Patents Assigned to Memory Technologies LLC
  • Patent number: 9767045
    Abstract: The embodiments of the invention describe settings, commands, command signals, flags, attributes, parameters or the like for signed access prior to allowing data to be written to (e.g., a write access), read from (e.g., a read access) or erased from (e.g., an erase access) protected areas of a memory device (e.g., a region, logical unit, or a portion of memory in the storage module).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Kimmo J. Mylly
  • Patent number: 9748475
    Abstract: Memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including a phase change material having a laterally constricted portion thereof. The laterally constricted portions of adjacent memory cells are vertically offset and positioned on opposite sides of the memory device. Also disclosed are memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including first and second electrodes having different widths. Adjacent memory cells have the first and second electrodes offset on vertically opposing sides of the memory device. Methods of forming the memory devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventor: Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 9747975
    Abstract: A phase change memory may be formed which is amenable to multilevel programming. The phase change material may be formed with a lateral extent which does not exceed the lateral extent of an underlying heater. As a result, the possibility of current bypassing the amorphous phase change material in the reset state is reduced, reducing the programming current that is necessary to prevent this situation. In addition, a more controllable multilevel phase change memory may be formed in some embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Ovonyx Memory Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Charles C. Kuo, Ilya V. Karpov
  • Patent number: 9715929
    Abstract: Memory devices provide a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell including a memory element and a selection device. A plurality of first (e.g., row) address lines can be adjacent (e.g., under) a first side of at least some cells of the plurality. A plurality of second (e.g., column) address lines extend across the plurality of row address lines, each column address line being adjacent (e.g., over) a second, opposing side of at least some of the cells. Control circuitry can be configured to selectively apply a read voltage or a write voltage substantially simultaneously to the address lines. Systems including such memory devices and methods of accessing a plurality of cells at least substantially simultaneously are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ovonyx Memory Technology, LLC
    Inventors: David H. Wells, Jun Liu
  • Patent number: 9715419
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to selectively performing a read with increased accuracy, such as a self-reference read, from a memory. In one aspect, data is read from memory cells, such as magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cells, of a memory array. In response to detecting a condition associated with reading from the memory cells, a self-reference read can be performed from at least one of the memory cells. For instance, the condition can indicate that data read from the memory cells is uncorrectable via decoding of error correction codes (ECC). Selectively performing self-reference reads can reduce power consumption and/or latency associated with reading from the memory compared to always performing self-reference reads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Wayne Kinney, Gurtej S. Sandhu
  • Patent number: 9711191
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as a nonvolatile solid-state memory device, may, in some implementations, include access line bias circuitry to set a bias level associated with a deselected access line(s) of a memory core in response to mode information. In one approach, access line bias circuitry may use linear down regulation to change a voltage level on deselected access lines of a memory core. A memory access device, such as a host processor, may be provided that is capable of dynamically setting a mode of operation of a memory core of a memory device in order to manage power consumption of the memory. Other apparatuses and methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Gerald Barkley, Nicholas Hendrickson
  • Patent number: 9698345
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein may include depositing a storage component material over and/or in a trench in a dielectric material, including depositing the storage component material on approximately vertical walls of the trench and a bottom of the trench. Embodiments may also include etching the storage component material so that at least a portion of the storage component material remains on the approximately vertical walls and the bottom of the trench, wherein the trench is contacting an electrode and a selector such that storage component material on the bottom of the trench contacts the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer, Innocenzo Tortorelli
  • Patent number: 9589918
    Abstract: A memory device structure includes circuitry formed over a substrate and at least one insulating portion formed over said circuitry, each of which includes a plurality of openings. The memory device also includes a plurality of electrical connections formed in respective openings of the plurality of openings of the at least one insulating portion, at least one bond pad formed within at least one of the at least one insulating portion, and a cap formed over the at least one bond pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: John Moore, Joseph F. Brooks
  • Patent number: 9576648
    Abstract: A thin-film memory may include a thin-film transistor-free address decoder in conjunction with thin-film memory elements to yield an all-thin-film memory. Such a thin-film memory excludes all single-crystal electronic devices and may be formed, for example, on a low-cost substrate, such as fiberglass, glass or ceramic. The memory may be configured for operation with an external memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ovonyx Memory Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Ward Parkinson
  • Patent number: 9570163
