Patents Examined by Anthan Tran
  • Patent number: 11756606
    Abstract: A fine-grained dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) includes a first memory bank, a second memory bank, and a dual mode I/O circuit. The first memory bank includes a memory array divided into a plurality of grains, each grain including a row buffer and input/output (I/O) circuitry. The dual-mode I/O circuit is coupled to the I/O circuitry of each grain in the first memory bank, and operates in a first mode in which commands having a first data width are routed to and fulfilled individually at each grain, and a second mode in which commands having a second data width different from the first data width are fulfilled by at least two of the grains in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Sriseshan Srikanth, Vignesh Adhinarayanan, Jagadish B. Kotra, Sergey Blagodurov
  • Patent number: 11742023
    Abstract: A memory device includes a page buffer circuit including a plurality of page buffer stages each including a plurality of page buffers. The memory device also includes a control circuit configured to generate page buffer control signals for controlling the plurality of page buffers. The control circuit is also configured to probe each of a plurality of page buffer control signal groups configured with the page buffer control signals through a probing path corresponding to each of the plurality of page buffer control signal groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Young Don Jung
  • Patent number: 11735236
    Abstract: A semiconductor system may include a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device compares a received signal with an original signal to generate a driving force control signal. The first semiconductor device also drives the original signal using a driving force in accordance with the driving force control signal to output an external transmission signal. The second semiconductor device receives the external transmission signal to generate a positive signal and a negative signal. The second semiconductor device also generates a restoration signal in response to the positive signal and the negative signal. The second semiconductor device additionally outputs the restoration signal as the external transmission signal to the first semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Yong Song
  • Patent number: 11735278
    Abstract: A method of operating a controller includes randomly transmitting a first command to a non-volatile memory device upon a read request from a host; receiving first read data corresponding to the first command from the non-volatile memory device; determining whether the number of first error bits of the first read data is greater than a first reference value; determining whether the number of first error bits is greater than a second reference value, when the number of first error bits is not greater than the first reference value; storing a target wordline in a health buffer, when the number of first error bits is greater than the second reference value; periodically transmitting a second command to the non-volatile memory device; and receiving second read data corresponding to the second command from the non-volatile memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sangsoo Cha, Sewoong Lee, Younsoo Cheon
  • Patent number: 11735261
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for programming enhancement in memory cells are described. An asymmetrically shaped memory cell may enhance ion crowding at or near a particular electrode, which may be leveraged for accurately reading a stored value of the memory cell. Programming the memory cell may cause elements within the cell to separate, resulting in ion migration towards a particular electrode. The migration may depend on the polarity of the cell and may create a high resistivity region and low resistivity region within the cell. The memory cell may be sensed by applying a voltage across the cell. The resulting current may then encounter the high resistivity region and low resistivity region, and the orientation of the regions may be representative of a first or a second logic state of the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Redaelli, Agostino Pirovano, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Fabio Pellizzer
  • Patent number: 11727967
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods including dice latches in a semiconductor device are disclosed. Example dice latches have a circuit arrangement that include a reduced number of circuits, such as transistors, and provides a compact layout. Operation of example dice latches and other dice latches may be controlled by separately provided control signals for loading and latching of data, and in some examples, for a reset operation. Example layouts include circuit elements aligned along a direction with at least one other circuit element offset from the other aligned circuit elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro Riho, Hiroshi Akamatsu, Jian Long, Kevin G. Werhane, Liang Liu, Yoshinori Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11721388
    Abstract: Devices and techniques are disclosed herein for more efficiently exchanging large amounts of data between a host and a flash storage system. In an example, read commands or write commands can optionally include a file-type indicator. The file-type indicator can allow for exchange of data between the host and the flash storage system using a single record of a Flash Translation Layer (FTL) table or logical-to-physical (L2P) table, and where the amount of data can be much larger than the atomic unit associated with the flash storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David Aaron Palmer
  • Patent number: 11721382
