Patents Examined by Anthan Tran
  • Patent number: 11315633
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for three-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of three possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining whether the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, and applying an additional voltage pulse to the memory cell based on the determination of whether the memory cell snaps back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hernan A. Castro, Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Patent number: 11315625
    Abstract: The invention relates to a data edge jumping method, applied to a memory system, wherein the memory system comprises a processor and a memory driven by the processor, and a plurality of groups of data lines are connected between the processor and the memory. The data edge jumping method comprising: coding data output by the processor to enable total current produced by data transmission through each of the plurality of groups of data lines at the same time to be zero; transmitting the coded data through the plurality of groups of data cables, and decoding the data before reaching the memory; and inputting the decoded data into the memory, and enabling the total current produced in the data lines to be close to 0 A, so that electromagnetic interference is hardly produced by signals transmitted through the data lines, and allowance of signal radiation is large enough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: AMLOGIC (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chuanting Xu, Kun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11309022
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of resistive memory cells with a plurality of word lines connected to the array of resistive memory cells. A voltage compensation controller is configured to determine a word line voltage to be applied to a selected word line of the plurality of word lines. A word line driver is configured apply the determined word line voltage to the selected word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Inventors: Chien-An Lai, Chung-Cheng Chou, Yu-Der Chih
  • Patent number: 11302383
    Abstract: The invention relates to DRAM with sustainable storage architecture. The DRAM comprises a DRAM cell with an access transistor and a storage capacitor, and a word-line coupled to a gate terminal of the access transistor. During the period between the word-line being selected to turn on the access transistor and the word line being unselected to turn off the access transistor, either a first voltage level or a second voltage level is stored in the DRAM cell, wherein the first voltage level is higher than a voltage level of a signal ONE utilized in the DRAM, and the second voltage level is lower than a voltage level of a signal ZERO utilized in the DRAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: Etron Technology, Inc., Invention And Collaboration Laboratory Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-Chun Lu, Bor-Doou Rong, Chun Shiah
  • Patent number: 11302405
    Abstract: A nonvolatile (NV) memory device includes an NV storage media and a storage controller to control access to the NV storage media. In response to a host read request, the storage controller can determine if the NV storage media is in a stable Vt (threshold voltage) state. If the NV storage media is in a stable Vt state, the storage controller can perform a reset read operation prior to servicing the host read request. A reset read is a read operation that does not produce data to send back to the host. The reset read operation is a dummy read that puts the NV storage media into a transient Vt state, which has lower risk of read disturb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sriram Natarajan, Shankar Natarajan, Yihua Zhang, Hinesh K. Shah, Rohit S. Shenoy, Arun Sitaram Athreya
  • Patent number: 11295806
    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: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David Aaron Palmer
  • Patent number: 11270740
    Abstract: A sense component of a memory device in accordance with the present disclosure may selectively employ components having a relatively high voltage isolation characteristic in a portion of the sense component associated with relatively higher voltage signals (e.g., signals associated with accessing a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell), and components having a relatively low voltage isolation characteristic in a portion of the sense component associated with relatively lower voltage signals (e.g., input/output signals according to some memory architectures). Voltage isolation characteristics may include isolation voltage, activation threshold voltage, a degree of electrical insulation, and others, and may refer to such characteristics as a nominal value or a threshold value. In some examples the sense component may include transistors, and the voltage isolation characteristics may be based at least in part on gate insulation thickness of the transistors in each portion of the sense component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyoichi Nagata
  • Patent number: 11270767
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device having processing logic embedded within a memory bank of the non-volatile memory device is disclosed herein. By way of example, commands for controlling the processing logic can be exposed to a host device, enabling the host device to activate processing capacity of the memory bank in conjunction with a memory operation. The processing capacity can be directed by a data command, transmitted by the host device, at read or write data identified by the memory operation. Read data can be processed by the memory bank before being output onto a data interface connected to the memory bank. Likewise, write data received at the memory bank can be processed in conjunction with storing the write data in the non-volatile memory device. A disclose memory device can therefore implement internal processing in conjunction with reading or writing data to a memory device comprising respective banks of two-terminal non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Crossbar, Inc.
