Patents Examined by Jay W. Radke
  • Patent number: 11984168
    Abstract: An interface circuit that can operate in toggle mode at data high transfer rates while reducing the self-induced noise is presented. The high speed toggle mode interface supplies a data signal to a data line or other transfer line by a driver circuit. The driver circuit includes a pair of series connected transistors connected between a high supply level and a low supply level, where the data line is supplied from a node between the two transistors. A resistor is connected between one or both of the transistors and one of the supply levels, with a capacitor connected between the low supply level and a node between the resistor and the transistor. The resistor helps to isolate the transistor from the supply level while the capacitor can act as current reservoir to boost the current to the transistor during data transition, reducing the noise seen by the voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Shiv Harit Mathur, Ramakrishnan Subramanian, Dmitry Vaysman
  • Patent number: 11984170
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a first memory chip and a second memory chip connected to a controller through the same channel. The first memory chip generates a first signal from a first internal clock signal based on a clock signal received from the controller. The second memory chip generates a second signal from a second internal clock signal based on the clock signal, and performs a phase calibration operation on the second signal on the basis of a phase of the first signal by delaying the second internal clock signal based on a phase difference between the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tongsung Kim, Youngmin Jo, Chiweon Yoon
  • Patent number: 11978511
    Abstract: A phase-change memory (PCM) cell is provided to include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a phase-change feature disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The phase-change feature is configured to change its data state based on a write operation performed on the PCM cell. The write operation includes a reset stage and a set stage. In the reset stage, a plurality of reset current pulses are applied to the PCM cell, and the reset current pulses have increasing current amplitudes. In the set stage, a plurality of set current pulses are applied to the PCM cell, and the set current pulses exhibit an increasing trend in current amplitude. The current amplitudes of the set current pulses are smaller than those of the reset current pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yung-Huei Lee, Chun-Wei Chang, Jian-Hong Lin, Wen-Hsien Kuo, Pei-Chun Liao, Chih-Hung Nien
  • Patent number: 11978495
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an information update control circuit configured to generate a self-read pulse for a self-read operation, a self-write pulse for a self-write operation, and an information update section signal that is activated during an information update section when an active operation is performed, and a column control circuit configured to receive the self-read pulse and the self-write pulse, to generate a read column strobe pulse for outputting data or selection information data stored in a core circuit when the self-read operation is performed based on the self-read pulse or the read operation is performed according to the read pulse, and to generate a write column strobe pulse for storing the data or the selection information data in the core circuit when the self-write operation is performed based on the self-write pulse or the write operation is performed according to the write pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Choung Ki Song
  • Patent number: 11980023
    Abstract: A capacitor comprises a first electrode, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a ferroelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a dielectric film provided between the ferroelectric film and the second electrode, impedance of the ferroelectric film and impedance of the dielectric film are determined such that a control voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is equal to a capacitance boosting operating voltage, and the capacitance boosting operating voltage is determined by the following equation: V MAX = ( 1 + ? "\[LeftBracketingBar]" Z 2 ? "\[RightBracketingBar]" ? "\[LeftBracketingBar]" Z 1 ? "\[RightBracketingBar]" ) ? t F ? E FM where VMAX is a capacitance boosting operating voltage, Z1 is impedance of the ferroelectric film, Z2 is impedance of the dielectric film, tF is a thickness of the ferroelectric film, and EFM is an electric field applied to the ferroelectric film having a maximum
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaeho Lee, Boeun Park, Yongsung Kim, Jooho Lee
  • Patent number: 11972826
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are related to a system and a method of extending a lifetime of a memory cell. In one aspect, a memory controller applies a first pulse having a first amplitude to the memory cell to write input data to the memory cell. In one aspect, the memory controller applies a second pulse having a second amplitude larger than the first amplitude to the memory cell to extend a lifetime of the memory cell. The memory cell may include a resistive memory device or a phase change random access memory device. In one aspect, the memory controller applies the second pulse to the memory cell to repair the memory cell in response to determining that the memory cell has failed. In one aspect, the memory controller periodically applies the second pulse to the memory cell to extend the lifetime of the memory cell before the memory cell fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Huei Lee, Pei-Chun Liao, Jian-Hong Lin, Dawei Heh, WenHsien Kuo
  • Patent number: 11972792
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first bank group and a second bank group sharing one set of data read and write drive circuits, and the set of data read and write drive circuits includes: a read control module that is connected to a read data bus, a first read and write data bus, and a second read and write data bus, and is configured to read data of the first bank group onto the read data bus, and to read data of the second bank group onto the read data bus; and a write control module that is connected to a write data bus, the first read and write data bus, and the second read and write data bus, and is configured to write data of the write data bus into the first bank group, and to write data of the write data bus into the second bank group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Lingling Cao
