Patents Examined by Anthan Tran
  • Patent number: 10192926
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for fabricating the same are provided. An electronic device according to an implementation of the disclosed technology is an electronic device including a semiconductor memory, wherein the semiconductor memory includes: a plurality of first lines extending in a first direction; a plurality of second lines extending in a second direction that intersects with the first direction; a plurality of variable resistance elements disposed between the first lines and the second lines and located at intersections of the first lines and the second lines; and a plug connected to a first portion of each of the first lines, wherein the plug comprises a conductive layer and a material layer having a resistance value higher than that of the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Jae-Yeon Lee
  • Patent number: 10192616
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to non-volatile memory arrays and memory devices in which a leakage current through an OTS is utilized to pre-charge a circuit of a memory chip. By running an additional wire on each side of a tile which is orthogonal to, above, or below the X and Y select wires, a high value resistance material, such as an OTS, may be deposited at the intersection. The OTS allows the word line or bit line to be selected without pulling excessive leakage to the select wire from the bias voltage, such as V/2. A thickness of the OTS is adjusted such that the Vt of the OTS is greater than V/2, with margin, and the OTS does not turn on when the OTS is selected. A resistance is created between the V/2 wire and the word line select wire or the bit line select wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: James Edwin O'Toole, Ward Parkinson, Daniel Robert Shepard, Thomas Michael Trent
  • Patent number: 10186306
    Abstract: The semiconductor device may include an address conversion circuit configured for generating a variable address. The semiconductor device may include a column decoder configured for generating a first output select signal or a second output select signal from a column address based on the variable address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Yoon Ka
  • Patent number: 10186310
    Abstract: Quick optical DRAM reset and data erasure can be performed during power down (power cycling) or chip cooling and removal from the socket. In this way cold boot attacks on DRAM secret information are prevented using simple and cheap embodiment. In wafer level packaging (chip scale package) die is usually on top (flip-chip) and metal interconnections does not interfere with penetrating light during chip illumination. IR light penetrates through chip's thin epoxy on top and it is absorbed in the die, near active layer, and generates electron-hole pairs. Electron-hole pairs diffuse to chip active layer and generate discharging photocurrents in PN junctions connected to DRAM capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Inventor: Goran Krilic
  • Patent number: 10181348
    Abstract: A resistive memory element or device includes: a first, main, memory cell area including a plurality of first resistive memory cells; and a second, buffer, memory cell area including a plurality of second resistive memory cells. The first resistive memory cells of the main memory cell area are configured to store data therein, and the second resistive memory cells of the buffer memory cell area are configured to temporarily store portions of the data therein for at least a stabilization time period while the portions of the data stabilize in the main memory cell area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun Kook Park, Young Hoon Oh, Chi Weon Yoon, Yong Jun Lee, Chea Ouk Lim
  • Patent number: 10175714
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an enable signal generation circuit. The circuit includes: an enable input terminal that receives an enable input voltage; an enable detection circuit that determines whether the enable input voltage is higher than a first reference voltage, and then outputs an inverted signal; and an output section that is connected to the enable detection circuit. The enable detection circuit is formed of at least two transistors arranged in a differential configuration, gives the two transistors offset voltages that provide different operating voltages, and causes the output section to output a signal based on the inverted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Yasusaka
  • Patent number: 10170175
    Abstract: A memory device with low power consumption is provided. The memory device includes a sense amplifier, bit lines, memory cells, and first transistors. The bit lines are provided over a layer comprising the sense amplifier. The memory cells are provided over a layer comprising the bit lines. The memory cell includes a second transistor and a capacitor. The sense amplifier and the bit lines are electrically connected to each other through the first transistors. The sense amplifier may include at least one layer of a conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kato, Tatsuya Onuki
  • Patent number: 10170178
    Abstract: Techniques for improving the security of nonvolatile memory such as magnetic random access memory (MRAM) are provided. In one aspect, a method of operating a nonvolatile memory chip is provided. The method includes: overwriting data stored on the nonvolatile memory chip automatically upon the nonvolatile memory chip being powered on. For example, all bits in the nonvolatile memory chip can be written to either i) a predetermined data state (e.g., a logic 1 or a logic 0) or ii) a random data state. A system is also provided that includes: a nonvolatile memory chip; and a writing circuit configured to overwrite data stored on the nonvolatile memory chip automatically upon the nonvolatile memory chip being powered on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John K. DeBrosse, William E. Hall, Hillery C. Hunter, Jeffrey A. Stuecheli, Daniel C. Worledge
  • Patent number: 10170176
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate generally to an electronic device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device and an operating method thereof. A semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory cells using an optimal input buffer reference voltage may include at least one input buffer receiving data to be stored in the plurality of memory cells, and an input buffer reference voltage control unit setting one of a plurality of internal voltages generated beforehand and having different voltage levels as a reference voltage of the at least one input buffer in response to a control signal received from a controller controlling the semiconductor memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Hwa Ok
  • Patent number: 10170408
    Abstract: A memory circuit memory circuit comprises at least one memory cell for storing a datum. The memory cell is coupled with a word line, a bit line, a bit line bar, a first voltage line, and a second voltage line. A first conductive layer comprising a first landing pad and a second landing pad is arranged at a first level. A second conductive layer is coupled to the first conductive layer and arranged at a second level different from the first level. The second conductive layer is routed to define the first voltage line and the second voltage line. A third conductive layer is coupled to the second conductive layer and arranged at a third level different from the first level and the second level. The third conductive layer is routed to define the word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jhon Jhy Liaw
  • Patent number: 10157656
