Sandisk Technologies Inc.

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Sandisk Corporation

Ekram Bhuiyan

Steve Chi

Henry H Yuan

Nian Niles Yang

Po-Shen Lai

Dmitry Vaysman

Yongliang Wang

Shufan Chan

Daniel P Nguyen

Vincent Anthony Condito

For solid state drive (SSD) or other memory system formed of multiple memory dies, techniques are presented for operation in a standby mode with increased power savings. The memory dies are operable in a regular standby mode and in a low power standby mode. Based upon the amount of current each of the memory dies in the regular standby mode, when the device goes into standby the memory dies that draw higher amounts of current when in the regular standby mode are instead placed into the low power standby mode. The amount of current drawn by each of the memory die in the regular standby mode can be determined for each of the memory dies at die sort or as part of the memory test process, or can be determine by an assembled SSD itself.

Intelligent power saving mode for solid state drive (ssd) systems

A storage system and method for dynamic duty cycle correction are disclosed. In one embodiment, a controller of a storage system provides a clock signal to the memory, receives the clock signal back from the memory, monitors the duty cycle of the clock signal received back from the memory, and in response to the duty cycle of the clock signal received back from the memory not meeting a target value, adjusts the duty cycle of the clock signal provided to the memory so that the duty cycle of the clock signal received back from the memory better meets the target value. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.

Storage system and method for dynamic duty cycle correction

An apparatus may include detection circuitry configured to detect a presence of a host clock signal on a host clock line, and detect a level of a host supply voltage upon detection of the host clock signal. The detection circuitry may configure a core regulator in a regulation mode or in a bypass mode based on the detected level of the host supply voltage. Additionally, components of analog circuitry of a non-volatile memory system may be partitioned into different supply voltage domains, with those components active during a sleep state receiving one supply voltage and those components inactive during the sleep state receiving a different supply voltage.

Voltage level detection and analog circuit arrangements for memory systems

A switching rectifier circuit includes a pulse width modulation controller, a voltage switching circuit, a pulse width modulation comparator, an error amplifier, a voltage reference, a high threshold voltage comparator and a low threshold voltage comparator. A varying output voltage of the voltage regulator is sampled and compared to a high threshold voltage reference and a low threshold voltage reference. When the sampled output voltage is equal to or greater than the high threshold voltage reference the output voltage is decreased. When the sampled output voltage is equal to or less than the low threshold voltage reference the output voltage is increased.

Fast response pulse width modulation control for switching regulator

A host power-on reset control circuit includes a comparator connected to receive both a divided version of a supply voltage and a reference voltage. The comparator generates and outputs a high digital state signal when the divided version of the supply voltage is at least as large as the reference voltage. The control circuit includes an output node connected to transmit a power-on reset control signal. The control circuit includes pulldown circuitry connected between the comparator output and the output node. The pulldown circuitry maintains the output node at a reset voltage level as the supply voltage rises to a host operational level, based on a signal present at the comparator output. The control circuit includes pullup circuitry connected between the supply voltage and the output node. The pullup circuitry maintains the output node at a non-reset voltage level after the supply voltage has risen to the host operational level.

Apparatus and method for host power-on reset control

A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory and a host interface. A method includes supplying a first supply voltage to the host interface during a first mode of operation of the non-volatile memory. The method further includes supplying a second supply voltage to the host interface in response to a transition from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation of the non-volatile memory.

Host interface of a memory device supplied with regulated or non-regulated power based on operating mode of the memory device

A data storage device includes a signal source. A load is responsive to the signal source. A method includes adjusting an impedance of the load to reduce an impedance mismatch between the signal source and the load.

Load impedance adjustment for an interface of a data storage device

A system and method of providing an analog make before break circuit includes a first transistor coupled in series with a second transistor, the first transistor being configured for conducting a high portion of an input signal, the second transistor being configured for conducting a low portion of the input signal. A third transistor is configured to interrupt a connection between the input signal and a first transistor input node, the third transistor having a third transistor threshold voltage between of about 90 and about 110 percent of a second transistor threshold voltage. A fourth transistor is configured to interrupt a connection between the input signal and a second transistor input node, the fourth transistor having a fourth transistor threshold voltage of between about 90 and about 110 percent of a first transistor threshold voltage.

Analog break before make system, method and apparatus

A soft-start generation system is configured to generate a soft-start voltage. The soft-start generation system includes sawtooth circuitry configured to generate current having a sawtooth waveform and staircase circuitry configured to generate current having an ascending staircase waveform. A ramp-up current may be generated that is a combination of the sawtooth current and the staircase current. The ramp-up current may continuously ramp up to a predetermined current level. The soft-start voltage may be generated based on the ramp-up current.

Digital soft start with continuous ramp-up

A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. A method includes calibrating a first portion of the interface in response to a first bit transition from a first bit value to a second bit value of data to be sent via the interface.

Dynamic interface calibration for a data storage device

This disclosure provides examples of circuits, devices, systems, and methods for providing high speed operation with high noise immunity. In one implementation, a circuit includes a first buffer configured to receive an incoming signal and to generate a first output signal. The circuit also includes a second buffer configured to receive the incoming signal and to generate a second output signal. The second buffer exhibits hysteresis with lower and upper thresholds. The circuit also includes an output block configured to receive the first and second output signals and to generate a third output signal. The output block is configured to switch a logic state of the third output signal in response to a transition of a logic state of the first output signal, and to lock the logic state of the third output signal until the output block receives a transition of a logic state of the second output signal.

High speed buffer with high noise immunity

This disclosure provides examples of circuits, devices, systems, and methods for providing high speed operation and a high noise margin. In one implementation, a circuit includes a first buffer configured to receive an incoming signal and a control signal and to generate an output signal based on the incoming signal. The first buffer exhibits a first hysteresis range while configured in a first hysteresis state and a second hysteresis range while configured in a second hysteresis state. The first buffer is configured to transition from the first to the second hysteresis state and vice versa in response to the control signal. The circuit includes a second buffer configured to receive the incoming signal and to generate the control signal based on the incoming signal. The second buffer exhibits a third hysteresis range with a lower threshold and an upper threshold.

Dynamic high speed buffer with wide input noise margin

In an embodiment, a circuit is disclosed that includes a current mirror including a first transistor pair and a second transistor pair. The first transistor pair includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The second transistor pair includes cascode transistors. The circuit also includes an operational amplifier having an output coupled to both the first transistor and the second transistor.

Current mirror device and method

This disclosure provides examples of circuits, devices, systems, and methods for generating a reference clock signal and delaying a received clock signal based on the reference clock signal. In one implementation, a circuit includes a control block configured to generate a control signal. The circuit includes an oscillator configured to generate a reference clock signal. The oscillator includes a plurality of delay elements each configured to receive the control signal and to introduce a delay in the reference clock signal based on the control signal. The delay elements of the oscillator are arranged to generate the reference clock signal. The circuit further includes a delay block configured to receive a clock signal and to generate a delayed clock signal. The delay block includes one or more delay elements each configured to receive the control signal and to introduce a delay in the clock signal based on the control signal.

Clock generation and delay architecture

Techniques and circuits are described by which analog circuits may be quickly driven to desired states at startup in a fast and accurate manner.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Ekram Bhuiyan