Patents Examined by Min Huang
  • Patent number: 11705165
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure, there is provided a method, a system for adjusting the memory, and a semiconductor device. The method for adjusting the memory includes: acquiring a mapping relationship between a temperature of a transistor, an equivalent width-length ratio of a sense amplifier transistor in a sense amplifier and an actual time at which the data is written into the memory; acquiring a current temperature of the transistor; and adjusting the equivalent width-length ratio, based on the current temperature and the mapping relationship, so that the actual time at which the data is written into the memory corresponding to the adjusted equivalent width-length ratio is within a preset writing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shu-Liang Ning, Jun He, Zhan Ying, Jie Liu
  • Patent number: 11705188
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes: first and second wiring patterns extending in a first direction, first and second transistors arranged adjacent to each other, and third to sixth wiring patterns extending in a second direction. The third wiring pattern is connected between the first wiring pattern and one of source/drain regions of the first transistor, the fourth wiring pattern is connected between the second wiring pattern and other of source/drain regions of the first transistor, the fifth wiring pattern is connected to one of source/drain regions of the second transistor, the fifth wiring pattern overlapping with the first wiring pattern, the sixth wiring pattern is connected to other of source/drain regions of the second transistor, the sixth wiring pattern overlapping with the second wiring pattern. The third and fourth wiring patterns are greater in width in the first direction than the fifth and sixth wiring patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tsukihashi, Kenichi Watanabe, Kazuyuki Morishige, Moeha Shibuya, Kumiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 11705185
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for apparatus for differential memory cells are described. An apparatus may include a pair of memory cells comprising a first memory cell and a second memory cell, a word line coupled with the pair of memory cells and a plate line coupled with the pair of memory cells. The apparatus may further include a first digit line coupled with the first memory cell and a sense amplifier and a second digit line coupled with the second memory cell and the sense amplifier. The apparatus may include a select line configured to couple the first digit line and the second digit line with the sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 11699693
    Abstract: A memory device includes first and second chips. The first chip includes a memory cell array disposed on a first substrate, and first metal pads on a first uppermost metal layer of the first chip. The second chip includes peripheral circuits disposed on a second substrate, and second metal pads on a second uppermost metal layer of the second chip, the peripheral circuits operating the memory cell array. A first metal pad and a second metal pad are connected in a first area, the first metal pads being connected to the memory cell array and the second metal pad being connected to the peripheral circuits. A further first metal pad and a further second metal pad are connected in a second area, the further first metal pad being not connected to the memory cell array and the further second metal pad being connected to the peripheral circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jooyong Park, Chanho Kim, Daeseok Byeon
  • Patent number: 11699479
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory apparatus may include a control circuit, a sense amplifier, and a reference generator. The control circuit may apply a read voltage across a target memory cell through a selected global bit line and a selected global word line. The sense amplifier may generate an output signal by comparing voltage levels of the selected global word line and a reference line. The reference generator may change the voltage level of the reference line by charging and discharging a capacitor that is coupled to the reference line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Moo Hui Park
  • Patent number: 11694742
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus according to an embodiment includes a voltage dividing resistor circuit formed on a semiconductor substrate and including first and second resistors and first and second selector switches. The first and second resistors and the first and second selector switches are arranged with one of first and second layouts. The first layout is such that the first and second selector switches are placed between the first and second resistors. The second layout is such that the first and second resistors are placed between the first and second selector switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takayori Hamada, Yuki Miura, Hiroshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11696454
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes three dimensional memory arrays. An embodiment includes a first plurality of conductive lines separated from one another by an insulation material, a second plurality of conductive lines arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to and pass through the first plurality of conductive lines and the insulation material, and a storage element material formed between the first and second plurality of conductive lines where the second plurality of conductive lines pass through the first plurality of conductive lines. The storage element material is between and in direct contact with a first portion of each respective one of the first plurality of conductive lines and a portion of a first one of the second plurality of conductive lines, and a second portion of each respective one of the first plurality of conductive lines and a portion of a second one of the second plurality of conductive lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer, Russell L. Meyer, Agostino Pirovano, Lorenzo Fratin