  • Patent number: 11961586
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a logic control circuit to which a signal is input; a timing information storage circuit configured to store timing information related to a start timing of correction processing that corrects a duty cycle of the signal; and a sequencer configured to start execution of the correction processing based on the timing information when a command related to the execution of the correction processing is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Kensuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11961567
    Abstract: A key storage device comprising a first key unit and a second key unit is disclosed. The first key unit is configured to output a first logic value through, comprising: a first setting circuit configured to output a first setting voltage; and a first inverter comprising a first output transistor having a first threshold voltage, configured to receive the first setting voltage and generate the first logic value. The second key unit is configured to output a second logic value through a second node, comprising: a second setting circuit configured to output a second setting voltage; and a second inverter comprising a second output transistor having a second threshold voltage, configured to receive the second setting voltage and generate the second logic value. The absolute value of first threshold voltage is lower than which of the second threshold voltage. The first setting voltage is higher than the second setting voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: PUFsecurity Corporation
    Inventors: Kai-Hsin Chuang, Chi-Yi Shao, Chun-Heng You
  • Patent number: 11955185
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor; a first resistor; a second resistor; a first circuit configured to apply a first voltage to the first transistor. The first voltage is based on a difference between a reference voltage and an output voltage divided by the first and second resistors. A first current through the first circuit in a first mode is less than a second current through the first circuit in a second mode. The semiconductor device includes a capacitor connected to the output terminal; and a second circuit connected to the capacitor that: (a) disconnects the first circuit from the capacitor and apply a second voltage to the capacitor in a first mode, and (b) electrically connects the first circuit to the capacitor in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 11942160
    Abstract: A request to perform a secure erase operation for a memory component can be received. A voltage level of a pass voltage that is applied to unselected wordlines of the memory component during a read operation can be determined. A voltage pulse can be applied during a program operation to at least one wordline of the memory component to perform the secure erase operation. The voltage pulse can exceed the pass voltage applied to the unselected wordlines of the memory component during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Harish R. Singidi, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Ashutosh Malshe, Sampath K. Ratnam
  • Patent number: 11942161
    Abstract: A memory device includes a main memory, a first sub-memory and a controller. When the first sub-memory is erased, the first sub-memory generates a first erase completion signal. The controller receives an erase signal to erase the main memory. The controller performs an erase operation on the main memory according to the erase signal and the first erase completion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tse-Yen Liu
  • Patent number: 11935587
    Abstract: A static random access memory (SRAM) has one or more arrays of memory cells, each array of memory cells activated in columns by a wordline. The activated column of memory cells asserts output data onto a plurality of bitlines coupled to output drivers. The SRAM includes a wordline controller generating a variable wordline signal pulse width which may be reduced sufficiently to introduce memory read errors. Each of a high error rate, medium error rate, low error rate, and a nearly error-free rate is associated with a pulse width value generated by the wordline controller. A power consumption tradeoff exists between the wordline signal pulse width and consumed SRAM power. The wordline controller is thereby able to associate a wordline signal pulse width with an associated error rate for performing tasks which are insensitive to a high error rate or a medium error rate, which are specific to certain neural network training and inference using various NN data types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Ceremorphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Wiser, Neelam Surana
  • Patent number: 11923004
    Abstract: A system and method of storing and reading digital data, including providing a nanopore polymer memory (NPM) device having at least one memory cell comprising at least two addition chambers each arranged to add a unique chemical construct (or codes) to a polymer (or DNA) string when the polymer enters the respective addition chamber, the data comprising a series of codes; successively steering the polymer from deblock chambers through the nanopore into the addition chambers to add codes to the polymer to create the digital data pattern on the polymer; and accurately controlling the bit rate of the polymer using a servo controller. The device may have loading chamber(s) to load (or remove) the polymer into/from the deblock chambers through at least one “micro-hole”. The cell may be part of a memory system that stores and retrieves “raw” data and allows for remote retrieval and conversion. The cell may store multi-bit data having a plurality of states for the codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: IRIDIA, INC.