    Inventor: Mehdi Asnaashari
  • Patent number: 11271152
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment comprises a memory cell array configured from a plurality of row lines and column lines that intersect one another, and from a plurality of memory cells disposed at each of intersections of the row lines and column lines and each including a variable resistance element. Where a number of the row lines is assumed to be N, a number of the column lines is assumed to be M, and a ratio of a cell current flowing in the one of the memory cells when a voltage that is half of the select voltage is applied to the one of the memory cells to a cell current flowing in the one of the memory cells when the select voltage is applied to the one of the memory cells is assumed to be k, a relationship M2<2×N×k is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Murooka
  • Patent number: 11264075
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for selective row refreshes are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a refresh control circuit. The refresh control circuit may be configured to receive a target address associated with a target plurality of memory cells from an address bus. The refresh control circuit may further be configured to provide a proximate address to the address bus responsive, at least in part, to determining that a number of refresh operations have occurred. In some examples, a plurality of memory cells associated with the proximate address may be a plurality of memory cells adjacent the target plurality of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Debra M. Bell, Jeff A. McClain, Brian P. Callaway
  • Patent number: 11263134
    Abstract: A set of two or more block families associated with a first voltage bin are selected. Each block family includes two or more pages of a memory device that have been programmed within a corresponding time window. The set of two or more block families includes a first block family and a second block family. Values of a data state metric for each of the set of block families is determined. A first voltage for the first block family and a second voltage for the second block family is determined based on the values of the data state metric. In response to a determination that a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage satisfies a block family combination criterion, the second block family is merged with the first block family.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Larry J. Koudele, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Shane Nowell
  • Patent number: 11257559
    Abstract: Provided herein may be a test circuit, a memory device, a storage device, and a method of operating the same. The word line test circuit may include an operation signal generator configured to generate a plurality of operation signals in response to a test command, a comparison result generator configured to, in response to the plurality of operation signals, generate a target voltage based on a test current, in which a current of a target word line varying with a test voltage is reflected, and to generate a comparison signal based on a result of a comparison between the target voltage and a reference voltage, and a word line defect detector configured to detect a defect in the target word line based on at least one reference count and a count of a reference clock, cycles of which are counted until a level of the comparison signal changes from a first level to a second level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Won Choi
  • Patent number: 11227655
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including one or more memory cells each coupled between a wordline and a bitline, a sense amplifier configured to amplify a voltage of a global wordline, a wordline decoder including a plurality of wordline switches coupling the wordline and the global wordline, and a control circuit configured to control the wordline decoder and the sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignees: SK hynix Inc., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Hyungrok Do, Hong Seok Choi, Deog-Kyoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 11222923
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a resistance variable memory that can realize high integration. The resistance variable memory of the disclosure includes a plurality of transistors formed on a surface of a substrate, and a plurality of variable resistance elements stacked on the surface of the substrate in a vertical direction. One electrode of each of the variable resistance elements is commonly electrically connected to one electrode of one transistor, and another electrode of each of the variable resistance elements is respectively electrically connected to a bit line, and another electrode of each of the transistors is electrically connected to a source line, and each gate of transistors in a row direction is commonly connected to a word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 11200950
    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: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Redaelli, Agostino Pirovano, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Fabio Pellizzer
  • Patent number: 11195579
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to memory apparatuses and methods of operating the same, and more particularly to a memory device having a controller configured to cause a write operation to be performed on a variable resistance memory cell, which includes application of two successive access pulses having opposite polarities, and methods of using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Daniele Ielmini, Nicola Ciocchini
  • Patent number: 11176983
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a memory device. The memory device includes an active current path including a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ); and a reference current path including a reference resistance element. The reference resistance element has a resistance that differs from a resistance of the MTJ. An asynchronous, delay-sensing element has a first input coupled to the active current path and a second input coupled to the reference current path. The asynchronous, delay-sensing element is configured to sense a timing delay between a first rising or falling edge voltage on the active current path and a second rising or falling edge voltage on the reference current path. The asynchronous, delay-sensing element is further configured to determine a data state stored in the MTJ based on the timing delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack Liu, Charles Chew-Yuen Young
  • Patent number: 11164632
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array, an input current generator, an operation cell array and an analog-to-digital converter. The memory cell array includes NAND strings storing multiplicand data, wherein first ends of the NAND strings are connected to bitlines and second ends of the NAND strings output multiplication bits corresponding to bitwise multiplication of the multiplicand data stored in the NAND strings and multiplier data loaded on the bitlines. The input current generator generates input currents. The operation cell array includes switching transistors. Gate electrodes of the switching transistors are connected to the second ends of the NAND strings. The switching transistors selectively sum the input currents based on the multiplication bits to output the output currents. The analog-to-digital converter converts the output currents to digital values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Se-Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 11158389
    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: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Futatsuyama, Kenichi Abe
  • Patent number: 11152075
    Abstract: A memory system according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor memory, and a memory controller. The semiconductor memory comprises memory cells and word lines. Each of the word lines is connected to the memory cells. The memory controller executes a patrol operation including a read operation of the semiconductor memory. The word lines are classified into one of first and second groups. The memory controller executes patrol operations in which the word lines are respectively selected in a first patrol period and, in a second patrol period subsequent to the first patrol period, executes a patrol operation in which the word line included in the first group is selected and omits a patrol operation in which the word line included in the second group is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Tokutomi, Masanobu Shirakawa, Kiwamu Watanabe, Kengo Kurose