    Abstract: A magnetic memory cell and a method for implementing the magnetic memory cell for use in Solid-State Drives (SSDs) are provided. A magnetic memory cell includes a first conductor M1, and a second conductor M2 and a programmable area using unpatterned programmable magnetic media. At least one of the conductors M1, M2 is formed of a magnetic material, and the conductor M2 is more conductive than conductor M1. Steering of current is provided for programming the magnetic memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Zvonimir Z. Bandic, Jeffery Robinson Childress, Luiz M. Franca-Neto, Jordan Asher Katine, Neil Leslie Robertson
  • Patent number: 10153036
    Abstract: An autocorrective writing to a multiport static random access memory device is performed on at least one multiport static random access memory cell circuit. A first datum is written to the multiport static random access memory cell circuit and a second datum stored in the circuit is read from the multiport static random access memory cell subsequent to writing. The first and second data are compared. In response to the results of that comparison, an operation to rewriting the first datum to the circuit along with application of a write assist mechanism is selectively performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventor: Faress Tissafi Drissi
  • Patent number: 10147475
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to refresh in memory. An apparatus can refresh an array of memory cells in response to a portion of memory cells in an array having threshold voltages that are greater than a reference voltage. The reference voltage can be determined by the threshold voltage being within a set margin of a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Sforzin, Paolo Amato
  • Patent number: 10141058
    Abstract: A method of healing a plurality of non-volatile semiconductor memory devices on a multi-chip package is disclosed. The multi-chip package can be heated to a temperature range having a temperature range upper limit value and a temperature range lower limit value. The temperature of the multi-chip package can be kept essentially within the temperature range for a predetermined time period by monitoring a thermal sensing element with a sensing circuit outside of the multi-chip package. The thermal sensing element may be located near the components with the lowest failure temperature to ensure the multi-chip package is not damaged during the healing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventor: Darryl G. Walker
  • Patent number: 10142421
    Abstract: A device management system facilitates an automatic pairing of an electronic device with a management account. The device management system receives a public network address associated with a computer device on a private network accessing the management account. The system retrieves the metadata including a public network address associated with a registration of the electronic device with the device management system. The public network address registered with the metadata is provided by a router on the private network and therefore should match the public network address used by computer devices on the private network. The management account is paired with the electronic device if the electronic device has the same public network address as the computer device accessing the management account. Pairing the management account to the electronic device allows the management account to communicate with the electronic device over the public network through the device management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Lee Mighdoll, Anthony Michael Fadell, Oliver W. Steele
  • Patent number: 10134461
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for selective row refreshes are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a refresh control circuit. The refresh control circuit may be configured to receive a target address associated with a target plurality of memory cells from an address bus. The refresh control circuit may further be configured to provide a proximate address to the address bus responsive, at least in part, to determining that a number of refresh operations have occurred. In some examples, a plurality of memory cells associated with the proximate address may be a plurality of memory cells adjacent the target plurality of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Debra M. Bell, Jeff A. McClain, Brian P. Callaway
  • Patent number: 10127998
    Abstract: A method of programming a memory includes selecting a logic state for programming a first bitcell of the memory. A first one-time-programmable (OTP) element of the first bitcell is programmed using a first set of conditions intended to achieve a first target resistance in accordance with the selected logic state which results in a first degree of programming of the first OTP element. A second OTP element of the first bitcell is programmed using a second set of conditions different from the first set of conditions intended to achieve a second target resistance in accordance with the selected logic state which results in a second degree of programming of the second OTP element, wherein the first and second degrees of programming are visually indistinguishable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander B. Hoefler, Thomas E. Tkacik
  • Patent number: 10127951
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a memory device comprises first and second conductive lines extending generally in parallel with one another over a row of memory cells. The first and second conductive lines are disposed in a first interconnect layer and are coupled to memory cells of the row. A first plurality of conductive line segments are disposed in a second interconnect layer disposed over the first interconnect layer. Conductive line segments of the first plurality of conductive line segments are coupled to different locations on the first conductive line and are coupled in parallel with the first conductive line. A second plurality of conductive line segments are disposed over the second conductive line. Conductive line segments of the second plurality of conductive line segments are coupled to different locations on the second conductive line and are coupled in parallel with the second conductive line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sahil Preet Singh
  • Patent number: 10126337
    Abstract: A microcontroller is operable to monitor power supply levels corresponding, respectively, to a first power supply (e.g., a main power supply) and a second power supply (e.g., a battery backup power supply). In one or more modes of operation, the same brownout detector in the microcontroller alternately monitors signals corresponding, respectively, to the first and second power supply levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Patrice Menard, Thierry Gourbilleau, Thibault Kervaon, RĂ©gis Vix
  • Patent number: 10121522
    Abstract: A sense circuit is provided in which the threshold voltage of a memory cell is sensed relative to two different levels using a single control gate voltage on the memory cell. These two levels can be higher and lower verify voltages of a data state in a programming operation, or two read levels of a read operation. Two sense nodes which are connected in a cascade configuration such that a first sense node discharges into the bit line initially, and a second sense node may or may not discharge into the bit line, depending on the level to which the first node has discharged. First and second bits of data can be output from the sense circuit based on the levels of the first and second sense nodes to indicate the threshold voltage of the memory cell relative to the higher and lower verify voltages, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Tai-Yuan Tseng, Anirudh Amarnath, Yan Li