IP Library Granted Patent US 12,504,882
Granted Patent B2
US 12,504,882 · App. 18/237,096 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Reclaim package cache for thermal throttling

Inventors: Udita Dua (Bangalore, IN); Kalpit Bordia (Bengaluru, IN)
Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G06F3/0614G06F3/0634G06F3/0673
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,504,882
App. No.
18/237,096
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A storage device is communicatively coupled to a host that stores data on a primary memory package on the storage device. A controller on the storage device may monitor the temperature of components on the storage device and determine when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit. When the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit, the controller may suspend certain operations on the primary memory package and write host data to the secondary memory package on the storage device. The controller may continue to monitor the temperature on the storage device, determine when the temperature on the storage device returns to an acceptable level, transfer data from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package, and resume writing host data to primary memory package.

Claims (35)

1 . A storage device communicatively coupled to a host, wherein the storage device performs thermal throttling while maintaining operational frequency and power, the storage device comprises:

a primary memory package in a first memory device to store data;

a secondary memory package in a second memory device to store data, the second memory device being a separate memory device from the first memory device and the second memory device having characteristics that are different from characteristics of the first memory device; and

a controller configured to:

receive instructions from the host and write data to the primary memory package;

to monitor temperature of components on the storage device and determine when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit;

when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit, suspend certain operations on the primary memory package and write host data to the secondary memory package; and

determine when the temperature on the storage device returns to a predefined operational level, transfer data from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package and resume suspended operations on the primary memory package.

2 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein a size of the secondary memory package is a fraction of a size of the primary memory package, wherein the size of the secondary memory package scales to align with the size of the primary memory package.

3 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the secondary memory package is a reclaimed memory device with defective blocks and functional blocks.

4 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the secondary memory package is a reclaimed memory device with blocks that fail to meet predefined performance requirements.

5 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein during thermal throttling, the controller stores data on the secondary memory package in a single-layer cell format.

6 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller executes one or more reliability schemes on the secondary memory package.

7 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller monitors the temperature of the controller, the temperature of the primary memory package, and the temperature of a power management unit on the storage device.

8 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the certain operations include program, erase, and write operations.

9 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller transfers the data from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package using one of a valid data relocation scheme and blind data movement scheme.

10 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein when the temperature exceeds the thermal temperature limit, the controller reads host data from the primary memory package and reads host data, that is not transferred from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package, from the secondary memory package.

11 . The storage device of claim 1 , wherein the secondary memory package is powered down when the temperature on the storage device is at a predefined operational level.

12 . A method for performing thermal throttling on a storage device while maintaining operational frequency and power, the storage device is communicatively coupled to a host and the store device comprises a primary memory package to store data, a secondary memory package to store data, and a controller to process data, the method comprising:

receiving instructions from the host and writing data to the primary memory package in a first memory device;

monitoring temperature of components on the storage device and determining when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit;

when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit, suspending certain operations on the primary memory package and writing host data to the secondary memory package on a second memory device, the second memory device being a separate memory device from the first memory device and the second memory device having characteristics that are different from characteristics of the first memory device; and

determining when the temperature on the storage device returns to a predefined operational level, transferring data from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package, and resuming suspended operations on the primary memory package.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising, wherein during thermal throttling, storing data on the secondary memory package in a single-layer cell format.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising executing one or more reliability schemes on the secondary memory package.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising transferring the data from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package using one of a valid data relocation scheme and blind data movement scheme.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein when the temperature exceeds the thermal temperature limit, the method comprises reading host data from the primary memory package and reading host data, that is not transferred from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package, from the secondary memory package.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising powering down the secondary memory package when the temperature on the storage device is at a predefined operational level.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing thermal throttling on a storage device while maintaining operational frequency and power, the non-transitory computer-readable medium to store one or more instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the storage device, may cause the one or more processors to:

receive instructions from a host and write data to a primary memory package on a first storage device;

monitor temperature of components on the first storage device and determine when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit;

when the temperature exceeds a thermal temperature limit, suspend certain operations on the primary memory package and write host data to a secondary memory package on a second storage device, the second storage device being a separate storage device from the first storage device and the second storage device having characteristics that are different from characteristics of the first storage device; and

determine when the temperature on the storage device returns to a predefined operational level, transfer data from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package, and resume suspended operations on the primary memory package.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising, wherein during thermal throttling, storing data on the secondary memory package in a single-layer cell format.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein when the temperature exceeds the thermal temperature limit, a processor reads host data from the primary memory package and reads host data, that is not transferred from the secondary memory package to the primary memory package, from the secondary memory package.

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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2023
From: DUA, UDITA; BORDIA, KALPIT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
Reel/Frame 065827/0499 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT- A&R Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 065656/0649 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 065657/0158 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63463732 · May 3, 2023
Related Publication 20240370174A1 · Nov 7, 2024
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