  • Patent number: 11688486
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory circuit that includes a plurality of sub-arrays. The memory circuit is configured to implement a retention mode according to test information indicating voltage sensitivities for the plurality of sub-arrays. The apparatus also includes a voltage control circuit coupled to a power supply node. The voltage control circuit is configured, in response to activation of the retention mode for the plurality of sub-arrays, to generate, based on the test information, at least two different retention voltage levels for different ones of the plurality of sub-arrays. The at least two different retention voltage levels are lower than a power supply voltage level of the power supply node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shahzad Nazar, Mohamed H. Abu-Rahma, Amrinder S. Barn
  • Patent number: 11688437
    Abstract: An amplifier system includes a differential amplifier and a calibration circuit. In response to a calibration operation, the calibration circuit generates a calibration value based on a test output signal generated by the differential amplifier circuit using a test input signal. The calibration value may be used to adjust loading of internal nodes of the differential amplifier circuit to compensate for imbalance in the differential amplifier circuit resulting from variation in manufacturing. By compensating for the imbalance, the offset of the differential amplifier may be reduced, allowing resolution of smaller differential voltages, thereby improving the performance of circuits employing the differential amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dreesen, Shawn Searles, Jaemyung Lim, Jacek R. Wiatrowski
  • Patent number: 11682462
    Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, devices, and machine-readable mediums for compensating for charge loss effects. In some examples, a charge loss may be estimated by a charge loss monitor for a particular unit of a NAND device and may be utilized to select a charge loss compensation scheme. The charge loss may be estimated by the charge loss estimation process by determining a reference read voltage and calculating a bit count resulting from a read at that reference read voltage. The number of bits returned may be used to select the particular charge loss compensation scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kalyan Chakravarthy C. Kavalipurapu, Jung Sheng Hoei
  • Patent number: 11676636
    Abstract: Implementations described and claimed herein provide a high-capacity, high-bandwidth scalable storage device. The scalable storage device includes a layer stack including at least one memory layer and at least one optical control layer positioned adjacent to the memory layer. The memory layer includes a plurality of memory cells and the optical control layer is adapted to receive optically-encoded read/write signals and to effect read and write operations to the plurality of memory cells through an electrical interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Kevin A. Gomez, Dan Mohr, Daniel Joseph Klemme, Aditya Jain
  • Patent number: 11676649
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for sense timing coordination are described. In some systems, to sense the logic states of memory cells, a memory device may generate an activation signal and route the activation signal over a signal line (e.g., a dummy word line) located at a memory array level of the memory device to one or more sense amplifiers. Based on receiving the activation signal, a sense amplifier may latch and determine the logic state of a corresponding memory cell. A first sense amplifier may sense a state of a first memory cell at a first time and a second sense amplifier may sense a state of a second memory cell at a second time in response to the same activation signal due to a propagation delay of the activation signal routed over the signal line (e.g., and corresponding to a propagation delay for activating a word line).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 11676681
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including an SRAM capable of sensing a defective memory cell that does not satisfy desired characteristics is provided. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell, a bit line pair being coupled to the memory cell and having a voltage changed towards a power-supply voltage and a ground voltage in accordance with data of the memory cell in a read mode, and a specifying circuit for specifying a bit line out of the bit line pair. In the semiconductor device, a wiring capacitance is coupled to the bit line specified by the specifying circuit and a voltage of the specified bit line is set to a voltage between a power voltage and a ground voltage in a test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Tanaka, Yuichiro Ishii, Makoto Yabuuchi
  • Patent number: 11670363
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a device having a multi-tiered memory structure with a first tier and a second tier arranged vertically in a stacked configuration. The device may have multiple transistors disposed in the multi-tiered memory structure with first transistors disposed in the first tier and second transistors disposed in the second tier. The device may have a single interconnect that vertically couples the first transistors in the first tier to the second transistors in the second tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Rahul Mathur, Mudit Bhargava, Andy Wangkun Chen
