Patents Examined by Son Dinh
  • Patent number: 9947867
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a resistive memory element having a layer structure includes: providing a substrate; depositing a first electrode on an upper surface of the substrate; forming a layer of confining material on an upper surface of the first electrode so as to define a cavity having a maximal lateral dimension that is less than 60 nm along a direction parallel to an average plane of the first electrode, the confining material having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/(m·K); depositing a resistively switchable material as an amorphous compound comprising carbon to fill the cavity; and depositing a second electrode on an upper surface of the resistively switchable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alessandro Curioni, Wabe W. Koelmans, Abu Sebastian, Federico Zipoli
  • Patent number: 9940983
    Abstract: A channel controlling device includes: a multiplexing circuit coupled to multiple channels for selecting a particular channel from the channels to output a channel data according to a selection signal, wherein the channels correspond to multiple predetermined digital numbers; a sorting circuit arranged to sort the predetermined digital numbers to form multiple sorted digital numbers according to a data output order of the channels; and an arbitration circuit, arranged to determine the selection signal according to the plurality of sorted digital numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Motion Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Yu Weng, Wen-Kai Liu
  • Patent number: 9940991
    Abstract: Provided are a memory device and a memory system performing request-based refresh, and an operating method of the memory device. The operating method includes: determining a weak row by counting an activated number of at least one row; requesting for refresh on the weak row based on a result of the determining; and performing target refresh on the weak row upon receiving a refresh command according to the requesting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Joong Kim, Ho-young Song, Hoi-ju Chung, Ju-yun Jung, Sang-uhn Cha
  • Patent number: 9940030
    Abstract: A memory system in accordance with an embodiment may include a memory chip and a controller. The memory chip may store data in a plurality of logical pages by performing a sensing operation on a selected page in response to commands and performing an output operation of the data. The controller may transmit the commands to the memory chip so that a part of the sensing operation and a part of the output operation are simultaneously performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Won Sun Park
  • Patent number: 9928182
    Abstract: A memory system comprises an SRAM array and a NVM array. The SRAM array and NVM array are both organized in rows and columns. The NVM array is directly coupled to the SRAM array. The memory system may also be coupled to a system bus of a data processing system. The number of columns of the NVM array is an integer multiple of the number of columns of the SRAM array, where the integer multiple is greater than one. Column logic is coupled to the SRAM array and to the NVM array. The column logic controls accesses to the SRAM and to the NVM array, and the column logic controls direct data transfers between the SRAM array and the NVM array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Perry H. Pelley, Anirban Roy
  • Patent number: 9928896
    Abstract: A refresh control device may include a first oscillator configured to generate a first oscillation signal, a second oscillator configured to generate a second oscillation signal having a different cycle from the first oscillation signal, a first address controller configured to latch an address in response to the first oscillation signal, and output the latched address when a refresh signal is enabled. The refresh control device may also include a second address controller configured to latch the address in response to the second oscillation signal, and output the latched address when the refresh signal is enabled. Further included may be a selector configured to select any one of the output of the first address controller and the output of the second address controller in response to a select signal, and output the selected output as a row hammer address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Dae Suk Kim, Jae Il Kim
  • Patent number: 9928917
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory cell, a bit line connected to the memory cell, a control voltage generator configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current and generate an analog control voltage inversely proportional to the PTAT current, and a load current control circuit configured to control a first load current supplied to the bit line based on the analog control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Jin Shin, Ho Young Shin
  • Patent number: 9922712
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell includes a selection transistor having an insulated selection gate embedded in a semiconducting substrate region. A semiconducting source region contacts a lower part of the insulated selection gate. A state transistor includes a floating gate having an insulated part embedded in the substrate region above an upper part of the insulated selection gate, a semiconducting drain region, and a control gate insulated from the floating gate and located partially above the floating gate. The source region, the drain region, the substrate region, and the control gate are individually polarizable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (ROUSSET) SAS
    Inventor: Julien Delalleau
  • Patent number: 9916896
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pre-charge circuit including a first inverter which receives an early pre-charge signal and outputs an inverted early pre-charge signal, a first gate which receives a late pre-charge signal and a match line output signal and outputs an AND output signal, and a second gate which receives the inverted early pre-charge signal and the AND output signal and outputs an effective pre-charge signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Igor Arsovski, Robert M. Houle, Michael T. Fragano, Akhilesh Patil, Van D. Butler
  • Patent number: 9899096
    Abstract: A NAND flash memory bank having a plurality of bitlines of a memory array connected to a page buffer, where NAND cell strings connected to the same bitline are formed in at least two well sectors. At least one well sector can be selectively coupled to an erase voltage during an erase operation, such that unselected well sectors are inhibited from receiving the erase voltage. When the area of the well sectors decrease, a corresponding decrease in the capacitance of each well sector results. Accordingly, higher speed erasing of the NAND flash memory cells relative to a single well memory bank is obtained when the charge pump circuit drive capacity remains unchanged. Alternately, a constant erase speed corresponding to a single well memory bank is obtained by matching a well segment having a specific area to a charge pump with reduced drive capacity. A reduced drive capacity charge pump will occupy less semiconductor chip area, thereby reducing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc.
