IP Library Granted Patent US 11,631,457
Granted Patent B2
US 11,631,457 · App. 17/644,228 · Granted Apr 18, 2023

QLC programming method with staging of fine data

Inventors: Sergey Anatolievich Gorobets (Edinburgh, GB); Alan D. Bennett (Edinburgh, GB); Thomas Hugh Shippey (Edinburgh, GB); Ryan R. Jones (Mesa, AZ)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
G11C11/56G11C16/10G11C16/26G11C16/0483
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,631,457
App. No.
17/644,228
Granted
Apr 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system for improved foggy-fine programming includes data that can be written to SLC memory. Then, the data can be decoded and then both foggy and finely written to MLC. After the decoding, the data can be stored in DRAM located in a front end or in a SRAM located in a flash manager prior to being written to MLC. After storing in either the DRAM or SRAM, the data is then decoded and written to MLC.

Claims (59)

1. A data storage device, comprising:

one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices including SLC memory and MLC memory; and

a controller coupled to the one or more memory devices, the controller configured to:

copy data from MLC memory and send the data to a decoder;

decode the data;

transfer the decoded data to second SRAM;

generate XOR parity data;

transfer XOR parity data and decoded data to encoder and to DRAM;

encode XOR parity data and decoded data;

foggy write encoded XOR parity data and decoded data to MLC memory;

transfer XOR parity data and decoded data from DRAM to the encoder;

encode the XOR parity data and decoded data;

fine write the encoded XOR parity data and decoded data to MLC memory; and

perform garbage collection of data.

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

write the data to the SLC memory prior to copying the data from MLC memory;

foggy write the data to MLC memory prior to copying the data from MLC memory; and

fine write the data to MLC memory prior to copying the data from MLC memory.

3. The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the foggy writing the data to the MLC memory includes:

retrieving the data from the SLC memory;

decoding the data retrieved from the SLC memory;

encoding the decoded data retrieved from the SLC memory; and

writing the encoded data to the MLC memory.

4. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device comprises a first front end module and a distinct second front end module.

5. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein the first front end module comprises first SRAM and a first XOR parity engine.

6. The data storage device of claim 5 , wherein the second front end module comprises an encoder, a decoder, the second SRAM, and a second XOR parity engine.

7. The data storage device of claim 6 , wherein the XOR parity data is generated in the second XOR parity engine.

8. The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein the DRAM is disposed outside of both the first front end module and the second front end module.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein generating XOR parity data occurs concurrent with transferring the decoded data to the second SRAM.

10. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein decoding the data occurs concurrent with transferring the decoded data to the second SRAM.

11. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein transferring XOR parity data and decoded data to the encoder and to DRAM occurs concurrently.

12. A data storage device, comprising:

one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices each including a plurality of dies with each die including SLC memory and MLC memory; and

a controller coupled to the one or more memory devices, the controller configured to:

transfer data and parity data from a first SRAM to an encoder;

encode the data and parity data;

write the encoded data to SLC memory;

foggy write the encoded data to MLC memory;

transfer the data and the parity data from the first SRAM to a DRAM;

transfer the data to the encoder;

encode the data; and

finely write the encoded host data to MLC memory.

13. The data storage device of claim 12 , further comprising a first front end module and a second front end module.

14. The data storage device of claim 13 , wherein the first front end module comprises the first SRAM and an XOR parity engine.

15. The data storage device of claim 14 , wherein the second front end comprises the encoder, a second SRAM, and a decoder.

16. The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein transferring the data and parity data to DRAM occurs concurrently with transferring data and parity data from the first SRAM to the encoder.

17. The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein writing the encoded data to SLC memory occurs concurrently with transferring data and parity data from the first SRAM to the encoder.

18. A data storage device, comprising:

memory means; and

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

retrieve previously written data from SLC memory;

foggy write the retrieved data to MLC memory;

finely write the retrieved data to MLC memory; and

perform a garbage collection operation comprising:

retrieve the finely written retrieved data from MLC memory;

foggy write the retrieved finely written retrieved data to MLC memory; and

finely write the retrieved finely written retrieved data to MLC memory.

19. The data storage device of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to decode the retrieved previously written data.

20. The data storage device of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to decode and encode the retrieved finely written retrieved data.

Assignments (8)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2021
From: GOROBETS, SERGEY ANATOLIEVICH; BENNETT, ALAN D.; SHIPPEY, THOMAS HUGH; JONES, RYAN R.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058388/0223 →