Patents by Inventor Meng-Fan Chang

Meng-Fan Chang 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).

  • Publication number: 20230260575
    Abstract: A memory device includes a current source and a memory array. The current source is configured to provide a current to a first node. The memory array is coupled to the current source at the first node. The memory array includes memory cells. First terminals of the memory cells are coupled to the first node. Each of the memory cells has a first resistance in response to having a first data value, and has a second resistance in response to having a second data value. The second data value is N times the first data value. The second resistance is approximately one-Nth of the first resistance, for N being a positive integer larger than one. A method of operating a memory device is also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng CHIU, Win-San KHWA, Meng-Fan CHANG
  • Publication number: 20230240078
    Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, at least one of the plurality of memory cells includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The first transistor includes a first drain/source path and a first gate structure electrically coupled to a write word line. The second transistor includes a second drain/source path and a second gate structure electrically coupled to the first drain/source path of the first transistor. The third transistor includes a third drain/source path electrically coupled to the second drain/source path of the second transistor and a third gate structure electrically coupled to a read word line. Where, the first transistor, and/or the second transistor, and/or the third transistor is a ferroelectric field effect transistor or a negative capacitance field effect transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Hung-Li Chiang, Jer-Fu Wang, Tzu-Chiang Chen, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20230238047
    Abstract: A memory unit with time domain edge delay accumulation for computing-in-memory applications is controlled by a first word line and a second word line. The memory unit includes at least one memory cell, at least one edge-delay cell multiplexor and at least one edge-delay cell. The at least one edge-delay cell includes a weight reader and a driver. The weight reader is configured to receive a weight and a multi-bit analog input voltage and generate a multi-bit voltage according to the weight and the multi-bit analog input voltage. The driver is connected to the weight reader and configured to receive an edge-input signal. The driver is configured to generate an edge-output signal having a delay time according to the edge-input signal and the multi-bit voltage. The delay time of the edge-output signal is positively correlated with the multi-bit analog input voltage multiplied by the weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Meng-Fan CHANG, Ping-Chun WU, Li-Yang HONG, Jin-Sheng REN, Jian-Wei SU
  • Publication number: 20230225132
    Abstract: A memory structure includes a substrate. The memory structure further includes a first transistor, wherein the first transistor is a first distance from the substrate. The memory structure further includes a second transistor, wherein the second transistor is a second distance from the substrate, and the first distance is different from the second distance, and a first source/drain (S/D) region of the first transistor is connected to a second S/D region of the second transistor. The memory structure further includes a plurality of storage elements electrically connected to both the first transistor and the second transistor, wherein each of the plurality of storage elements is a third distance from the substrate, and the third distance is different from both the first distance and the second distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Hung-Li CHIANG, Jer-Fu WANG, Yi-Tse HUNG, Tzu-Chiang CHEN, Meng-Fan CHANG, Hon-Sum Philip WONG
  • Publication number: 20230225218
    Abstract: A memory device includes a transistor and a memory cell. The transistor includes a gate electrode disposed over a substrate and source/drain regions in the substrate beside the gate electrode. The memory cell is disposed over the transistor and includes a bottom electrode electrically connected to one of the source/drain regions, a top electrode disposed over the bottom electrode, and a first bit and a second bit separated from each other and disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Li Chiang, Jer-Fu Wang, Tzu-Chiang Chen, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20230223080
    Abstract: A system is provided. The system includes a multiply-and-accumulate circuit and a local generator. The multiply-and-accumulate circuit is coupled to a memory array and generates a multiply-and-accumulate signal indicating a computational output of the memory array. The local generator is coupled to the memory array and generates at least one reference signal at a node in response to one of a plurality of global signals that are generated according to a number of the computational output. The local generator is further configured to generate an output signal according to the signal and a summation of the at least one reference signal at the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Der CHIH, Meng-Fan CHANG, May-Be CHEN, Cheng-Xin XUE, Je-Syu LIU
  • Publication number: 20230197513
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a first bit line structure that has a horizontal portion and a vertical portion in which an upper surface of the vertical portion is exposed for making electrical contact with a contact that, in turn, is in electrical contact with a metal pattern through which operating voltages may be applied to the bit line structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Hung-Li CHIANG, Jer-Fu WANG, Tzu-Chiang CHEN, Meng-Fan CHANG
  • Patent number: 11664790
