IP Library Granted Patent US 12,475,959
Granted Patent B2
US 12,475,959 · App. 18/481,786 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Non-volatile memory with current detection circuit

Inventors: Abu Naser Zainuddin (Milpitas, CA); Jiahui Yuan (Fremont, CA); Sai Gautham Thoppa (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.
G11C16/3459G05F1/462G11C5/147G11C7/04G11C11/1697G11C11/2297G11C11/4074G11C13/0038G11C16/0433G11C16/28
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,475,959
App. No.
18/481,786
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory system implemented on one or more die includes a power input line for the one or more die, a current detection circuit connected to the power input line such that the current detection circuit is configured to indicate whether current at the power input is greater than a reference current, and a control circuit connected to the power input line and the current detection circuit. The control circuit is also connected to a non-volatile memory structure comprising a plurality of non-volatile memory cells. The control circuit is configured to sense data from the non-volatile memory structure including lowering a voltage used during the sensing in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input line is greater than the reference current.

Claims (66)

1 . A non-volatile storage apparatus, comprising:

a power input;

a current detection circuit connected to the power input, the current detection circuit is configured to compare current at the power input to a reference and indicate whether current at the power input is greater than the reference;

a non-volatile memory structure; and

a control circuit connected to the non-volatile memory structure, the power input and the current detection circuit;

the control circuit is configured to adjust a parameter used during a memory operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference and perform the memory operation using the adjusted parameter.

2 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory operation is a sensing operation;

the parameter is a voltage applied during the sensing operation; and

the control circuit is configured to lower a magnitude of the voltage applied during the sensing operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference.

3 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more integrated circuits, the power input is a power input pin for the one or more integrated circuits, the current detection circuit and the control circuit are positioned in the one or more integrated circuits.

4 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a memory die, the power input is a power input for the memory die, the current detection circuit and the control circuit are positioned on the memory die.

5 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an integrated memory assembly comprising a memory die and a control die, the power input is a power input for the control die, the current detection circuit and the control circuit are positioned on the memory die.

6 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the parameter is a voltage used during the memory operation; and

the control circuit is configured to lower the voltage used during the memory operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference.

7 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory operation is a program verify operation as part of a programming process;

the parameter is an overdrive voltage applied to unselected word lines; and

the control circuit is configured to lower a magnitude of the voltage applied to unselected word lines during the program verify operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference.

8 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory operation is a read operation;

the parameter is a voltage applied to a selected bit line; and

the control circuit is configured to lower a magnitude of the voltage applied to selected bit line during the read operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference.

9 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory operation is a read operation;

the parameter is a voltage applied to a gate of voltage clamp transistor in a sense amplifier connected to a selected bit line; and

the control circuit is configured to lower a magnitude of the voltage applied to the gate of the voltage clamp transistor during the read operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference.

10 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the parameter is a temperature compensation offset; and

the control circuit is configured to adjust the temperature compensation offset in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference.

11 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the current detection circuit comprises a current to voltage conversion circuit connected to a voltage comparator.

12 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the current detection circuit measures temperature of a p/n junction of a diode at the power input.

13 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the current detection circuit measures temperature of a transistor at the power input.

14 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory operation is a program verify operation as part of a programming process; and

the control circuit is configured to complete the programming process using the adjusted parameter for additional verify operations that are part of the programming process.

15 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the memory operation is a read operation for memory cells in a block; and

the control circuit is configured to perform additional read operations for other memory cells in the block using the adjusted parameter until a programming process is performed for the block.

16 . The non-volatile storage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the control circuit is configured to adjust the parameter during the memory operation in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input during the memory operation is greater than the reference and continue to perform the memory operation using the adjusted parameter.

17 . A method, comprising:

accessing current at a power input line of an integrated circuit of a non-volatile memory system;

detecting that the current at the power input line is greater than a reference current;

lowering a voltage used to sense a non-volatile memory cell in response to the detecting that the current at the power input line is greater than the reference current; and

sensing the non-volatile memory cell using the lowered voltage.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

performing a memory operation, the sensing is performed as part of the memory operation, the lowering the voltage is performed during the memory operation and prior to completing the memory operation.

19 . A non-volatile storage apparatus, comprising:

one or more die comprising:

a power input for the one or more die;

a current detection circuit connected to the power input, the current detection circuit is configured to indicate whether current at the power input is greater than a reference current;

a non-volatile memory structure; and

a control circuit connected to the non-volatile memory structure, the power input and the current detection circuit;

word lines connected to the non-volatile memory structure and to the control circuit;

the control circuit is configured to sense data from the non-volatile memory structure including applying an overdrive voltage to unselected word lines during the sensing of data, the control circuit is configured to lower a magnitude of the overdrive voltage applied to unselected word lines for sensing data in response to the current detection circuit indicating that current at the power input is greater than the reference current.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the lowering the voltage comprises lowering a voltage applied to a transistor in a sense amplifier connected to a selected bit line in response to the detecting that the current at the power input line is greater than the reference current; and

the sensing comprises sensing the non-volatile memory cell using the sense amplifier with the lowered voltage applied to the transistor in the sense amplifier.

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 - DDTL Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 065657/0158 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT- A&R Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 065656/0649 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2023
From: ZAINUDDIN, ABU NASER; YUAN, JIAHUI; THOPPA, SAI GAUTHAM
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 065148/0858 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250118379A1 · Apr 10, 2025
References Cited (15)
US 7965109B2 · Kang · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 8335123B2 · Sprouse · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8514630B2 · Huynh et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8694719B2 · Lassa et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9236139B1 · Lai et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9329986B2 · Li et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9563213B2 · Addepalli et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10559365B2 · Yang et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 11705206B2 · Zainuddin et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20170140823A1 · Missiroli et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20220011794A1 · Gray · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220390972A1 · Macerola · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230075487A1 · Igarashi · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240395301A1 · Petti · 2024 [cited by examiner]
WO 2006027373A1 · 2006 [cited by applicant]