Patents Examined by Cynthia Britt
  • Patent number: 11710530
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a memory device, wherein: an address latch can output a block selection control signal according to a block selection enable signal; a test mode selection unit can output a test mode selection signal according to a test mode selection instruction signal; a block selection unit outputs a block selection signal according to a mode selection signal and a block selection enable signal; when the memory enters a first test mode according to the test mode selection signal, an output buffer disables some of the input/output ports, and sequentially outputs the first input/output data and the second input/output data through un-disabled the input/output ports. The memory device according to the present disclosure can occupy less input/output ports of a test machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shu-Liang Ning
  • Patent number: 11698413
    Abstract: A self-test circuit for an integrated circuit, having a plurality of scan chains is provided, wherein each of the scan chains has a plurality of first memory elements, a data input for providing the scan chain with test data, wherein the data input is connected to one of the first memory elements, a plurality of second memory elements, and a switching apparatus having a first and a second switching position, which switching apparatus is coupled between the first memory elements and the second memory elements and is configured to respectively connect a last one of the first memory elements to a data output in the first switching position and to respectively connect the last one of the first memory elements to a first one of the second memory elements in the second switching position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Juergen Alt
  • Patent number: 11693729
    Abstract: There are provided a controller, an electronic system including the same, and an operating method of the controller and the memory system. The controller includes: a randomizing circuit configured to generate random data having a set number of bits; a masking circuit configured to output select random data by extracting some data according to a number of bits on which a partial encoding operation is to be performed, among the random data; an operating circuit configured to output encoded data and a portion of original data, by performing an operation sequentially on the original data and the select random data; and a cyclic redundancy check circuit configured to generate a cyclic redundancy check value by performing a cyclic redundancy check on the encoded data and the portion of original data, and output partially encoded data including the cyclic redundancy check value, the portion of original data, and the encoded data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Joung Young Lee, Dong Sop Lee
  • Patent number: 11693056
    Abstract: A scan chain architecture with lowered power consumption comprises a multiplexer selecting between a functional input and a test input. The output of the multiplexer is coupled to a low threshold voltage latch and, in test mode, to a standard threshold voltage latch. The low threshold voltage latch and standard threshold voltage latch are configured to store data when a clock input falls, using a master latch functional clock M_F_CLK, master latch test clock M_T_CLK, slave latch functional clock S_F_CLK, and slave latch test clock S_T_CLK. The slave latch has lower power consumption than the master latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ceremorphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Wiser, Shakti Singh, Neelam Surana
  • Patent number: 11693055
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes novel methods and apparatuses for directly accessing JTAG Tap domains that exist in a scan path of many serially connected JTAG Tap domains. Direct scan access to a selected Tap domain by a JTAG controller is achieved using auxiliary digital or analog terminals associated with the Tap domain and connected to the JTAG controller. During direct scan access, the auxiliary digital or analog terminals serve as serial data input and serial data output paths between the selected Tap domain and the JTAG controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11686772
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-diagnostic apparatus capable of improving safety of a device under test (DUT) by analyzing a characteristic change of a DUT, such as a semiconductor, a circuit module, or a system, in a safe operating region over time and allowing a regular test and a periodic test to be performed even while the DUT is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: PhosPhil Inc.
    Inventors: Byung Kyu Kim, Byeong Yun Kim
  • Patent number: 11688485
    Abstract: A processing device in a memory system determines a first error rate corresponding to a first set of write-to-read delay times at a first end of a range of write-to-read delay times for a memory device and a second error rate corresponding to a second set of write-to-read delay times at a second end of the range of write-to-read delay times, and determines whether a ratio of the first error rate to the second error rate satisfies a threshold criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tingjun Xie, Zhengang Chen
  • Patent number: 11683124
    Abstract: A data transmission device includes a de-interleaver configured to receive, from a host device at a first data rate, a data stream including encoded data, de-interleave the data stream into a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) data streams, and output the plurality of FEC data streams at a second data rate less than the first data rate. Each of a plurality of interleavers is configured to interleave a respective one of the plurality of FEC data streams into an intermediate data stream including first data blocks and second data blocks. An encoder module configured to generate, for each of the intermediate data streams, FEC blocks including a first parity section and a first data section, the first parity section including a first parity bit corresponding to the first data blocks and a second parity bit corresponding to the second data blocks, and the first data section including the first data blocks and the second data blocks, and output the FEC blocks at the second data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Jamal Riani, Benjamin Smith, Volodymyr Shvydun, Srinivas Swaminathan, Arash Farhoodfar
  • Patent number: 11680981
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses to devices to select the device TAP for access. Further, the disclosure provides a novel method and apparatus for inputting addresses for selecting device TAPs and for inputting commands for commanding circuitry within the device. The inputting of addresses or the inputting of addresses and commands is initiated by a control bit input on TDI that is recognized during the Run Test/Idle, Pause-DR or Pause-IR TAP states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11681579
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells; an error correction code (ECC) engine configured to detect and/or correct at least one error bit in read data and configured to generate a decoding status flag indicative of whether the at least one error bit is detected and/or corrected, wherein the read data is read from the memory cell array; a channel interface circuit configured to receive the read data and the decoding status flag from the ECC engine and configured to transmit the read data and the decoding status flag to a memory controller, wherein the channel interface circuit is configured to transmit the decoding status flag to the memory controller through a pin; and a control logic circuit configured to control the ECC engine and the channel interface circuit in response to an address and a command from the memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae-Hyun Kim, Yong-Gyu Chu, Jun Jin Kong, Ki-Jun Lee, Myung-Kyu Lee