    Abstract: A refresh circuit includes signal selector configured to select one of normal and redundant word line logical addresses as output, output signal of which is designated as first logical address; row address latch connected to output terminal of signal selector and configured to output row hammer address and row hammer flag signal according to first logical address; seed arithmetic unit connected to output terminal of row address latch and configured to generate seed address according to row hammer address; logical arithmetic unit connected to output terminal of seed arithmetic unit and configured to obtain row hammer refresh address according to seed address, row hammer refresh address is adjacent physical address of seed address; and pre-decode unit connected to output terminal of logical arithmetic unit and configured to receive row hammer refresh address, and convert it into physical address to be used by memory array of memory to perform refresh operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Xian Fan
  • Patent number: 11709634
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to multiplexed signal development in a memory device are described. In one example, an apparatus in accordance with the described techniques may include a set of memory cells, a sense amplifier, and a set of signal development components each associated with one or more memory cells of the set of memory cells. The apparatus may further include a selection component, such as a signal development component multiplexer, that is coupled with the set of signal development components. The selection component may be configured to selectively couple a selected signal development component of the set of signal development components with the sense amplifier, which may support examples of signal development during overlapping time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri A. Yudanov, Shanky Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 11675541
    Abstract: A memory device includes a command interface configured to receive a command from a host device via multiple command address bits. The memory device also includes a centralized command decoder configured to receive the command and to determine whether the command matches a bit pattern corresponding to multiple command types, such as a write command and a read command. The centralized command decoder is also configured to, in response to the command matching the bit pattern, asserting a latch signal. The memory device also includes a latch configured to capture the multiple command address bits based at least in part on assertion of the latch signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 11670382
    Abstract: A memory device includes a semiconductor column extending above a substrate, a first conductive layer on a first side of the semiconductor column, a second conductive layer on a second side of the semiconductor column, opposite to the first conductive layer, a third conductive layer above or below the first conductive layer and on the first side of the semiconductor column, a fourth conductive layer on the second side of the semiconductor column, opposite to the third conductive layer, and a bit line connected to the semiconductor column. During reading in which a positive voltage is applied to the bit line, first, second, third, and fourth voltages applied to the first, second, third, and fourth conductive layers, respectively, wherein the first voltage and the third voltage are higher than each of the second voltage and the fourth voltage, and the third voltage is higher than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Futatsuyama, Kenichi Abe
  • Patent number: 11670353
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for current separation for memory sensing. An embodiment includes applying a sensing voltage to a memory cell having a ferroelectric material, and determining a data state of the memory cell by separating a first current output by the memory cell while the sensing voltage is being applied to the memory cell and a second current output by the memory cell while the sensing voltage is being applied to the memory cell, wherein the first current output by the memory cell corresponds to a first polarization state of the ferroelectric material of the memory cell and the second current output by the memory cell corresponds a second polarization state of the ferroelectric material of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 11664065
    Abstract: The invention provides a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and an operation method thereof. The DRAM includes a memory cell array, a temperature sensor, and a refresh logic circuit. The temperature sensor senses a temperature of the DRAM. The refresh logic circuit enters a tRFC based on a refresh command issued by a memory controller to perform an automatic refresh operation on at least one memory cell row of the memory cell array. In a temperature-controlled refresh mode, the refresh logic circuit correspondingly adjusts a number of a plurality of tRAS periods in the tRFC according to a temperature sensing result of the temperature sensor. In a fine granularity refresh mode, the refresh logic circuit correspondingly adjusts the number of the tRAS periods in the tRFC according to a granularity specified by the memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nung Yen
  • Patent number: 11631447
    Abstract: A memory circuit includes a memory cell and a source line transistor. The memory cell includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The second transistor and the third transistor form an inverter electrically connected to a drain of the first transistor. The inverter is configured to store two states with different applied voltages. The fourth transistor is electrically connected to a node of the inverter. The source line transistor is electrically connected to the fourth transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., NATIONAL YANG MING CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wei-Xiang You, Pin Su, Kai-Shin Li, Chenming Hu
