Patents by Inventor Lih-Wei Lin

Lih-Wei Lin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11776636
    Abstract: A memory array and its operation method are provided. The array includes plural sets of word lines; plural bit lines; and plural memory cell each arranged at intersection of the plural sets of word lines and the plural bit lines. Each memory cell has first and second conductive filament component and a switch circuit, and one ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to corresponding bit lines and the other ends thereof are coupled to the switch circuit. In the differential mode, read is performed based on the reading currents of the first and the second conductive filament components. In the single-ended mode, read is performed based on a reference current and a reading current of the first or the second conductive filament component that is formed successfully.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Lih-Wei Lin
  • Publication number: 20230223089
    Abstract: A memory array and its operation method are provided. The array includes plural sets of word lines; plural bit lines; and plural memory cell each arranged at intersection of the plural sets of word lines and the plural bit lines. Each memory cell has first and second conductive filament component and a switch circuit, and one ends of the first and the second conductive filament components are coupled to corresponding bit lines and the other ends thereof are coupled to the switch circuit. In the differential mode, read is performed based on the reading currents of the first and the second conductive filament components. In the single-ended mode, read is performed based on a reference current and a reading current of the first or the second conductive filament component that is formed successfully.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Lih-Wei Lin
  • Patent number: 11437101
    Abstract: A resistive memory storage apparatus including a memory cell, a selecting transistor and a memory controller is provided. The memory cell outputs a writing current during a writing pulse width period. The selecting transistor is coupled to the memory cell. The memory controller is coupled to the selecting transistor and the memory cell. The memory controller is configured to apply a control voltage that gradually changes to a predetermined voltage level to a control end of the selecting transistor during a resistance transition phase of the writing pulse width period and set the control voltage to the predetermined voltage level during a filament stabilization phase after the resistance transition phase, so as to limit the writing current to a predetermined current value. In addition, an operating method for a resistive memory storage apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Lung-Chi Cheng, Ju-Chieh Cheng, Ying-Shan Kuo
  • Patent number: 11289160
    Abstract: A data writing method is provided. According to the present application, the data writing method includes steps of receiving an expected data, performing a plurality of readings on a target storage unit to obtain a plurality of read data; determining whether the plurality of read data are the same as the expected data respectively to generate a plurality of comparison results; and performing a writing operation procedure on the target storage unit according to the plurality of comparison results and the expected data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Ju-Chieh Cheng, Lung-Chi Cheng, Ying-Shan Kuo, Yu-An Chen
  • Patent number: 11175988
    Abstract: A memory storage device including a memory storage array and a memory controller is provided. The memory storage array is configured to store data. The memory controller is coupled to the memory storage array. The memory controller is configured to write to-be-written data to the memory storage array. The to-be-written data includes a plurality of data bits and a flip bit. The memory controller performs a verification operation on the to-be-written data to determine whether the data bits includes error bits and records information of the error bits. The memory controller, determines, according to a quantity of the error bits, whether to invert parities of the data bits and the flip bit, and records the parity of the flip bit. In addition, a data access method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Tsung-Huan Tsai, Chi-Shun Lin
  • Publication number: 20210335421
    Abstract: A resistive memory storage apparatus including a memory cell, a selecting transistor and a memory controller is provided. The memory cell outputs a writing current during a writing pulse width period. The selecting transistor is coupled to the memory cell. The memory controller is coupled to the selecting transistor and the memory cell. The memory controller is configured to apply a control voltage that gradually changes to a predetermined voltage level to a control end of the selecting transistor during a resistance transition phase of the writing pulse width period and set the control voltage to the predetermined voltage level during a filament stabilization phase after the resistance transition phase, so as to limit the writing current to a predetermined current value. In addition, an operating method for a resistive memory storage apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Lung-Chi Cheng, Ju-Chieh Cheng, Ying-Shan Kuo
  • Publication number: 20210303397
