Patents by Inventor Tomoharu Tanaka

Tomoharu Tanaka 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: 11960722
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells and a controller configured to access the array of memory cells. The controller is further configured to program a first number of bits to a first memory cell of the array of memory cells and program a second number of bits to a second memory cell of the array of memory cells. The controller is further configured to following a period after programming the second number of bits to the second memory cell, merge at least a subset of the first number of bits stored in the first memory cell to the second number of bits stored in the second memory cell without erasing the second memory cell such that the second number of bits plus at least the subset of the first number of bits are stored in the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Dung V. Nguyen, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Eric N. Lee, Akira Goda, James Fitzpatrick, Dave Ebsen
  • Patent number: 11955180
    Abstract: Memories might include an array of memory cells including a string of series-connected split-gate memory cells, and a controller configured to cause the memory to selectively activate a first memory cell portion of a selected split-gate memory cell of the string of series-connected split-gate memory cells in response to a data state of the first memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell and deactivate a second memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell, and activate a second memory cell portion of each remaining split-gate memory cell of the string of series-connected split-gate memory cells while selectively activating the first memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell and deactivating the second memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20240087651
    Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include an adaptive pre-read manager for controlling pre-reads of the memory device. The adaptive pre-read manager receives a first set of data bits for programming to memory. The adaptive pre-read manager performing a first pass of programming including a first subset of data bits from the set of data bits. The adaptive pre-read manager compares a set of threshold operating differences to a set of differences between multiple operating conditions during the first pass of programming and current operating conditions. The adaptive pre-read manager performs an internal pre-read of the programmed first subset of data bits. The adaptive pre-read manager performs a second pass of programming using the internal pre-read and a second subset of data bits from the first set of data bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Akira Goda, Dung V. Nguyen, Giovanni Maria Paolucci, James Fitzpatrick, Eric N. Lee, Dave Scott Ebsen, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20240062799
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and systems related to maintaining stored data are described. The apparatus may be configured to refresh the stored data according to schedule that includes different delays between successive refresh operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Huai-Yuan Tseng, Akira Goda, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, James Fitzpatrick, Tomoharu Tanaka, Eric N. Lee, Dung V. Nguyen, David Ebsen
  • Patent number: 11908512
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises local digit line structures, global digit line structures, source line structures, sense transistors, read transistors, and write transistors. The local digit line structures are coupled to strings of memory cells. The global digit line structures overlie the local digit line structures. The source line structures are interposed between the local digit line structures and the global digit line structures. The sense transistors are interposed between the source line structures and the global digit line structures, and are coupled to the local digit line structures and the source line structures. The read transistors are interposed between and are coupled to the sense transistors and the global digit line structures. The write transistors are interposed between and are coupled to the global digit line structures and the local digit line structures. Additional microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc .
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi
  • Publication number: 20240038316
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array including wordlines and at least one string of cells. Each cell of the at least one string of cells is addressable by a respective wordline. The memory device further includes control logic, operatively coupled to the memory array, to perform operations including generating gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) with respect to the at least one string of cells, and causing a grounding voltage to be applied to a set of wordlines to ground each cell of the at least one string of cells addressable by each wordline of the set of wordlines. The grounding voltage applied to the set of wordlines enables transport of positive charge carriers generated by the GIDL. In some embodiments, the positive charge carriers neutralize a buildup of negative charge carriers generated during a seeding phase of a program refresh operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Huai-Yuan Tseng, Eric N. Lee, Akira Goda, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20240028200
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells and a controller configured to access the array of memory cells. The controller is further configured to program a first number of bits to a first memory cell of the array of memory cells and program a second number of bits to a second memory cell of the array of memory cells. The controller is further configured to following a period after programming the second number of bits to the second memory cell, merge at least a subset of the first number of bits stored in the first memory cell to the second number of bits stored in the second memory cell without erasing the second memory cell such that the second number of bits plus at least the subset of the first number of bits are stored in the second memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Dung V. Nguyen, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Eric N. Lee, Akira Goda, James Fitzpatrick, Dave Ebsen
  • Publication number: 20240028252
    Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a quick charge loss (QCL) mitigation manager for controlling writing data bits to a memory device. The QCL mitigation manager receives a first set of data bits for programming to memory. The QCL mitigation manager writes a first subset of data bits of the first set of data bits to a first memory block of the memory during a first pass of programming. The QCL mitigation manager writes a second subset of data bits of the first set of data bits to the first memory block during a second pass of programming in response to determining that the threshold delay is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Dung V. Nguyen, Dave Scott Ebsen, Tomoharu Tanaka, James Fitzpatrick, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Akira Goda, Eric N. Lee
  • Publication number: 20240021219
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure, pillar structures, a conductive plug structure, a sense transistor, and selector transistors. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of conductive material and insulative material, and is divided into blocks separated by dielectric slot structures. The blocks individually include sub-blocks horizontally extending in parallel with one another. The pillar structures vertically extend through one of the blocks of the stack structure. Each pillar structure of a group of the pillar structures is positioned within a different one of the sub-blocks of the one of the blocks than each other pillar structure of the group. The conductive plug structure is coupled to multiple of the pillar structures of the group of the pillar structures. The sense transistor is gated by the conductive plug structure. The selector transistors couple the sense transistor to a read source line structure and a digit line structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Shuji Tanaka, Yoshihiko Kamata, Jun Fujiki, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11875858
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array of memory cells and control logic operatively coupled to the memory array. The control logic to perform memory erase operations including: performing a true erase sub-operation by causing multiple pulse steps to be applied sequentially to a group of memory cells of the memory array, wherein each sequential pulse step of the multiple pulse steps occurs during a pulse-step period and at a higher voltage compared to an immediately-preceding pulse-step; in response to detecting an erase suspend command during a pulse step, suspending the true erase sub-operation at a start of a subsequent pulse-step period after the pulse step; and resuming the true erase sub-operation at an end of the subsequent pulse-step period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11862238