    Inventors: Paul F. Predki, John Stuart Foster
  • Patent number: 11914885
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a memory controller including a state detector detecting whether the memory device is in an idle state, a program controller, based on detection information that indicates a state of the memory device, selecting neighboring strings that are adjacent to a string that is coupled to a memory cell, among the memory cells, on which a program operation or a read operation was performed before the detecting, selecting monitoring memory cells that are coupled to at least one word line, the memory cells being a part of the neighboring strings, and controlling the memory device to perform a plurality of loops to program the monitoring memory cells, and a bad block selector selecting a memory block with the monitoring memory cells as a bad block based on a rate of increase in threshold voltage of a threshold voltage distribution of the monitoring memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Uk Lee, Hae Chang Yang, Hun Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 11908530
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells, a diode having a threshold voltage that changes with temperature, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a pulse generator. The ADC includes a voltage comparator having a positive terminal coupled with the diode. The ADC further includes a first capacitor coupled between a negative terminal of the voltage comparator and ground, and a second capacitor selectively coupled between the first capacitor and a voltage reference node. The second capacitor has a smaller capacitance than that of the first capacitor. The pulse generator is coupled with the ADC and generates pulses. The pulses cause the first capacitor to connect to the second capacitor and equalize charge between the first capacitor and the second capacitor. An inverted signal of the pulses causes the second capacitor to be coupled with the voltage reference node to pre-charge the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Agostino Macerola, Gianni Rea
  • Patent number: 11908515
    Abstract: Provided are a device comprising a bit cell tile including at least two memory cells, each of the at least two memory cells including a resistive memory element, and methods of operating an array of the memory cells, each memory cell including a resistive memory element electrically coupled in series to a corresponding first transistor and to a corresponding second transistor, the first transistor including a first gate coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of first word lines and the second transistor including a second gate coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of second word lines, each memory cell coupled between a corresponding one of a plurality of bit lines and a corresponding one of a plurality of source lines. The methods may include applying voltages to the first word line, second word line, source line, and bit line of a memory cell selected for an operation, and resetting the resistive memory element of the memory cell in response to setting the selected bit line to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Hefei Reliance Memory Limited
    Inventors: Deepak Chandra Sekar, Wayne Frederick Ellis, Brent Steven Haukness, Gary Bela Bronner, Thomas Vogelsang
  • Patent number: 11908528
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a charge pump. The charge pump includes a plurality of charge pump stages and a plurality of switches. The switches can operated to selectively couple the charge pump stages in various arrangements of series and parallel connections based on a currently selected operational mode of the charge pump. The charge pump assists in performing read and write operations for a memory array of the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Vikas Rana, Arpit Vijayvergia
  • Patent number: 11894062
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes apparatus including memory cells connected to word lines including at least one dummy word line and data word lines. The memory cells are arranged in strings and are configured to retain a threshold voltage. The apparatus also includes a control means coupled to the word lines and the strings and configured to identify ones of the memory cells connected to the at least one dummy word line with the threshold voltage being below a predetermined detection voltage threshold following an erase operation. The control means is also configured to selectively apply at least one programming pulse of a maintenance program voltage to the at least one dummy word line to program the ones of the memory cells connected to the at least one dummy word line having the threshold voltage being below the predetermined detection voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Xiang Yang, Deepanshu Dutta, Gerrit Jan Hemink, Shubhajit Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 11894054
    Abstract: Ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) devices are described. The TCAMs described herein are designed to perform write operations—including data writes and mask writes—in a single clock cycle. For example, data input is written in a row of the TCAM during the first portion of a clock cycle, and a mask is written in another row of the TCAM during the second portion of the clock cycle, for example immediately after or after a programmable delay from the data write. In one implementation, a first bus is used both for data write and key search operations, and a second bus is used both for mask write and search masking operations. In another implementation, a first bus is used both for data write and key search operations, a second bus is used for mask write operations, and a third bus is used for search masking operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: MEDIATEK Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chetan Deshpande, Ritesh Garg, Gajanan Sahebrao Jedhe, Gaurang Prabhakar Narvekar