    Abstract: A memory storage device including a memory storage array and a memory controller is provided. The memory storage array is configured to store data. The memory controller is coupled to the memory storage array. The memory controller is configured to write to-be-written data to the memory storage array. The to-be-written data includes a plurality of data bits and a flip bit. The memory controller performs a verification operation on the to-be-written data to determine whether the data bits includes error bits and records information of the error bits. The memory controller, determines, according to a quantity of the error bits, whether to invert parities of the data bits and the flip bit, and records the parity of the flip bit. In addition, a data access method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Tsung-Huan Tsai, Chi-Shun Lin
  • Publication number: 20210210139
    Abstract: A data writing method is provided. According to the present application, the data writing method includes steps of receiving an expected data, performing a plurality of readings on a target storage unit to obtain a plurality of read data; determining whether the plurality of read data are the same as the expected data respectively to generate a plurality of comparison results; and performing a writing operation procedure on the target storage unit according to the plurality of comparison results and the expected data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei LIN, Ju-Chieh CHENG, Lung-Chi CHENG, Ying-Shan KUO, Yu-An CHEN
  • Patent number: 10978149
    Abstract: A resistive memory apparatus and an adjusting method for write-in voltage thereof are provided. The adjusting method for write-in voltage includes: selecting an under test memory cell array in a resistive memory; performing N reset operations on a plurality of memory cells of the under test memory cell array according to a reset voltage, and performing N set operations on the memory cells of the under test memory cell array according to a set voltage, wherein n is an integer greater than 1; calculating a reset time variation rate of the reset operations and a set time variation rate of the set operations; and adjusting a voltage value of one of the set voltage and the reset voltage according to the reset time variation rate and the set time variation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ju-Chieh Cheng, Ying-Shan Kuo, Lih-Wei Lin, Lung-Chi Cheng
  • Patent number: 10818353
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for ripening a resistive random access memory (RRAM). The method includes: obtaining a first RRAM, wherein the first RRAM includes a plurality of memory cells; performing a forming operation and an initial reset operation on the first RRAM to form a plurality of specific memory cells in the memory cells; reading a specific number of the specific cells, and determining a ripening cycle parameter according to the specific number; and performing a ripening operation on the first RRAM based on the ripening cycle parameter to ripen the first RRAM as a second RRAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Tsung-Huan Tsai, Lih-Wei Lin, Wan-Ni Shih, Min-Yen Liu
  • Patent number: 10783962
    Abstract: A writing method of a resistive memory storage apparatus includes: applying one of a set voltage and a reset voltage serving as a first selected voltage to a memory cell and obtaining a first read current; applying a disturbance voltage to the memory cell and obtaining a second read current; and determining whether a relationship between the first and second read currents satisfies a preset relationship, and if not, applying the other of the set voltage and the reset voltage serving as a second selected voltage to the memory cell and applying the first selected voltage to the memory cell again. A polarity of the disturbance voltage is different from that of the first selected voltage, and the absolute value of the disturbance voltage is less than that of the second selected voltage. A resistive memory storage apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Lung-Chi Cheng, Min-Yen Liu, Huan-Ming Chiang
  • Patent number: 10726890
    Abstract: A resistive memory apparatus including a memory cell array and a voltage selector circuit is provided. The memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells. The voltage selector circuit is coupled to the memory cell array. The voltage selector circuit performs a voltage applying operation on the memory cells via a plurality of different signal transmission paths. Each of the signal transmission paths passes one of the memory cells. IR drops of two of the signal transmission paths are substantially identical, and signal transmission directions thereof are different. In addition, an operating method of a resistive memory apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Yu-Cheng Chuang, Sung-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 10643698
    Abstract: An operating method of a resistive memory storage apparatus includes: applying a forming voltage to a memory cell and obtaining a cell current of the memory cell; and determining whether to adjust the forming voltage and apply the adjusted forming voltage to the memory cell according to a magnitude relationship between the cell current and a reference current. The memory cell to which the forming voltage is applied operates in a heavy forming mode and serves as a one-time programmable memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Windbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Ju-Chieh Cheng, Tsung-Huan Tsai, I-Hsien Tseng
  • Patent number: 10636507
