Patents Examined by Son T. Dinh
  • Patent number: 11749355
    Abstract: According to a certain embodiment, the semiconductor integrated circuit includes a multi-chip package comprising a plurality of memory chips, and a controller configured to control the multi-chip package. Each of the plurality of memory chips includes a logic control unit including a logic unit circuit configured to detect a potential from a wiring pad. The logic unit circuit determines a master chip or a slave chip on the basis of the potential detected from the wiring pad, the master chip transmits a pulse count and a status response command to the slave chip, so that the slave chip sets a logical unit number of its own memory chip, and the master chip sets a total number of chips loaded on the basis of status information from the slave chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Daisaku Hiyamizu
  • Patent number: 11749360
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices that support techniques for programming self-selecting memory are described. Received data may include a first group of bits that each have a first logic value and a second group of bits that each have a second logic value. The first and second group of bits may be stored in a first set of memory cells and a second set of memory cells, respectively. A first programming operation for writing the second logic value to both the first and second set of memory cells and verifying whether the second logic value is written to each of the first set of memory cells, the second set of memory cells, or both may be performed. A second programming operation may write the first logic value to either the first set of memory cells or the second set of memory cells based on a result of the verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Umberto Di Vincenzo
  • Patent number: 11742037
    Abstract: In certain aspects, a memory device includes a memory cell array having rows of memory cells, word lines respectively coupled to the rows of memory cells, and a peripheral circuit coupled to the memory cell array through the word lines. Each memory cell is configured to store a piece of N-bits data in one of 2N levels, where N is an integer greater than 1. The level corresponds to one of 2N pieces of N-bits data. The peripheral circuit is configured to program, in a first pass, a row of target memory cells, such that each of the row of target memory cells is programmed into one of 2N/m intermediate levels based on the piece of N-bits data to be stored in the target memory cell, where m is an integer greater than 1. The peripheral circuit is also configured to program, in a second pass after the first pass, the row of target memory cells, such that each target memory cell is programmed into one of the 2N levels based on the piece of N-bits data to be stored in the target memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Zhang, Yueping Li, Haibo Li
  • Patent number: 11742032
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory cell transistors between first and second select transistors, third and fourth memory cell transistors between third and fourth select transistors, a first word line for first and third memory cell transistors, a second word line for second and fourth memory cell transistors, first to fourth selection gate lines respectively for first through fourth select transistors, a bit line, and a source line. During a read operation, while a voltage applied to the second word line is boosted, voltages applied to the first word line and the third and fourth selection gate line are also boosted, after which the voltage applied to the first word line is lowered, and the third and fourth selection gate lines are discharged. After the time the third and fourth selection gate lines are discharged, voltages applied to the bit line and the source line are boosted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Hioka
  • Patent number: 11742034
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus and methods using access lines, first memory cells coupled to an access line of the access lines, and a control unit including circuitry. The control unit is configured to apply a first voltage to the access line; check first threshold voltages of the first memory cells after applying the first voltage; obtain offset information based on a determination that at least one of the first threshold voltages is greater than a selected voltage; generate a second voltage, the second voltage being a function of the first voltage and the offset information; and apply the second voltage to one of the access lines during an operation of storing information in second memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric N. Lee, Lawrence Celso Miranda
  • Patent number: 11735230
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, a connector, a volatile semiconductor memory element, multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements, and a controller. A wiring pattern includes a signal line that is formed between the connector and the controller and that connects the connector to the controller. On the opposite side of the controller to the signal line, the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory elements are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Sugita, Naoki Kimura, Daisuke Kimura
  • Patent number: 11735276
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for programming techniques for polarity-based memory cells are described. A method may include writing memory cells to an intermediate state based on receiving a write command. Writing the intermediate state may include applying a first pulse having a first polarity to the memory cell. The method may include isolating a first access line coupled with the memory cell from a voltage source based on applying the first pulse. The method may also include applying a second pulse to a second access line coupled with the memory cell based on isolating the first access line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alessandro Sebastiani, Innocenzo Tortorelli
  • Patent number: 11721395
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for timing parameter adjustment mechanisms are described. The memory system may receive an access command to access a block of data. Based on receiving the access command, the memory system may determine a parameter (e.g., a timing parameter) associated with accessing the block of data. The timing parameter may indicate a duration between a first time to access a first page of the block of data and a second time to access a second page of the block of data. The memory system may perform an access operation on the block of data based on determining the timing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Sforzin, Daniele Balluchi
  • Patent number: 11721398
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for determining memory cell read offsets are described to support determining voltage offsets and corresponding read voltage levels for one or more memory cell levels using a relationship between read voltage levels and voltage offsets. A memory device may estimate first voltage offsets using a first procedure and may perform a read operation using the first voltage offsets. If a first voltage offset results in a read error for a corresponding memory cell level, the memory device may determine an updated voltage offset using the relationship. The relationship may predict a voltage offset for a given read voltage level, such that the memory device may use the relationship to predict an updated voltage offset for a memory cell level. The memory device may use the updated voltage offset(s) to perform a second read operation for the one or more memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Deping He, Jingyuan Miao
  • Patent number: 11715516
