Patents by Inventor Henry Chin

Henry Chin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250328255
    Abstract: The memory device is configured to program and erase data in a memory block according to both an SLC storage scheme and a multiple bits per memory cell (e.g., TLC) storage scheme. In operation, control circuitry receives a command to write data to the memory cells of the memory block in the TLC storage scheme and determine if already data stored in the memory block is in the SLC storage scheme or is in the TLC cell storage scheme. In response to a determination that the data contained in the memory block is in the SLC storage scheme, the control circuitry pre-programs the memory cells of the memory block and then erases the memory cells. In response to a determination that the data contained in the memory block is in the TLC storage scheme, then the control circuitry erases the memory cells without pre-programming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2024
    Publication date: October 23, 2025
    Inventors: Yanwei He, Henry Chin
  • Patent number: 12451201
    Abstract: A storage device comprises: a non-volatile memory including control circuitry and an array of memory cells formed using a set of word lines and a set of bit lines. A controller, coupled to the non-volatile memory, configured to: during a program loop for programming a set of states, select a first bitline biasing mode that dictates a scheme for biasing a first set of bitlines and apply the first bitline biasing mode before verifying the set of states. The controller further configured to during another program loop for programming another set of states, select a second bitline biasing mode that dictates a scheme for biasing a second set of bitlines and apply the second bitline biasing mode before verifying the other set of states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2025
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhao, Henry Chin
  • Publication number: 20250323195
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory die having a 3D memory structure that includes nonvolatile memory cells in an array area. The nonvolatile memory cells are connected by word lines and bit lines. The word lines are connected to vertical word line vias in a staircase area adjacent to the array area. The vertical word line vias include a first plurality of vertical word line vias connected to first word line bond pads in the staircase area and a second plurality of vertical word line vias connected to second word line bond pads in the array area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2024
    Publication date: October 16, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chengqing Hu, Henry Chin, Jun Tao, Deepanshu Dutta, Zhixin Cui, Xiang Yang
  • Publication number: 20250323231
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a silicon wafer and a plurality of memory dies. The silicon wafer includes a plurality of control dies, each control die having first bond pads on a first surface. The plurality of memory dies each have second bond pads on a second surface facing the first surface of the control die. The second bond pads of each memory die are bonded to corresponding first bond pads on the first surface of the memory control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2024
    Publication date: October 16, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chengqing Hu, Henry Chin, Deepanshu Dutta, Changyuan Chen, Zhixin Cui, Swaroop Kaza
  • Publication number: 20250239323
    Abstract: Control circuits configured to connect to a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells are configured to perform a soft-bit read of the plurality of nonvolatile memory cells by sensing the plurality of nonvolatile memory cells for a sense-time. The sense-time is obtained by adding a soft-read offset time to a hard-read sense time. The soft-read offset time is dependent on a temperature measurement value such that different soft-read offset times are applied for different temperature measurement values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Publication date: July 24, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chengqing Hu, Henry Chin
  • Publication number: 20250210105
    Abstract: A memory apparatus includes memory cells configured to store a threshold voltage corresponding to data states and a control means configured to program checkpoint ones and non-checkpoint ones of the memory cells to at least one of a verify low voltage and a verify high voltage for a checkpoint state during initial program loops. The control means adjusts a bit line voltage applied to bit lines coupled to the memory cells and a subsequent quantity of subsequent program loops based on metrics associated with the memory cells exceeding the verify low voltage and the verify high voltage. The control means programs the memory cells to respective checkpoint states and non-checkpoint states by applying each of a plurality of program pulses to each of the memory cells while applying the bit line voltage to one of the bit lines associated with a given memory cell in the subsequent program loops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 26, 2025
    Inventors: Chengqing Hu, Henry Chin, Hua-Ling Hsu, Yanwei He
  • Publication number: 20250061955
    Abstract: Methods and systems for an improved smart verify operation are disclosed herein. For example, a smart verify operation is performed on a wordline to acquire programming voltage information. Further, programming of the wordline is continued based on the programming voltage information acquired during the smart verify operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyeongran Yoo, Henry Chin
  • Publication number: 20250054556
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to data states. A control means applies verification pulses of program verify voltages each associated with one of the data states to selected ones of the word lines and counts the memory cells having the threshold voltage below each of the program verify voltages targeted for each of the memory cells being programmed during each of a plurality of verify loops of a program-verify operation. The control means terminates the plurality of verify loops for the memory cells targeted for one of the data states in response to the count of the memory cells exceeding a predetermined count threshold. The predetermined count threshold is different for at least one of the data states compared to other ones of the data states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiacen Guo, Xiang Yang, Henry Chin
  • Publication number: 20250054550
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory is configured to transition blocks of non-volatile memory cells between full block mode and sub-block mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiahui Yuan, Henry Chin, Changyuan Chen
  • Patent number: 12205657
    Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for smart verify in a memory system that has a four bit per cell program mode (or X4 mode) and also a three bit per cell program mode (or X3 mode). The X3 mode uses a three-bit gray code that is based on a four-bit gray code of the X4 mode. The memory system skips verify of states in the X3 mode, while using a considerable portion of the programming logic from the X4 mode. In one X3 mode the memory system skips B-state verify while the number of memory cells having a Vt above an A-state verify voltage is below a threshold. In one X3 mode the memory system determines whether to skip verify for a first set of data states based on a first test and determines whether to skip verify for a second set of data states based on a second test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Xiang Yang, Henry Chin, Erika Penzo, Muhammad Masuduzzaman
  • Publication number: 20250006277
