IP Library Granted Patent US 9,606,882
Granted Patent B2
US 9,606,882 · App. 14/596,177 · Granted Mar 28, 2017

Methods and systems for die failure testing

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,606,882
App. No.
14/596,177
Granted
Mar 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosed method includes, at a storage controller of a storage system, receiving host instructions to modify configuration settings corresponding to a first memory portion of a plurality of memory portions. The method includes, in response to receiving the host instructions to modify the configuration settings, identifying the first memory portion from the host instructions and modifying the configuration settings corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions. The method includes, after modifying the configuration settings corresponding to the first memory portion, sending one or more commands to perform memory operations having one or more physical addresses corresponding to the first memory portion and receiving a failure notification indicating failed performance of at least a first memory operation of the one or more memory operations. The method includes, in response to receiving the failure notification, executing one or more error recovery mechanisms.

Claims (58)

1. A method of operation in a storage device that comprises a storage controller and one or more memory devices, each with a plurality of memory portions, comprising:

at the storage controller:

receiving host instructions from a host system to modify configuration settings specifically corresponding to a first memory portion of the plurality of memory portions;

in response to receiving the host instructions to modify the configuration settings:

identifying the first memory portion from the host instructions; and

modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions;

after said modifying of the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, sending one or more commands to perform one or more memory operations having one or more physical addresses corresponding to the first memory portion;

receiving a failure notification indicating failed performance of at least a first memory operation of the one or more memory operations; and

in response to receiving the failure notification:

executing one or more error recovery mechanisms.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to receiving the failure notification:

after executing the one or more error recovery mechanisms, monitoring performance of the one or more error recovery mechanisms; and

reporting, to the host system, the performance of the one or more error recovery mechanisms.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first memory portion of the plurality of memory portions comprises a first die.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein failed performance of the first memory operation of the one or more memory operations comprises successful completion of the first memory operation with failure to satisfy one or more predefined performance criteria.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the host instructions comprise a physical address of the first memory portion and a mode setting corresponding to a mode of simulated failed performance of memory operations at the first memory portion, wherein the memory operations are selected from the group consisting of read operations, write operations and erase operations.

6. The method of claim 5 , further including, in response to detecting the mode setting, simulating failure of the first memory portion to perform one or more memory operations selected from the group consisting of read operations, write operations and erase operations, the simulating including generating the failure notification.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting a read threshold voltage for the first memory portion, to cause read operations to fail on the first memory portion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting a write maximum pulse count for the first memory portion, to cause write operations to fail on the first memory portion.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting an erase maximum pulse count for the first memory portion, to cause erase operations to fail on the first memory portion.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the failure notification comprises information describing failure to perform the first memory operation.

11. A storage device, comprising:

an interface for coupling the storage device to a host system;

one or more memory devices, each with a plurality of memory portions; and

a storage controller, having one or more processors, the storage controller configured to:

receive host instructions from a host system to modify configuration settings specifically corresponding to a first memory portion of the plurality of memory portions;

in response to receiving the host instructions to modify the configuration settings:

identify the first memory portion from the host instructions; and

modify the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions;

after said modifying of the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, send one or more commands to perform one or more memory operations having one or more physical addresses corresponding to the first memory portion;

receive a failure notification indicating failed performance of at least a first memory operation of the one or more memory operations; and

in response to receiving the failure notification:

execute one or more error recovery mechanisms.

12. The storage device of claim 11 , the storage controller further configured to, in response to receiving the failure notification:

after executing the one or more error recovery mechanisms, monitor performance of the one or more error recovery mechanisms; and

report, to the host system, the performance of the one or more error recovery mechanisms.

13. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein failed performance of the first memory operation of the one or more memory operations comprises successful completion of the first memory operation with failure to satisfy one or more predefined performance criteria.

14. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein the host instructions comprise a physical address of the first memory portion and a mode setting corresponding to a mode of simulated failed performance of memory operations at the first memory portion, wherein the memory operations are selected from the group consisting of read operations, write operations and erase operations.

15. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting a read threshold voltage for the first memory portion, to cause read operations to fail on the first memory portion.

16. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting a write maximum pulse count for the first memory portion, to cause write operations to fail on the first memory portion.

17. The storage device of claim 11 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting an erase maximum pulse count for the first memory portion, to cause erase operations to fail on the first memory portion.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a storage device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving host instructions from a host system to modify configuration settings specifically corresponding to a first memory portion of the plurality of memory portions;

in response to receiving the host instructions to modify the configuration settings:

identifying the first memory portion from the host instructions; and

modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions;

after said modifying of the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, sending one or more commands to perform one or more memory operations having one or more physical addresses corresponding to the first memory portion;

receiving a failure notification indicating failed performance of at least a first memory operation of the one or more memory operations; and

in response to receiving the failure notification:

executing one or more error recovery mechanisms.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 , the one or more programs further including instructions for, in response to receiving the failure notification:

after executing the one or more error recovery mechanisms, monitoring performance of the one or more error recovery mechanisms; and

reporting, to the host system, the performance of the one or more error recovery mechanisms.

20. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein failed performance of the first memory operation of the one or more memory operations comprises successful completion of the first memory operation with failure to satisfy one or more predefined performance criteria.

21. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the host instructions comprise a physical address of the first memory portion and a mode setting corresponding to a mode of simulated failed performance of memory operations at the first memory portion, wherein the memory operations are selected from the group consisting of read operations, write operations and erase operations.

22. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting a read threshold voltage for the first memory portion, to cause read operations to fail on the first memory portion.

23. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting a write maximum pulse count for the first memory portion, to cause write operations to fail on the first memory portion.

24. The storage medium of claim 18 , wherein modifying the configuration settings specifically corresponding to the first memory portion, in accordance with the host instructions includes adjusting an erase maximum pulse count for the first memory portion, to cause erase operations to fail on the first memory portion.

Assignments (6)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 069796/0423 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 25, 2016
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 038807/0807 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2016
From: SANDISK ENTERPRISE IP LLC
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 038295/0225 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2015
From: CREASMAN, SCOTT; HIGGINS, JAMES M.
To: SANDISK ENTERPRISE IP LLC
Reel/Frame 035083/0994 →