IP Library Granted Patent US 12,518,839
Granted Patent B2
US 12,518,839 · App. 18/346,332 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Enhanced operations of non-volatile memory with shared data transfer latches

Inventors: Hua-Ling Cynthia Hsu (Fremont, CA); Frank Wanfang Tsai (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.
G11C16/3459G11C7/1039G11C16/102G11C16/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,518,839
App. No.
18/346,332
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes a control circuit that is configured to connect to an array of non-volatile memory cells. The control circuit includes a first plurality of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of a first plane and a second plurality of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of a second plane. The control circuit also includes a shared data transfer data latch configured for transfer of data with the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches. The shared transfer data latch can be used to transfer data for operations being performed on a first plane to use the data latches on the other plane for storing data for operations on the first plane.

Claims (49)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a control circuit configured to connect to an array of non-volatile memory cells, the array including first and second planes of the memory cells, the control circuit comprising first and second pluralities of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of the first plane and the second plane, respectively, and a shared transfer data latch configured to transfer of data with the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches, the control circuit is configured to:

suspend an on-going program operation on memory cells of the first plane;

transfer programming data from one or more of the first plurality of data latches though the shared transfer data latch to one or more of the second plurality of data latches;

perform a read operation on the memory cells of the first plane using the one or more of the first plurality of data latches from which the programming data was transferred;

transfer out data from the read operation stored in the one or more of the first plurality of data latches from which the programming data was transferred through the shared transfer data latch;

return the transferred programming data through the shared transfer data latch from the second plurality of data latches to the first plurality of data latches; and

subsequent to returning the transferred programming data, resume the program operation.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is formed on a control die, the apparatus further comprising:

a memory die including the first plane of the memory cells and the second plane of the memory cells, the memory die separate from and bonded to the control die.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the on-going program operation is a multi-bit per cell programming operation and programming data from a plurality of the first plurality of data latches are transferred to a corresponding plurality of the second plurality of data latches.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the read operation on the memory cells of the first plane uses a plurality of the first plurality of data latches.

5 . An apparatus comprising:

a control circuit configured to connect to an array of non-volatile memory cells, the array including first and second planes of the memory cells, the control circuit comprising first and second pluralities of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of the first plane and the second plane, respectively, and a shared transfer data latch configured to transfer of data with the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches, the control circuit is further configured to:

receive one or more first pages of program data at the shared transfer data latch;

store the received one or more first pages of program data in the first plurality of data latches;

receive one or more second pages of program data at the shared transfer data latch;

store the received one or more second pages of program data in the second plurality of data latches; and

program the first and second pages of data into the first plane of memory cells in a multi-level cell programming operation.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the memory cells of the first plane are each connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of bit lines and connected along a word line and, to program the first and second pages of program data into the first plane of memory cells, the control circuit is further configured to:

bias each of plurality of bit lines to a voltage level determined from a combination of values of the program data stored in the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches; and

subsequent to biasing the plurality of bit lines, apply one or more programming pulses to the word line.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

subsequent to applying each programming pulse, perform a verify operation of the memory cells connected along the word line; and

update values of the program data stored in the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches based on the verify operation.

8 . An apparatus comprising:

a control circuit configured to connect to an array of non-volatile memory cells, the array including first and second planes of the memory cells, the control circuit comprising first and second pluralities of data latches configured to connect to non-volatile memory cells of the first plane and the second plane, respectively, and a shared transfer data latch configured to transfer of data with the first plurality of data latches and the second plurality of data latches, the control circuit configured to:

receive a plurality of pages of program data at the shared transfer data latch;

store the received plurality of pages of program data in the first plurality of data latches;

store one or more of the received plurality of pages of program data in the second plurality of data latches; and

program memory cells of the first plane based on the received plurality of pages of program data stored in the first plurality of data latches in a multi-level cell programming operation.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein to program the memory cells of the first plane, the control circuit is further configured to:

apply one or more programming pulses to the memory cells of the first plane;

subsequent to applying each programming pulse, perform a verify operation of the memory cells of the first; and

update values of the program data stored in the first plurality of data latches, but not the second plurality of data latches, based on the verify operation.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

during the programming operation, determine whether power is lost for apparatus; and

in response to determining that power is lost for the apparatus, program the one or more of the received plurality of pages of program data stored in the second plurality of data latches into the array of non-volatile memory cells.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to

receive, during the program of the memory cells of the first plane based on the received plurality of pages of program data stored in the first plurality of data latches, a request to read one or more of the plurality of pages of program data; and

in response to the request to read one or more of the plurality of pages of program data, provide the requested one or more of the plurality of pages of program data from the second plurality of data latches.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array of non-volatile memory cells is a three-dimensional NAND memory array.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory cells store data in a multi-level cell format.

14 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the control circuit is formed on a control die, the apparatus further comprising:

a memory die including the first plane of the memory cells and the second plane of the memory cells, the memory die separate from and bonded to the control die.

15 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the array of non-volatile memory cells is a three-dimensional NAND memory array.

16 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is formed on a control die, the apparatus further comprising:

a memory die including the first plane of the memory cells and the second plane of the memory cells, the memory die separate from and bonded to the control die.

17 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the array of non-volatile memory cells is a three-dimensional NAND memory array.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069796/0423 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2023
From: HSU, HUA-LING CYNTHIA; TSAI, FRANK WANFANG
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 064380/0674 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63485298 · Feb 16, 2023
Related Publication 20240282392A1 · Aug 22, 2024
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