  • Patent number: 11626162
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed, such as those including a block of memory cells that includes strings of charge storage devices. Each of the strings may comprise a plurality of charge storage devices formed in a plurality of tiers. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of access lines shared by the strings. Each of the plurality of access lines may be coupled to the charge storage devices corresponding to a respective tier of the plurality of tiers. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of sub-sources associated with the strings. Each of the plurality of sub-sources may be coupled to a source select gate of each string of a respective subset of a plurality of subsets of the strings, and each sub-source may be independently selectable from other sub-sources to select the strings of its respective subset independently of other strings corresponding to other subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Sakui, Akira Goda, Peter Sean Feeley
  • Patent number: 11626143
    Abstract: An output driver includes a pre driver including pre driving circuits, each including first and second pre pumps, and a main driver including main driving circuits, each including first and second main pumps. Each of the first and second pre pumps includes a first driving capacitor, and each of the first and second main pumps includes a second driving capacitor. During a first half cycle of a clock signal, the first pre pump and the first main pump perform a precharge operation, and the second pre pump and the second main pump perform a first driving operation, and during a second half cycle of the clock signal, the first pre pump and the first main pump perform the first driving operation, and the second pre pump and the second main pump perform the precharge operation. Capacitances of the first and second driving capacitors are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., RESEARCH & BUSINESS FOUNDATION SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hyeran Kim, Junyeol Lee, Jung-Hoon Chun
  • Patent number: 11594281
    Abstract: A memory device of the non-volatile type including a memory array having a plurality of memory cells organized as sectors, each sector having a main word line associated with a plurality of local word lines, each local word line coupled to the main word line by a respective local word line driver circuit, each of the local word line driver circuits consisting of a first MOS transistor coupled between the respective main word line and a respective local word line and a second MOS transistor coupled between the respective local word line and a first biasing terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Chung-Zen Chen, Yang-Chieh Lin, Chung-Shan Kuo
  • Patent number: 11594277
    Abstract: A method for neural network computation using adaptive data representation, adapted for a processor to perform multiply-and-accumulate operations on a memory having a crossbar architecture, is provided. The memory comprises multiple input and output lines crossing each other, multiple cells respectively disposed at intersections of the input and output lines, and multiple sense amplifiers respectively connected to the output lines. In the method, an input cycle of kth bits respectively in an input data is adaptively divided into multiple sub-cycles, wherein a number of the divided sub-cycles is determined according to a value of k. The kth bits of the input data are inputted to the input lines with the sub-cycles and computation results of the output lines are sensed by the sense amplifiers. The computation results sensed in each sub-cycle are combined to obtain the output data corresponding to the kth bits of the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shu-Yin Ho, Hsiang-Pang Li, Yao-Wen Kang, Chun-Feng Wu, Yuan-Hao Chang, Tei-Wei Kuo
  • Patent number: 11581037
    Abstract: Digital compute-in-memory (DCIM) bit cell circuit layouts and DCIM array circuits for multiple operations per column are disclosed. A DCIM bit cell array circuit including DCIM bit cell circuits comprising exemplary DCIM bit cell circuit layouts disposed in columns is configured to evaluate the results of multiple multiply operations per clock cycle. The DCIM bit cell circuits in the DCIM bit cell circuit layouts each couples to one of a plurality of column output lines in a column. In this regard, in each cycle of a system clock, each of the plurality of column output lines receives a result of a multiply operation of a DCIM bit cell circuit coupled to the column output line. The DCIM bit cell array circuit includes digital sense amplifiers coupled to each of the plurality of column output lines to reliably evaluate a result of a plurality of multiply operations per cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaonan Chen, Zhongze Wang, Yandong Gao, Mustafa Badaroglu
  • Patent number: 11581034
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sense amplification circuit and a method of reading out data, including: a first PMOS transistor; a first NMOS transistor; a second PMOS transistor; a second NMOS transistor; a first control MOS transistor configured to provide a bias voltage to the first PMOS transistor according to a control signal; a second control MOS transistor configured to provide the bias voltage to the second PMOS transistor according to the control signal; a first offset cancellation MOS transistor configured to electrically connect an initial bit line to a first complementary readout bit line according to an offset cancellation signal; and a second offset cancellation MOS transistor configured to electrically connect an initial complementary bit line to a first readout bit line according to the offset cancellation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: GHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Sungsoo Chi