    Abstract: A random number generator that includes control circuit, an oscillation circuit, an oscillation detection circuit and a latch circuit is introduced. The control circuit sweeps a configuration of a bias control signal among a plurality of configurations. The oscillation circuit generates an oscillation signal based on the configuration of the bias control signal. The oscillation detection circuit detects an onset of the oscillation signal, and outputs a lock signal. The latch circuit latches the oscillation signal according to a trigger signal to output a random number, wherein the trigger signal is asserted after the lock signal is outputted, and the configuration of bias control signal is locked after the lock signal is outputted. A method for generating a random number and an operation method of a random number generator are also introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Win-San Khwa, Jui-Jen Wu, Jen-Chieh Liu, Elia Ambrosi, Xinyu Bao, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20230157187
    Abstract: A resistive memory device includes a bottom electrode, a switching layer including a first horizontal portion, a second horizontal portion over an upper surface of the bottom electrode, and a first vertical portion over a side surface of the bottom electrode, a top electrode including a first horizontal portion over the first horizontal portion of the switching layer, a second horizontal portion over the second horizontal portion of the switching layer, and a first vertical portion over the first vertical portion of the switching layer, and a conductive via contacting the first horizontal portion, the second horizontal portion and the first vertical portion of the top electrode. By providing a switching layer and a top electrode which conform to a non-planar profile of the bottom electrode, charge crowding and a localized increase in electric field may facilitate resistance-state switching and provide a reduced operating voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Hung-Li Chiang, Jung-Piao Chiu, Jer-Fu Wang, Tzu-Chiang Chen, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Patent number: 11621723
    Abstract: An input-shaping method for a group-modulated input scheme in a plurality of computing-in-memory applications is configured to shape a plurality of multi-bit input signals. The input-shaping method for the group-modulated input scheme in the plurality of computing-in-memory applications includes performing an input splitting step, a threshold setting step and an input shaping step. The input splitting step includes splitting the multi-bit input signals into a plurality of input sub-groups via an input-shaping unit. The threshold setting step includes setting at least one shaping threshold via the input-shaping unit. The input shaping step includes shaping at least one of the input sub-groups according to the at least one shaping threshold via the input-shaping unit to form a plurality of shaped multi-bit input signals so as to increase a probability of a bit equal to 0 occurring in the at least one of the input sub-groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Fu-Chun Chang, Ta-Wei Liu, Cheng-Xin Xue, Sheng-Po Huang, Yen-Hsiang Huang, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Patent number: 11621040
    Abstract: A system includes a global generator and local generators. The global generator is coupled to a memory array, and is configured to generate global signals, according to a number of a computational output of the memory array. The local generators are coupled to the global generator and the memory array, and are configured to generate local signals, according to the global signals. Each one of the local generators includes a first reference circuit and a local current mirror. The first reference circuit is coupled to the global generator, and is configured to generate a first reference signal at a node, in response to a first global signal of the global signals. The local current mirror is coupled to the first reference circuit at the node, and is configured to generate the local signals, by mirroring a summation of at least one signal at the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Der Chih, Meng-Fan Chang, May-Be Chen, Cheng-Xin Xue, Je-Syu Liu
  • Publication number: 20230053294
    Abstract: A method, device, and system for performing a partial sum accumulation of a product of input vectors and weight vectors in a wordwise-input and bitwise-weight manner results in a partial accumulated product sum. The partial accumulated product sum is compared with a threshold condition after each weight bit, and when the partial accumulated product sum meets the threshold condition, a skip indicator is asserted to indicate that remaining computations of a sum accumulation are skipped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Win-San Khwa, Yen-Cheng Chiu, Je-Min Hung, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20230033472
    Abstract: A memory includes a memory device, a reading device and a feedback device. The memory device stores a plurality of bits. The reading device includes first and second reading circuits coupled to the memory device. The second reading circuit is coupled to the first reading circuit at a first node. The first and second reading circuits cooperates with each other to generate a first voltage signal at the first node based on at least one first bit of the plurality of bits. The feedback device adjusts at least one of the first reading circuit or the second reading circuit based on the first voltage signal. The first and second reading circuits generate a second voltage signal, different from the first voltage signal, corresponding to the bits, after the at least one of the first reading circuit or the second reading circuit is adjusted by the feedback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicants: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Meng-Fan CHANG, Yen-Cheng CHIU
  • Publication number: 20230037044