    Inventor: Jin-Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 9899099
    Abstract: A fuse element includes a gate; first to Nth junction regions disposed in an active region, where N is a natural number of 3 or more; and a dielectric layer interposed between the gate and the first to Nth junction regions, wherein a dielectric breakdown between the gate and each of the first to Nth junction regions is independently performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Hyung-Dong Lee
  • Patent number: 9886991
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating an electronic memory apparatus are described. A logic value stored in a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell is read onto a first sensing node of a sense amplifier. The reading is performed through a digit line coupling the FeRAM cell to the first sensing node, while the sense amplifier is in an inactive state. A second sensing node of the sense amplifier is biased to a reference voltage provided by a reference voltage source. The biasing is performed while reading the logic value stored in the FeRAM cell onto the first sensing node. The digit line is isolated from the first sensing node after the reading. The sense amplifier is activated, after isolating the digit line from the first sensing node, to amplify and sense a voltage difference between the first sensing node and the second sensing node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 9881685
    Abstract: A method of operating a non-volatile memory device includes performing an erasing operation to memory cells associated with a plurality of string selection lines (SSLs), the memory cells associated with the plurality of SSLs constituting a memory block, and verifying the erasing operation to second memory cells associated with a second SSL after verifying the erasing operation to first memory cells associated with a first SSL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi Weon Yoon, Donghyuk Chae, Jae-Woo Park, Sang-Wan Nam
  • Patent number: 9875051
    Abstract: A memory device includes a nonvolatile memory unit, a volatile memory unit including first and second memory modules, and a controller configured to store data from the nonvolatile memory unit in the volatile memory unit before the data are transferred to a host. While the controller stores the data in the first memory module, the first memory module is in a first power state and the second memory module is in a second power state. The first power state corresponds to a high power consumption state and the second power state corresponds to a low power consumption state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9875032
    Abstract: The present invention provides a data storage device including a flash memory, a controller and a delay circuit. The controller receives a read command from a host, reads a first data sector from the flash memory according to the read command, and produces a setting signal according to the maintenance time of the flash memory when the flash memory needs to be maintained. The delay circuit receives the setting signal from the controller, divides the first data sector into a plurality of first sub-data sectors according to the setting signal, and transmits at least one of the first sub-data sectors to the host at a predetermined time interval for extending the busy time of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SILICON MOTION, INC.
    Inventors: Chang-Kai Cheng, Yu-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 9870175
    Abstract: A control chip for memory power sequence including input pins, a control circuit and output pins is provided. The control chip is compatible with a plurality of processor platforms. The input pins are configured to receive control signals corresponding to each of the processor platforms. The control circuit is configured to determine a selected processor platform among the processor platforms in which the control chip for memory power sequence is operated, and generate corresponding power switching signals according to the control signals of the selected processor platform. The output pins are configured to output the corresponding power switching signals to control a power sequence of a memory on the selected processor platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hsin-Lung Yang, Ming-Che Hung
  • Patent number: 9870831
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, an internal circuit is capable of executing a first operation and a second operation concurrently, and an output circuit outputs to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit information indicating whether or not the first operation is being executed and information indicating whether or not the second operation is executable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Kenichi Imamiya, Toshio Yamamura, Koji Hosono, Koichi Kawai
  • Patent number: 9865325
    Abstract: Provided is a memory device with a reduced layout area. The memory device includes a sense amplifier electrically connected to first and second wirings and positioned in a first layer, and first and second circuits positioned in a second layer over the first layer. The first circuit includes a first switch being turned on and off in accordance with a potential of a third wiring, and a first capacitor electrically connected to the first wiring via the first switch. The second circuit includes a second switch being turned on and off in accordance with a potential of a fourth wiring, and a second capacitor electrically connected to the second wiring via the second switch. The first wiring intersects the third wiring and does not intersect the fourth wiring in the second layer. The second wiring intersects the fourth wiring and does not intersect the third wiring in the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Onuki
  • Patent number: 9859264
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory system includes a substrate, a plurality of elements and an adhesive portion. The substrate has a multilayer structure in which wiring patterns are formed, and has a substantially rectangle shape in a planar view. The elements are provided and arranged along the long-side direction of a surface layer side of the substrate. The adhesive portion is filled in a gap between the elements and in a gap between the elements and the substrate, where surfaces of the elements are exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayato Masubuchi, Naoki Kimura, Manabu Matsumoto, Toyota Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9837138
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may be provided. The semiconductor device may include an input signal generator configured to enable an input signal although a reset signal is disabled after a clock enable signal is enabled. The semiconductor device may include a self-refresh enable signal generator configured to generate a self-refresh enable signal based on the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Ki Moon, Jeong Tae Hwang