SSD Composite Temperature Control for Cold-Condition Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current techniques for determining composite temperatures in data storage devices, such as SSDs, fail to effectively manage the cold end of the temperature spectrum, leading to potential damage during testing and increased likelihood of issues like data loss when SSD components are driven below their specified operating temperatures.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating ambient and component temperature sensors, a processor determines a composite temperature that considers both hot and cold temperature spectrums, allowing for accurate thermal management by adjusting the composite temperature to match ambient temperatures at cold conditions, thereby preventing component damage and ensuring safe operating conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current composite temperature determination techniques are used, then hot temperature management is effective, but cold temperature management fails leading to component damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecold temperature managementVSAvoidcomponent damage at cold temperatures

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the composite temperature determination into two distinct components: compositehot (for hot temperature management) and compositecold (for cold temperature management). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific temperature range, resolving the contradiction by enabling effective cold temperature management without compromising hot temperature management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by using different temperature determination formulas for different temperature ranges. The compositehot formula uses specific sensor weights optimized for hot conditions, while the compositecold formula uses different weights optimized for cold conditions. This localized optimization ensures reliable cold temperature management while maintaining effective hot temperature management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If multiple temperature sensors are used, then temperature measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensor and calculation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a weighted average of temperature sensor readings rather than requiring all sensors to equally contribute. By applying weights to sensor readings based on their relevance to cold temperature conditions, the system achieves accurate cold temperature measurement without the full complexity of equally processing all sensor data in all conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of temperature determination by switching between different formulas (compositehot vs. compositecold) based on ambient temperature conditions. This parameter change allows the system to maintain measurement precision across different temperature ranges while managing device complexity through conditional logic rather than continuously complex calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enhances the reliability of SSDs by preventing damage during testing and reducing the likelihood of issues at cold temperatures, leading to higher yield and safer operation.

Implementation Method 1

at least one ambient temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient temperature of the data storage device, at least one component temperature sensor configured to detect one or more component temperatures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal detection:

Data Source

PatentUS11803217B2Management of composite cold temperature for data storage devices

Publication Date: 2023.10.31 SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for thermal management in data storage devices are provided. One such data storage device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM), at least one ambient temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient temperature of the data storage device, at least one component temperature sensor configured to detect one or more component temperatures of one or more components of the data storage device, and a processor coupled to the NVM, the at least one ambient temperature sensor, and the at least one component temperature sensor. The processor is configured to determine a composite temperature of the data storage device based on the one or more component temperatures and the ambient temperature. The processor is further configured to determine whether the composite temperature exceeds a threshold and perform a thermal management operation if the composite temperature exceeds the threshold.