Cache processes with adaptive dynamic start voltage calculation for memory devices

A flash memory device including:

• a plurality of memory dies;
• a storage device controller;
• one or more memory chip controllers coupled between the storage device controller and the plurality of memory dies to program the memory dies, each memory chip controller including processing circuitry to:
• receive, from the storage device controller, data for a first page of N pages of data;
• receive data for subsequent pages of the N pages of data;
• for each page number p of the N pages, and for cells of a memory location of the device, wherein the cells are to be programmed to a nth threshold voltage level Ln, Ln associated with a program verify voltage level PVn:
• apply a pulse voltage to at least some of the cells;
• sample a fraction of said at least some of the cells for PVn verify;
• in response to a determination that a number of sampled cells that pass PVn verify is equal to or above a pre-specified threshold, determine a dynamic start voltage (DSV) to be equal to said pulse voltage;
• program the cells of the memory location of the device to the nth threshold voltage level Ln including:
• programming the cells based on the data for the first page while receiving the data for subsequent pages of the N pages;
• and
• programming the cells based on the data for the subsequent pages, wherein programming the cells further includes, for at least n=1 and for each page number p, causing the DSV to be applied to the cells;
• and
• calculate each respective DSV based on each respective page number p of N pages prior to programming the cells.

A method to be performed at a memory chip controller of a flash memory device comprising:

• receiving data for a first page of N pages of data;
• receiving data for subsequent pages of the N pages of data;
• for each page number p of the N pages, and for cells of a memory location of the device, wherein the cells are to be programmed to a nth threshold voltage level Ln, Ln associated with a program verify voltage level PVn:
• applying a pulse voltage to at least some of the cells;
• sampling a fraction of said at least some of the cells for PVn verify;
• in response to a determination that a number of sampled cells that pass PVn verify is equal to or above a pre-specified threshold, determining a dynamic start voltage (DSV) to be equal to said pulse voltage;
• programming the cells of the memory location of the device to the nth threshold voltage level Ln including:
• programming the cells based on the data for the first page while receiving the data for subsequent pages of the N pages;
• and
• programming the cells based on the data for the subsequent pages, wherein programming the cells further includes, for at least n=1 and for the page number p, causing the DSV to be applied to the cells;
• and
• calculating each respective DSV based on each respective page number p of N pages prior to programming the cells.

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a memory chip controller of a flash memory device, to cause the memory chip controller:

• receive data for a first page of N pages of data;
• receive data for subsequent pages of the N pages of data;
• for each page number p of the N pages, and for cells of a memory location of the device, wherein the cells are to be programmed to a nth threshold voltage level Ln, Ln associated with a program verify voltage level PVn:
• apply a pulse voltage to at least some of the cells;
• sample a fraction of said at least some of the cells for PVn verify;
• in response to a determination that a number of sampled cells that pass PVn verify is equal to or above a pre-specified threshold, determine a dynamic start voltage (DSV) to be equal to said pulse voltage;
• program the cells of the memory location of the device to the nth threshold voltage level Ln including:
• programming the cells based on the data for the first page while receiving the data for subsequent pages of the N pages;
• and
• programming the cells based on the data for the subsequent pages, wherein programming the cells further includes, for at least n=1 and for the page number p, causing the DSV to be applied to the cells;
• and
• calculate each respective DSV based on each respective page number p of N pages prior to programming the cells.