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods of using the apparatuses. One of the apparatuses includes a substrate, a first deck including first memory cell strings located over the substrate, a second deck including second memory cell strings and located over the first deck, first data lines located between the first and second decks and coupled to the first memory cell strings, second data lines located over the second deck and coupled to the second memory cell strings, and first and second circuitries. The first and second data lines extending in a direction from a first portion of the substrate to a second portion of the substrate. The first buffer circuitry is located in the first portion of the substrate under the first memory cell strings of the first deck and coupled to the first data lines. The second buffer circuitry is located in the second portion of the substrate under the first memory cell strings of the first deck and coupled to the second data lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11861239
    Abstract: A device includes a memory array with first memory cell and second memory cell, and control logic, operatively coupled with the memory array, to cause a first threshold voltage (Vt) state read out of the first memory cell to be converted to a first integer value and a second Vt state read out of the second memory cell to be converted to a second integer value; index, within a decoding table using the first integer value and the second integer value, to determine a set of three logical bits; and output, as a group of logical bits to be returned in response to a read request, the set of three logical bits with a second set of logical bits corresponding to the first Vt state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230360696
    Abstract: A read is initiated with respect to a target cell. A pair of adjacent cells includes a first cell and a second cell each adjacent to the target cell. First cell state information is obtained for the first cell and second cell state information is obtained for the second cell. A state information bin is determined by applying a pre-defined operation to the first cell state information and the second cell state information of the respective pair of adjacent cells. The target cell is assigned to the state information bin. Each state information bin defines a read level offset for reading the target cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Huai-Yuan Tseng, Akira Goda, Ching-Huang Lu, Eric N. Lee, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230335201
    Abstract: A method includes causing a read operation to be initiated with respect to a set of target cells. For each target cell, a respective group of adjacent cells is adjacent to the target cell. The method further includes obtaining, for each group of adjacent cells, respective cell state information, assigning, based on the cell state information, each target cell of the set of target cells to a respective state information bin, and determining a set of calibrated read level offsets. Each state information bin is associated with a respective group of target cells of the set of target cells, and each calibrated read level offset of the set of calibrated read level offsets is associated with a respective state information bin of the set of state information bins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, James Fitzpatrick, Huai-Yuan Tseng, Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Eric N. Lee, David Scott Ebsen, Dung Viet Nguyen, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 11721400
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes an external power supply node, a current monitoring node, and a plurality of semiconductor dies. Each semiconductor die of the plurality of semiconductor dies includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is configured to supply a first operating current to that semiconductor die from the external power supply node. The second circuit is configured to measure the first operating current and output the measured first operating current to the current monitoring node. The measured first operating current from each semiconductor die of the plurality of semiconductor dies is summed on the current monitoring node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230178155
    Abstract: A memory device includes an array of memory cells associated with wordlines and control logic. The control logic performs operations that cause a corrective read operation to be performed at a selected memory cell. The operations include: causing a first voltage to be applied to a first wordline associated with the selected memory cell; causing a second voltage, having a lower magnitude than the first voltage, to be applied to wordlines adjacent to the first wordline and associated with each of two neighbor memory cells of the selected memory cell; in response to determining that current flows through the two neighbor memory cells and the selected memory cell between a bitline and a source line of the array, identifying a first corrective read voltage; and causing the first corrective read voltage to be applied to the first wordline during a read operation for the selected memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230143421
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises local digit line structures, global digit line structures, source line structures, sense transistors, read transistors, and write transistors. The local digit line structures are coupled to strings of memory cells. The global digit line structures overlie the local digit line structures. The source line structures are interposed between the local digit line structures and the global digit line structures. The sense transistors are interposed between the source line structures and the global digit line structures, and are coupled to the local digit line structures and the source line structures. The read transistors are interposed between and are coupled to the sense transistors and the global digit line structures. The write transistors are interposed between and are coupled to the global digit line structures and the local digit line structures. Additional microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Tomoharu Tanaka, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi
  • Publication number: 20230139591
    Abstract: Memories might include an array of memory cells including a string of series-connected split-gate memory cells, and a controller configured to cause the memory to selectively activate a first memory cell portion of a selected split-gate memory cell of the string of series-connected split-gate memory cells in response to a data state of the first memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell and deactivate a second memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell, and activate a second memory cell portion of each remaining split-gate memory cell of the string of series-connected split-gate memory cells while selectively activating the first memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell and deactivating the second memory cell portion of the selected split-gate memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230122209
    Abstract: A device includes a memory array with first memory cell and second memory cell, and control logic, operatively coupled with the memory array, to cause a first threshold voltage (Vt) state read out of the first memory cell to be converted to a first integer value and a second Vt state read out of the second memory cell to be converted to a second integer value; index, within a decoding table using the first integer value and the second integer value, to determine a set of three logical bits; and output, as a group of logical bits to be returned in response to a read request, the set of three logical bits with a second set of logical bits corresponding to the first Vt state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230043066
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array of memory cells and control logic operatively coupled to the memory array. The control logic to perform memory erase operations including: performing a true erase sub-operation by causing multiple pulse steps to be applied sequentially to a group of memory cells of the memory array, wherein each sequential pulse step of the multiple pulse steps occurs during a pulse-step period and at a higher voltage compared to an immediately-preceding pulse-step; in response to detecting an erase suspend command during a pulse step, suspending the true erase sub-operation at a start of a subsequent pulse-step period after the pulse step; and resuming the true erase sub-operation at an end of the subsequent pulse-step period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventor: Tomoharu Tanaka