  • Patent number: 11670361
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a memory cell array coupled to a bitline and a first wordline and a negative-type metal-oxide-semiconductors (NMOS) pull-down structure coupled to the bitline and PMOS transistors. The positive-type metal-oxide-semiconductors (PMOS) transistors may be coupled to a second wordline, where a logic value carried on the second wordline is based on a logic value carried on the first wordline, and the PMOS transistors are structured to pre-charge respective drains of the NMOS pull-down structure to a high logic value based on a low logic value carried on the second wordline. The NMOS pull-down structure may be structured to discharge the bitline based on a high logic value carried on the second wordline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Moon-Hae Son, Niranjan Behera
  • Patent number: 11669278
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to page policies for signal development caching in a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device in accordance with the described techniques may include a memory array, a sense amplifier array, and a signal development cache configured to store signals (e.g., cache signals, signal states) associated with logic states (e.g., memory states) that may be stored at the memory array (e.g., according to various read or write operations). The memory device may be configured to receive a read command for data stored in the memory array and transfer the data from the memory array to the signal development cache. The memory device may be configured to sense the data using an array of sense amplifiers. The memory device may be configured to write the data from the signal development cache back to the memory array based on one or more policies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitri A. Yudanov, Shanky Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 11651816
    Abstract: There is provided a method for accessing a memory cell of a plurality of memory cells that are part of a memory unit, the memory cells being grouped into a plurality of memory cell groups, wherein each memory cell group is associated with one or more local bit lines with each of the one or more local bit lines being operatively connected to a corresponding global bit line via a passgate comprising a PMOS transistor. The method comprises connecting each of the one or more local bit lines to the corresponding global bit line by decreasing a gate voltage that is applied to a gate of the corresponding PMOS transistor to a value that is sufficient to allow the PMOS transistor to conduct, wherein the value of the gate voltage that is sufficient to allow the PMOS transistor to conduct is either a positive or negative voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SURECORE LIMITED
    Inventors: Stefan Cosemans, Bram Rooseleer
  • Patent number: 11636905
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation is provided. The apparatus includes a block having memory cells connected to word lines and arranged in strings and is divided into a first sub-block and a second sub-block each configured to be erased as a whole in an erase operation. The apparatus has a temperature measuring circuit configured to detect an ambient temperature of the apparatus. A control circuit is configured to determine a word line inhibit voltage based on the ambient temperature. The control circuit applies an erase voltage to each of the strings while simultaneously applying a word line erase voltage to the word lines associated with a selected one of the first and second sub-blocks to encourage erasing and the word line inhibit voltage to the word lines associated with an unselected one of the first and second sub-blocks to discourage erasing in the erase operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Sarath Puthenthermadam, Huai-yuan Tseng
  • Patent number: 11636886
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array with memory blocks each having a plurality of memory cells, and one or more current monitors configured to measure current during post-deployment operation of the memory device; and a controller configured to identify a bad block within the memory blocks based on the measured current, and disable the bad block for preventing access thereof during subsequent operations of the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron S. Yip, Theodore T. Pekny
  • Patent number: 11636894
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes: a cell array including a plurality of memory cells in a plurality of first rows and a plurality of write assistance cells in at least one second row; a plurality of word lines respectively extending on the plurality of first rows; at least one write assistance line respectively extending on the at least one second row; and a row driver connected to the plurality of word lines and the at least one write assistance line, the row driver being configured to, during a write operation, activate at least one of the plurality of write assistance cells through the at least one write assistance line, wherein each of the plurality of write assistance cells includes the same transistor configuration as each of the plurality of memory cells and has the same footprint as each of the plurality of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heekyung Choi, Taemin Choi, Seongook Jung, Keonhee Cho