Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Arjun Hary

Yong Peng

Rajeev Nagabhirava

Damian Pablo Yurzola

Tal Heller

Yigal Eli

Ka Ian Yung

Krishnamurthy Dhakshinamurthy

Talal Ahwal

Tucker Dean Berckmann

Xiangyang Miao

Georgy Zorik Machulsky

Systems and methods for improving NAND flash memory yields by identifying memory blocks with benign word line defects. Memory blocks including word line defects may be classified as incomplete memory blocks and may be used for storing data fragments. A data fragment may correspond with data written into memory cells associated with one or more contiguous word lines within a memory block that does not include a bad word line. In some cases, firmware associated with a NAND flash memory device may identify one or more data fragments based on the location of bad word lines within a memory block. A word line defect may be considered a benign defect if the defect does not prevent memory cells connected to other word lines within a memory block from being programmed and/or read reliably.

NAND flash word line management using multiple fragment pools

Disclosed are apparatus and techniques for indicating health of a memory system having a controller and nonvolatile memory array. In one embodiment, the invention pertains to a method for indicating health of a removable memory system that is removably coupled with a host device. After the memory system is coupled with a host device, a first health status is output via an external electrical or mechanical interface of the memory system. One or more health metrics of the memory system are monitored. After a first predefined limit is reached with respect to the one or more health metrics, a second health status is output via the external electrical or mechanical interface of the memory system. The first health status differs from the second health status.

Apparatus and methods for indicating the health of removable storage devices

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Arjun Hary