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device including: a memory cell array, the memory cell array including a plurality of cell strings, at least one of the cell strings including a plurality of memory cells stacked in a direction perpendicular to a surface of a substrate, at least one of the memory cells is a multi-level cell storing at least three bits; and a control logic circuit configured to control a page buffer to read a fast read page of the memory cells with one read voltage and at least two normal read pages of the memory cells with the same number of read voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yunjung Lee, Chanha Kim, Kangho Roh, Heewon Lee
  • Patent number: 11710528
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for data-based polarity write operations are described. A write command may cause a set of data to be written to a set of memory cells. To write the set of data, a write operation that applies voltages across the memory cells based on a logic state of data to be written to the memory cells may be used. During a first interval of the write operation, a voltage may be applied across a memory cell based on a logic state of a data bit to be written to the memory cell. During a second interval of the write operation, a voltage may be applied across the memory cell based on an amount of charge conducted by the memory cell during the first interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Karthik Sarpatwari, Nevil N. Gajera, Hongmei Wang, Mingdong Cui
  • Patent number: 11710524
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to organizing data to correspond to a matrix at a memory device are described. Data can be organized by circuitry coupled to an array of memory cells prior to the processing resources executing instructions on the data. The organization of data may thus occur on a memory device, rather than at an external processor. A controller coupled to the array of memory cells may direct the circuitry to organize the data in a matrix configuration to prepare the data for processing by the processing resources. The circuitry may be or include a column decode circuitry that organizes the data based on a command from the host associated with the processing resource. For example, data read in a prefetch operation may be selected to correspond to rows or columns of a matrix configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen E. Hush, Aaron P. Boehm, Fa-Long Luo
  • Patent number: 11710525
    Abstract: Apparatus might include an array of memory cells and a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells. The controller might be configured to establish a negative potential in a body of a memory cell of the array of memory cells, and initiate a sensing operation on the memory cell while the body of the memory cell has the negative potential. Apparatus might further include an array of memory cells, a timer, and a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells. The controller might be configured to advance the timer, and establish a negative potential in a body of a memory cell of the array of memory cells in response to a value of the timer having a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Sakui, Mark Hawes, Toru Tanzawa, Jeremy Binfet
  • Patent number: 11705444
    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: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayato Masubuchi, Naoki Kimura, Manabu Matsumoto, Toyota Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11705211
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for accessing an array of memory cells, including storing a set of user data in a plurality of memory cells, storing, in a portion of the array, additional information representative of a voltage difference between a first threshold voltage and a second threshold voltage of the memory cells programmed to a first logic state, applying to the array a read voltage to activate a first group of memory cells corresponding to a preset number of memory cells, determining that the first group of memory cells has been activated based on applying the read voltage, wherein the read voltage is equal to the first threshold voltage when the first group of memory cells has been activated, and based on the additional data information, applying the voltage difference to the array to activate a second group of memory cells programmed to the first logic state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Riccardo Muzzetto, Umberto Di Vincenzo, Ferdinando Bedeschi
  • Patent number: 11704252
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for dual address encoding for logical-to-physical mapping are described. A memory device may identify a first physical address corresponding to a first logical block address generated by a host device and a second physical address corresponding to a second (consecutive) logical block address generated by a host device. The memory device may store the first physical address and second physical address in a single entry of a logical-to-physical mapping table that corresponds to the first logical block address. The memory device may transmit the logical-to-physical table to the host device for storage at the host device. The host device may subsequently transmit a single read command to the memory device that includes the first physical address and the second physical address based on the logical-to-physical table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Cariello, Jonathan S. Parry
  • Patent number: 11694744
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, a plurality of word lines extended in a row direction, and a plurality of bit lines extended in a column direction. Each of the memory cells is coupled to one of the word lines and one of the bit lines. The memory device further includes a word-line control circuit coupled to and configured to control the word lines, a first bit-line control circuit configured to control the bit lines and sense the memory cells in a digital mode, and a second bit-line control circuit configured to bias the bit lines and sense the memory cells in an analog mode. The first bit-line control circuit is coupled to a first end of each of the bit lines. The second bit-line control circuit is coupled to a second end of each of the bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Hefei Reliance Memory Limited
    Inventors: Liang Zhao, Zhichao Lu
  • Patent number: 11696452
    Abstract: There is described a two-terminal multi-level memristor element synthesised from binary memristors, which is configured to implement a variable resistance based on unary or binary code words. There is further described a circuit such as a synapse circuit implemented using a multi-level memristor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: John Paul Lesso, Gordon James Bates
  • Patent number: 11694752
    Abstract: In certain aspects, a circuit includes a page buffer including a plurality of portions, a clock path coupled to the plurality of portions of the page buffer, and a clock level set module coupled to the page buffer. Each of the portions is configured to sequentially receive a clock signal, and sequentially return a clock return signal in response to receiving the corresponding clock signal. The clock path is configured to merge the plurality of clock return signals. The clock level set module is configured to set a start level of a first clock return signal of the plurality of clock return signals based on a number of cycles in a first clock signal of the plurality of clock signals. The first clock return signal corresponds to the first clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shu Xie
  • Patent number: 11688468
    Abstract: Devices and techniques are disclosed herein to provide a high-voltage bias signal in a standby state of the storage system without exceeding a limited maximum standby current allowance of the storage system. The high-voltage bias signal can enable a string driver circuit in the standby state to couple a global word line to a local word line, to provide a bias to, or sink a voltage from, a pillar of a string of memory cells of the storage system in the standby state, such as to reduce read disturbances in the storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michele Piccardi, Xiaojiang Guo, Shigekazu Yamada