    Abstract: A memory-testing method is adapted in a memory circuit including a first block and a second block including a plurality of row addresses and column addresses. The memory-testing method includes: selecting one of the row addresses and one of the column addresses as a testing row and a testing column according to selection logic; selecting sampled column addresses of the testing row and sampled row addresses of the testing column according to a sampling process; executing the read operation on the sampled column addresses of the testing row and the sampled row addresses of the testing column in the first block; determining whether the read fail rate of the first block exceeds a predetermined ratio; and marking the first block as an input/output fail when the read fail rate exceeds the predetermined ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Tsung-Huan Tsai, Ju-Chieh Cheng
  • Publication number: 20200027507
    Abstract: An operating method of a resistive memory storage apparatus includes: applying a forming voltage to a memory cell and obtaining a cell current of the memory cell; and determining whether to adjust the forming voltage and apply the adjusted forming voltage to the memory cell according to a magnitude relationship between the cell current and a reference current. The memory cell to which the forming voltage is applied operates in a heavy forming mode and serves as a one-time programmable memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Ju-Chieh Cheng, Tsung-Huan Tsai, I-Hsien Tseng
  • Publication number: 20190378586
    Abstract: A memory-testing method is adapted in a memory circuit including a first block and a second block including a plurality of row addresses and column addresses. The memory-testing method includes: selecting one of the row addresses and one of the column addresses as a testing row and a testing column according to selection logic; selecting sampled column addresses of the testing row and sampled row addresses of the testing column according to a sampling process; executing the read operation on the sampled column addresses of the testing row and the sampled row addresses of the testing column in the first block; determining whether the read fail rate of the first block exceeds a predetermined ratio; and marking the first block as an input/output fail when the read fail rate exceeds the predetermined ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Lih-Wei LIN, Tsung-Huan TSAI, Ju-Chieh CHENG
  • Patent number: 10490275
    Abstract: A writing method of a resistive memory storage apparatus is provided. The writing method includes: applying a first set voltage on a memory cell, and acquiring a first reading current of the memory cell; applying a first disturbance voltage on the memory cell, and acquiring a second reading current of the memory cell; and determining to apply a second set voltage or a second disturbance voltage on the memory cell according to a magnitude relationship between the first reading current and the second reading current. An absolute value of the first disturbance voltage is smaller than an absolute value of a reset voltage, and an absolute value of the second disturbance voltage is smaller than an absolute value of the second set voltage. In addition, a resistive memory storage apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Ju-Chieh Cheng, Tsung-Huan Tsai, I-Hsien Tseng
  • Patent number: 10490272
    Abstract: An operating method of a resistive memory element includes: performing a thermal step on the resistive memory element; performing a set and reset cycle operation on the resistive memory element to increase a read margin of the resistive memory element after a thermal step; and determining whether the resistive memory element passes a read margin verification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Tsung-Huan Tsai, Chi-Shun Lin, Seow Fong Lim
  • Patent number: 10468100
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a detecting method for a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell. The method includes: retrieving an RRAM cell and measuring a cell current of the RRAM cell; when a current value of the cell current is higher than a first threshold, performing at least one of a plurality of reset operations and a set operation to the RRAM cell and determining whether a resistance state of the RRAM cell has been switched after experiencing the at least one of the reset operations and the set operation. If no, a recovery operation is performed to the RRAM cell to recover the RRAM cell; if yes, the RRAM is determined to be in a healthy state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Yu-An Chen, Guan-Yi Li, Hsuan-Pao Tseng
  • Patent number: 10439829
    Abstract: A physical unclonable function code generating method includes: providing a plurality of non-volatile memory cell pairs including a first non-volatile memory cell and a second non-volatile memory cell; comparing an initial state of the first non-volatile memory cell with an initial state of the second non-volatile memory cell, and generating a first physical unclonable function code according to a comparison result of the state; calculating a formation ratio difference of a logical level in the first physical unclonable function code; and adjusting the formation ratio difference by interactively performing forming operations on the first non-volatile memory cell and the second non-volatile memory cell when the formation ratio difference is greater than or equal to a ratio threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Lih-Wei Lin, Chi-Shun Lin, Seow Fong Lim