    Abstract: The memory device includes a memory block with a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in a plurality of word lines. Circuitry is configured to program at least some of the plurality of memory cells in a program loop or that is configured to erase at least some of the plurality of memory cells in an erase loop. During the program loop or the erase loop, the circuitry is configured to perform a verify operation and an analog bitscan operation. In the analog bitscan operation, the circuitry counts the memory cells that pass or that fail the verify operation. The circuitry is also configured to determine an output of the analog bitscan operation, the output being one of at least three options.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua-Ling Hsu, Henry Chin, Yen-Lung Li, Yanwei He
  • Publication number: 20250006266
    Abstract: The memory device includes a memory block with a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in a plurality of word lines. The memory device also includes circuitry that is configured to program at least some of the plurality of memory cells of a selected word line of the plurality of word lines in at least one program loop of a programming operation. During the at least one program loop, the circuitry is configured to apply a programming pulse to the selected word line, perform a verify operation, and perform an analog bitscan operation. The circuitry is also configured to determine an output of the analog bitscan operation. The output is one of at least three options. The circuitry is further configured to control at least one programming parameter based on the output of the analog bitscan operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua-Ling Hsu, Henry Chin, Yanwei He
  • Publication number: 20250006279
    Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in word lines, including a selected word line. Circuitry is configured to program at least some of the plurality of memory cells of the selected word line in at least one program loop of a programming operation. During the at least one program loop, the circuitry is configured to apply a programming pulse to the selected word line, perform a verify operation, and perform an analog bitscan operation. The circuitry is further configured to determine an output of the analog bitscan operation, the output being one of at least three options. The circuitry is also configured to control at least one programming parameter based on the output of the analog bitscan operation. The at least one programming parameter is an early program-verify termination parameter or a smart verify parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua-Ling Hsu, Henry Chin, Yanwei He
  • Publication number: 20250006278
    Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells which are arranged in a plurality of word lines. The plurality of word lines includes a selected group of word lines to be erased in an erasing operation. The memory device also includes circuitry that is configured to erase the memory cells of the selected group of word lines in at least one erase loop. The at least one erase loop includes an erase pulse, an erase-verify operation, and an analog bitscan operation. The circuitry is configured to determine an output of the analog bitscan operation, the output being one of at least three options. The circuitry is also configured to set at least one erase parameter based on the output of the analog bitscan operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Chin, Hua-Ling Hsu, Yanwei He, Dong-II Moon
  • Publication number: 20240428871
    Abstract: A method of programming a memory device is disclosed herein. The method comprises the steps of: performing a smart verify operation to acquire an initial programming voltage; performing a program operation on a selected wordline starting with the initial programming voltage; performing a bitscan operation of a highest state being verified; and based on a result of the bitscan operation, adjusting the initial programming voltage for programming of subsequent wordlines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyeongran Yoo, Henry Chin, Hua-Ling Hsu, Yanwei He
  • Patent number: 12154635
    Abstract: A memory device that includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array is provided. A control circuitry is configured to program a single bit of data in each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells. The control circuitry is further configured to program a first set of memory cells of the plurality of memory cells using a first programming operation that includes a single programming pulse and no verify pulse and program a second set of memory cells of the plurality of memory cells using a second programming operation that includes at least one programming loop with a programming pulse and a verify pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien, Henry Chin, Erika Penzo
  • Publication number: 20240385769
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory block including a plurality of memory cells and control circuitry configured to perform a dummy read operation to transition memory cells of the memory block from a first read condition to a second read condition. To perform the dummy read operation, the control circuitry is configured to, subsequent to performing a programming operation on a selected word line and prior to performing a programming operation on a next word line, supply a first voltage pulse to bias the selected word line and previously programmed word lines in the memory block, and, while supplying the first voltage pulse, supply a second voltage pulse to bias unprogrammed word lines in the memory block including the next word line. The second voltage pulse has a lower magnitude than the first voltage pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yanwei He, Henry Chin, Shota Murai
  • Patent number: 12057161
    Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks that can individually operate in either a multi-bit per memory cell mode or a single-bit per memory cell mode. Certain voltage parameters during programming and reading are shared between these two operating modes, and certain voltage parameters are unique to each operating mode. One unique voltage parameter is a pass voltage VREADK that is applied to word lines adjacent a selected word line being read. Another unique voltage parameter is a VSGD voltage that is applied to a select gate drain transistor during programming. Yet another unique voltage parameter is an inhibit voltage that is applied to a bit line coupled with a memory cell being inhibited from programming while other memory cells are programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Wei Zhao, Dong-II Moon, Erika Penzo, Henry Chin
  • Patent number: 12051467
    Abstract: A storage device including control circuitry, communicatively coupled to a non-volatile memory, configured to perform a programming operation to program a set of memory cells. The control circuitry, when performing the programming operation, may be configured to apply a set of biased program voltages to lines connecting to respective memory cells in an array. The set of biased program voltages may have values that are based on positions of the respective memory cells within the array relative to an outer memory string group of a set of memory string groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Huai-Yuan Tseng, Henry Chin, Deepanshu Dutta
  • Publication number: 20240221803
    Abstract: An apparatus includes control circuits configured to connect to a plurality of non-volatile memory cells. The control circuits are configured to receive a read command directed to at least one logical page of data during a program operation to store the at least one logical page of data in a plurality of non-volatile memory cells. The control circuits are further configured to stop the program operation at an intermediate stage of programming, read the plurality of non-volatile memory cells at the intermediate stage to obtain first partial data of at least one logical page and obtain the at least one logical page of data by combining the first partial data with second partial data of the at least one logical page stored in data latches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Hua-Ling Cynthia Hsu, Victor Avila, Henry Chin