strike mechanism, and erase the block. The UECC anti-strike mechanism comprises converting a read failure associated with the block to an erase failure. The controller is further configured to retire the block upon determining that the erase is unsuccessful.

Claims (38)

1. A data storage device, comprising:

a memory device comprising a plurality of blocks; and

a controller coupled to the memory device, the controller configured to:

determine that an uncorrectable error correction code (UECC) failure has occurred to a block of the plurality of blocks;

enable a UECC anti-strike mechanism for the block, wherein the UECC anti-strike mechanism comprises converting a read failure associated with the block to an erase failure, wherein a block strike count is not incremented for the block upon determining that the UECC failure has occurred to the block, and wherein reaching a block strike count threshold causes the controller to retire the block; and

erase the block.

2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the UECC anti-strike mechanism is enabled for each block of the plurality of blocks that has the UECC failure.

3. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the converting occurs after erasing the block.

4. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine if the erase is successful.

5. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to disable the UECC anti-strike mechanism when the erase is successful.

6. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to retire the block upon determining that the erase is unsuccessful.

7. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the UECC anti-strike mechanism compares even wordline data with odd wordline data.

8. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein the comparing is completed after a successful erase verify.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect an electrical signature of an Erase to A-state tail.

10. A data storage device, comprising:

a memory device; and

a controller coupled to the memory device, the controller configured to:

detect an erase tail for a TLC block of the memory device;

enable a UECC anti-strike mechanism for the TLC block, wherein the UECC anti-strike mechanism comprises converting a read failure associated with the TLC block to an erase failure, wherein a block strike count is not incremented for the TLC block upon detecting the erase tail for the TLC block, and wherein reaching a block strike count threshold causes the controller to retire the TLC block;

erase the TLC block; and

convert the read failure to the erase failure for the TLC block.

11. The data storage device of claim 10 , wherein the TLC block has an uncorrectable error correction code (UECC) failure based on the detecting.

12. The data storage device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform an exclusive or (XOR) operation between even wordlines and odd wordlines of the TLC block during the erasing of the TLC block.

13. The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to retire the TLC block based on the XOR operation.

14. The data storage device of claim 13 , wherein the retiring is based on the XOR operation returning a 1 value.

15. The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

program host data to the TLC block after the XOR operation returns a 0; and

determine if the programming is successful.

16. The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to retire the TLC block upon determining that the TLC block has a second UECC failure.

17. A data storage device, comprising:

memory means; and

a controller coupled to the memory means, the controller configured to:

detect a wordline to memory hole defect for a block;

enable a UECC anti-strike mechanism for the block, wherein the UECC anti-strike mechanism comprises converting a read failure associated with the block to an erase failure, wherein a block strike count is not incremented for the block upon detecting the wordline to memory hole defect for the block, and wherein reaching a block strike count threshold causes the controller to retire the block; and

convert the read failure to the erase failure for the block.

18. The data storage device of claim 17 , wherein the wordline to memory hole defect is a block level erase failure that manifests as the read failure.

19. The data storage device of claim 17 , wherein the wordline to memory hole defect is a block level program failure that manifests as the read failure.

20. The data storage device of claim 17 , wherein the converting occurs for blocks that includes one or more uncorrectable error correction code (UECC) failures.

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 058426 FRAME 0815 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0679 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2021
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 058426/0815 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2021
From: SUBRAMANIAN, RAMKUMAR; GUPTA, MAHIM; SAGDEO, PIYUSH
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 057873/0716 →