  • Patent number: 11680982
    Abstract: Described herein are integrated circuit chips having test circuitry designed such that independently selectable testing of different power domains using a same scan chain compressor-decompressor circuit may be performed. Also disclosed herein are integrated circuit chips having test circuitry designed such that independently selectable testing of different power domains using multiple different scan chain compressor-decompressor circuits may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Venkata Narayanan Srinivasan, Manish Sharma, Tripti Gupta
  • Patent number: 11680983
    Abstract: A critical data path of an integrated circuit includes a flip flop configured to receive a data input and provide a latched data output. A monitoring circuit includes a delay generator configured to receive the data input and provide a plurality of delayed data outputs corresponding to delayed versions of the data input with increasing amounts of delay, a selector circuit configured to select one of the plurality of delayed outputs based on a programmable control value, and a shadow latch coupled to an output of the selector circuit and configured to latch a value at its input to provide as a latched shadow output. A comparator circuit provides a match error indicator based on a comparison between the first latched data output and the latched shadow output, and an error indicator is provided which indicates whether or not an impending failure of the critical data path is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Anis Mahmoud Jarrar, David Russell Tipple, Emmanuel Chukwuma Onyema
  • Patent number: 11675003
    Abstract: A test mode signal is generated to include a test pattern and an error reporting sequence. The test mode signal is sent on link that includes one or more extension devices and two or more sublinks. The test mode signal is to be sent on a particular one of the sublinks and is to be used by a receiving device to identify errors on the particular sublink. The error reporting sequence is to be encoded with error information to describe error status of sublinks in the plurality of sublinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel S. Froelich, Debendra Das Sharma
  • Patent number: 11675007
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a test architecture that supports a common approach to testing individual die and dies in a 3D stack arrangement. The test architecture uses an improved TAP design to facilitate the testing of parallel test circuits within the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 11675005
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a transmitting-side hierarchical block, a receiving-side hierarchical block and an inter-block circuit. The transmitting-side hierarchical block includes a first logic circuit and an output control circuit connected to the first logic circuit and controlling an output signal of the transmitting-side hierarchical block. The receiving-side hierarchical block includes a second logic circuit being scan test target and operating by receiving the output signal of the transmitting-side hierarchical block, and a test control circuit controlling the scan test of the second logic circuit. The inter-block circuit transmits the output signal of the transmitting-side hierarchical block to the receiving-side hierarchical block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Tsukuda, Tomoji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11675502
    Abstract: A method for execution by a computing device of a storage network for transferring data includes detecting a shutdown associated with a local flash memory of the storage network. The method further includes determining whether to transfer encoded data slices stored in the local flash memory, wherein a plurality of data segments are dispersed storage error encoded in accordance with distributed data storage parameters to produce pluralities of sets of encoded data slices that include the encoded data slices. When determining to transfer, the method includes determining a group of encoded data slices stored in the local flash memory to transfer, determining at least one storage location for storage of the group of encoded data slices, transferring the group of encoded data slices to the at least one storage location and outputting a transfer message indicating that the group of encoded data slices has been transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: PURE STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube
  • Patent number: 11671119
    Abstract: A signal processing device includes a distributing unit and a plurality of correcting units with different processing performance, the distributing unit distributes a bit sequence having a first number of bits to the first correcting unit, and a bit sequence having a second number of bits less than the first number of bits to the second correcting unit having lower processing performance than the first correcting unit, the first correcting unit applies error correction processing to the bit sequence having the first number of bits distributed to the first correcting unit, and the second correcting unit applies error correction processing to the bit sequence having the second number of bits distributed to the second correcting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiji Okamoto, Etsushi Yamazaki, Masanori Nakamura, Yoshiaki Kisaka, Masahito Tomizawa
  • Patent number: 11671199
    Abstract: An FEC coder in a transmission device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure performs BCH coding and LDPC coding based on whether a code length of the LDPC coding is a 16k mode or a 64k mode. A mapper performs mapping in an I-Q coordinate to perform conversion into an FEC block, and outputs pieces of mapping data (cells). The mapper defines different non-uniform mapping patterns with respect to different code lengths even an identical coding rate is used by the FEC coder. This configuration improves a shaping gain for different error correction code lengths in a transmission technology in which modulation of the non-uniform mapping pattern is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mikihiro Ouchi
  • Patent number: 11671211
    Abstract: Provided are a transmission method, apparatus and system and a computer-readable storage medium. The transmission method includes creating an automatic repeat request process for a first packet; setting a lifetime for the automatic repeat request process; and sending the first packet. The lifetime is set for the automatic repeat request process so that the automatic repeat request process can be removed in time. In this manner, in the case where a limited number of automatic repeat request processes are simultaneously supported, a new automatic repeat request process can be created for a newly transmitted packet in time, and thus the transmission efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dan Yang, Ning Wei, Bo Sun, Nan Li, Zhiqiang Han
  • Patent number: 11663077
    Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing data protection techniques with symbol-based variable node updates for binary low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are described. A semiconductor memory (e.g., a NAND flash memory) may read a set of data from a set of memory cells, determine a set of data state probabilities for the set of data based on sensed threshold voltages for the set of memory cells, generate a valid codeword for the set of data using an iterative LDPC decoding with symbol-based variable node updates and the set of data state probabilities, and store the valid codeword within the semiconductor memory or transfer the valid codeword from the semiconductor memory. The iterative LDPC decoding may utilize a message passing algorithm in which outgoing messages from a plurality of multi-variable nodes are generated using incoming messages (e.g., log-likelihood ratios or L-values) from a plurality of check nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Minghai Qin