    Abstract: A system includes a memory cell array including multi-level cells, an input data scramble circuit configured to receive input data and match lower error tolerant bits with higher error tolerant bits to provide matched bit sets, wherein each of the matched bit sets includes at least one lower error tolerant bit and at least one higher error tolerant bit, and a write driver configured to receive the matched bit sets and store each of the matched bit sets into one memory cell of the multi-level cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Win-San KHWA, Jui-Jen WU, Jen-Chieh LIU, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20230028413
    Abstract: A circuit includes a sense amplifier, a first clamping circuit, a second clamping circuit, and a feedback circuit. The first clamping circuit includes first clamping branches coupled in parallel between the sense amplifier and a memory array. The second clamping circuit includes second clamping branches coupled in parallel between the sense amplifier and a reference array. The feedback circuit is configured to selectively enable or disable one or more of the first clamping branches or one or more of the second clamping branches in response to an output data outputted by the sense amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Win-San KHWA, Jui-Jen WU, Jen-Chieh LIU, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20230010522
    Abstract: A method of storing a data into a memory storage having bit cells. The method includes identifying each of the binary one and the binary zero in the data as either a majority bit value or a minority bit value based on the probability of finding the binary one in the data or based on the probability of finding the binary zero in the data. In the method, a bit of the data is stored into the bit cell as the more preferred state if the bit of the data has the majority bit value, and a bit of the data is stored into the bit cell as the less preferred state if the bit of the data has the minority bit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Win-San KHWA, Jui Jen WU, Jen-Chieh LIU, Meng-Fan CHANG
  • Publication number: 20220415369
    Abstract: A sense amplifier of a memory device that includes sense amplifier circuits and a reference sharing circuit is introduced. The sense amplifier circuits are configured to sense the plurality of bit lines according to an enable signal. The reference sharing circuit includes first switches and second switches that are coupled to the reference nodes and second reference nodes of the sense amplifier circuits, respectively. The first switches and second switches are controlled according to a control signal to control a first electrical connection among the first reference nodes, and to control a second electrical connection among the second reference nodes. An operation method of the sense amplifier and a memory device including the sense amplifier are also introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Win-San Khwa, Yen-Cheng Chiu, Yi-Lun Lu, Jui-Jen Wu, Meng-Fan Chang
  • Publication number: 20220391691
    Abstract: An input sequence re-ordering method with a multi input-precision reconfigurable scheme and a pipeline scheme for a computing-in-memory macro in a convolutional neural network application is configured to re-order a plurality of multi-bit input signals and includes performing a scanning step and a re-ordering step. The scanning step includes driving a scanner to scan one group of the multi-bit input signals to determine whether an initial value of a plurality of flag signals in one of a plurality of multi-bit section flags is changed to an inverted initial value according to a plurality of bit numbers of the one group of the multi-bit input signals. The re-ordering step includes driving a sorter to select a part of the one group of the multi-bit input signals corresponding to a plurality of the inverted initial values of the flag signals in the one of the multi-bit section flags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng CHIU, Ta-Wei LIU, Fu-Chun CHANG, Meng-Fan CHANG
  • Patent number: 11507275
    Abstract: A memory unit is controlled by a first word line and a second word line. The memory unit includes a memory cell and a multi-bit input local computing cell. The memory cell stores a weight. The memory cell is controlled by the first word line and includes a local bit line transmitting the weight. The multi-bit input local computing cell is connected to the memory cell and receives the weight via the local bit line. The multi-bit input local computing cell includes a plurality of input lines and a plurality of output lines. Each of the input lines transmits a multi-bit input value, and the multi-bit input local computing cell is controlled by the second word line to generate a multi-bit output value on each of the output lines according to the multi-bit input value multiplied by the weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Meng-Fan Chang, Pei-Jung Lu
  • Patent number: 11500613
    Abstract: A memory unit with a multiply-accumulate assist scheme for a plurality of multi-bit convolutional neural network based computing-in-memory applications is controlled by a reference voltage, a word line and a multi-bit input voltage. The memory unit includes a non-volatile memory cell, a voltage divider and a voltage keeper. The non-volatile memory cell is controlled by the word line and stores a weight. The voltage divider includes a data line and generates a charge current on the data line according to the reference voltage, and a voltage level of the data line is generated by the non-volatile memory cell and the charge current. The voltage keeper generates an output current on an output node according to the multi-bit input voltage and the voltage level of the data line, and the output current is corresponding to the multi-bit input voltage multiplied by the weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Meng-Fan Chang, Han-Wen Hu, Kuang-Tang Chang