US 12,487,262 B2Granted

Systems and methods for PLP capacitor health check

AssigneeKioxia Corporation

InventorsTimothy Simon Butler, Paul Abrahams

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Various implementations described herein relate to systems and methods for determining abnormal leakage current of a capacitor by determining a number of recent leakage current values for the capacitor and determining a maximum upper limit, minimum upper limit, maximum lower limit, and minimum lower limit based on leakage current values different from the recent leakage current values. A present upper limit and a present lower limit are determined for the recent leakage current values. Abnormal leakage current is determined in response to determining that the present upper limit being greater than an upper threshold (determined based on the maximum upper limit and the minimum upper limit) or the present lower limit being less than a lower threshold (determined based on the maximum lower limit and the minimum lower limit).

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for managing a power-loss protection (PLP) capacitor, comprising:

obtaining, using a test circuit coupled to the capacitor, a plurality of recent leakage current test results for the capacitor at a respective plurality of different past times within a lifetime of the capacitor;
storing, in a memory device, the plurality of recent leakage current test results;
determining a present upper limit and a present lower limit based on the plurality of recent leakage current test results;
comparing the present upper limit and the present lower limit to upper and lower thresholds, respectively;
providing, by a processing circuit coupled to the test circuit, an indication that the capacitor is unsuitable for use in power-loss protection in response to determining that the present upper limit is greater than the upper threshold or the present lower limit is less than the lower threshold;
and
determining each of the recent leakage current test results, including:
determining a first drain current using a first load and determining a second drain current using a second load;
determining a first time interval needed for a voltage across the first load to drop a predetermined voltage;
and
determining a second time interval needed for a voltage across the second load to drop the predetermined voltage,
wherein determining each of the recent leakage current test results is based at least on the first drain current, the second drain current, the first time interval, and the second time interval.

9 more elements

A system, comprising:

a power-loss protection (PLP) capacitor for a solid state drive (SSD);
a test circuit coupled to the PLP capacitor, the test circuit configured to obtain a plurality of recent leakage current test results at a respective plurality of different past times within a lifetime of the PLP capacitor being integrated with the SSD;
a storage configured to store the plurality of recent leakage current test results for the PLP integrated within the SSD;
and
a power manager in a controller of the SSD comprising a processing circuit configured to:
determine a present upper limit and a present lower limit based on the plurality of recent leakage current test results;
compare the present upper limit and the present lower limit to upper and lower thresholds, respectively;
and
provide an indication that the PLP capacitor is unsuitable for use in power-loss protection in response to determining that the present upper limit is greater than the upper threshold or the present lower limit is less than the lower threshold,
wherein the test circuit is further configured to:
determine a first drain current using a first load in the test circuit;
determine a second drain current using a second load in the test circuit;
determine a first time interval needed for a voltage across the first load to drop a predetermined voltage;
determine a second time interval needed for a voltage across the second load to drop the predetermined voltage;
and
determine each of the recent leakage current test results based at least on the first drain current, the second drain current, the first time interval, and the second time interval.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/321,340Filed 22 May 2023 · continuation
Priority: 28 Jan 2020
Published: US 2023/0288464 A114 Sep 2023
Granted: 2 Dec 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G01R 27/2688
Measuring inductance or capacitance; Measuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance method; Measuring loss factor; Measuring dielectric…:…
G01R 31/64
Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections: testing…
G01R 31/3004
Marginal testing, e.g. by varying supply voltage: current or voltage test
G06F 1/263
Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof: arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC

Family

Application16/775,138Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jan 2020
US 2023/0288464 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Sep 2023
US 11,656,257 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2021/0231720 A1Published application
US 12,487,262 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.