    Abstract: Disturb from the reset to the set state may be reduced by creating an amorphous phase that is substantially free of crystal nuclei when programming the reset state in a phase change memory. In some embodiments, this can be achieved by using a current or a voltage to program that exceeds the threshold voltage of the phase change memory element, but does not exceed a safe current voltage which would cause a disturb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ovonyx Memory Technology, LLC
    Inventors: George A. Gordon, Semyon D. Savransky, Ward D. Parkinson, Sergey Kostylev, James Reed, Tyler A. Lowrey, Ilya V. Karpov, Gianpaolo Spadini
  • Patent number: 9536606
    Abstract: A seasoned phase change memory has been subjected to a longer pulse to adjust resistance levels prior to use of the phase change memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ovonyx Memory Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Ilya V. Karpov, Semyon D. Savransky, Ward D. Parkinson
  • Patent number: 9520555
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein may include depositing a storage component material over and/or in a trench in a dielectric material, including depositing the storage component material on approximately vertical walls of the trench and a bottom of the trench. Embodiments may also include etching the storage component material so that at least a portion of the storage component material remains on the approximately vertical walls and the bottom of the trench, wherein the trench is contacting an electrode and a selector such that storage component material on the bottom of the trench contacts the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer, Innocenzo Tortorelli
  • Patent number: 9520200
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method comprising measuring the temperature of at least one location of a non-volatile memory; determining if said temperature measurement indicates that the data retention time of data stored at said at least one location is reduced below a threshold; and re-writing said data to said non-volatile memory in a response to a positive determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Janne Tapani Nurminen, Kimmo J. Mylly, Matti Floman
  • Patent number: 9496035
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to memory devices and, more particularly, to programming a memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Umberto Di Vincenzo, Carlo Lisi
  • Patent number: 9472755
    Abstract: A resistive memory structure, for example, phase change memory structure, includes one access device and two or more resistive memory cells. Each memory cell is coupled to a rectifying device to prevent parallel leak current from flowing through non-selected memory cells. In an array of resistive memory bit structures, resistive memory cells from different memory bit structures are stacked and share rectifying devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: OVONYX MEMORY TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Michael P. Violette
  • Patent number: 9417998
    Abstract: A method includes, in one non-limiting embodiment, receiving a command originating from an initiator at a controller associated with a non-volatile mass memory coupled with a host device, the command being a command to write data that is currently resident in a memory of the host device to the non-volatile mass memory; moving the data that is currently resident in the memory of the host device from an original location to a portion of the memory allocated for use at least by the non-volatile mass memory; and acknowledging to the initiator that the command to write the data to the non-volatile mass memory has been executed. An apparatus configured to perform the method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Kimmo J. Mylly, Jani J. Klint, Jani Hyvonen, Tapio Hill, Jukka-Pekka Vihmalo, Matti K. Floman
  • Patent number: 9367486
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for configuring access to a memory device are disclosed. The configuration of the memory device may be carried out by creating a plurality of access profiles that are adapted to optimize access to the memory device in accordance with a type of access. For example, when an application with specific memory access needs is initiated, the memory access profile that is designed for that particular access need may be utilized to configure access to the memory device. The configuration may apply to a portion of the memory device, a partition of the memory device, a single access location on the memory device, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Jani Hyvonen, Kimmo J. Mylly, Jussi Hakkinen, Yevgen Gyl
  • Patent number: 9311226
    Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for managing/configuring by the memory module controller storing operational state data for operating the memory module controller into an extended random access memory comprised in a memory module and in a host system memory of a host device during various operational modes/conditions of the memory module and the host system memory. Essentially, the memory module controller operated as a master for the data transfers as described herein. The operational state data typically comprises state information, a logical to physical (L2P) mapping table and register settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Kimmo J. Mylly
  • Patent number: 9277350
    Abstract: A method for wireless data communication between a wireless device having means for short-range data communication, and an electronic device includes mounting a data communication device having means for short-range radio frequency wireless data communication in a general purpose expansion memory location of the electronic device, activating a short-range radio frequency wireless data communication link between the wireless device and the data communication device, and transmitting data between the electronic device and the wireless device so that the wireless device operates as an ordinary expansion memory from the view point of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Sami Inkinen, Simo Vapaakoski
  • Patent number: 9223707
    Abstract: Examples of enabling cache read optimization for mobile memory devices are described. One or more access commands may be received, from a host, at a memory device. The one or more access commands may instruct the memory device to access at least two data blocks. The memory device may generate pre-fetch information for the at least two data blocks based at least in part on an order of accessing the at least two data blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Matti Floman, Kimmo J. Mylly