Patents Examined by Daniel John King
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Patent number: 12658269Abstract: The present disclosure relates to storage devices. An example storage device includes a nonvolatile memory device that includes a plurality of memory blocks, and a memory controller that controls the nonvolatile memory device. The memory controller performs a soft erase operation on a first memory block among the plurality of memory blocks, measures a first cell count by applying a first reference voltage to a plurality of first memory cells selected in advance from a plurality of memory cells of the first memory block after performing the soft erase operation, generates a first health index associated with a retention characteristic of the first memory block based on the first cell count, and performs a reliability management operation on the first memory block based on the first health index.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2024Date of Patent: June 16, 2026Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Youhwan Kim, Kyungduk Lee, Suyong Jang, Hankyu Ko, Ho-Sung Ahn
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Patent number: 12651637Abstract: A method for partial block read compensation can include receiving a read request that specifies a memory cell connected to a string of series-connected memory cells in an array of memory cells on a memory device, the string located at an intersection of a wordline and a bitline, and causing a first voltage applied to the wordline to which the specified memory cell is connected to ramp to a first predetermined value. The method can include causing a second voltage applied to the bitline to which the specified memory cell is connected to ramp to a second predetermined value, and can include comparing, using a current comparator, a current along the string with a reference current to generate an analog output signal. It can also include causing a voltage offset, based on the analog output signal, to be applied to a read voltage level during a sensing operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2023Date of Patent: June 9, 2026Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien, Jun Wan, Zhenming Zhou
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Patent number: 12651626Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor memory device. Provided is the semiconductor memory device includes a first device layer storing thermal energy and a second device layer being made of a material whose electrical properties are changed by the thermal energy, wherein the first device layer stores thermal energy if a voltage is applied to the second device layer. Since the device is composed of a material that is changed electrical characteristics by heat and a material that stores heat, it may be read as a current applied to the read voltage without applying other refresh voltage. In addition, there is no leakage current flowing through the device depending on the characteristics of the device, so additional circuit elements such as transistors and selectors are not required. The device has a fast-switching mechanism but does not cause leakage current thereby not showing resistance drift due to repetitive switching.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2022Date of Patent: June 9, 2026Assignee: KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventors: Kyung Min Kim, Jae Hyun In, Gwangmin Kim, Younghyun Lee
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Patent number: 12633340Abstract: A circuit including: a memory cell connected to a first power supply configured to supply a first power supply voltage; a first bleeder transistor coupled between a first node of the memory cell and ground; and a second circuit coupled to a gate electrode of the first bleeder transistor and configured to supply a bleeder signal to control the first bleeder transistor in response to a drop in the first power supply voltage, wherein the first bleeder transistor is configured to discharge the memory cell in response to receiving the bleeder signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2023Date of Patent: May 19, 2026Assignee: SYNOPSYS, INC.Inventors: Rouwaida Nawaf Kanj, Jamil Kawa
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Patent number: 12633344Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for parallel memory cell access are described. A memory device may include multiple tiers of memory cells. During a first duration, a first voltage may be applied to a set of word lines coupled with a tier of memory cells to threshold one or more memory cells included in a first subset of memory cells of the tier. During a second duration, a second voltage may be applied to the set of word lines to write a first logic state to the one or more memory cells of the first subset and to threshold one or more memory cells included in a second subset of memory cells of the tier. During a third duration, a third voltage may be applied to the set of word lines to write a second logic state to the one or more memory cells of the second subset.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2024Date of Patent: May 19, 2026Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Paolo Fantini, Andrea Martinelli, Maurizio Rizzi
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Patent number: 12614595Abstract: A circuit is provided. The circuit includes an array of memory cells including a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines, sensing circuits configured to sense a difference between first and second currents on respective bit lines in selected bit lines and to produce outputs for the selected bit lines as a function of the difference, and a global counter configured to continuously provide a count value to each of the sensing circuits in dependence on a clock signal. Each sensing circuit, of the sensing circuits, can produce an output in dependence on (i) the difference between the first and second currents and (ii) a stored count value received from the global counter, the count value being stored in dependence on a value of the difference between the first and second currents.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2023Date of Patent: April 28, 2026Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.Inventor: Chun-Hsiung Hung
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Patent number: 12609171Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure provide a memory device, an operation method thereof, and a memory system. The memory device may include a memory cell array including a plurality of blocks. The memory device may include a peripheral circuit coupled to the memory cell array. The peripheral circuit may be configured to apply a plurality of different erasure verification voltages to a selected block among the plurality of blocks after applying a first effective erasure voltage to the selected block. The peripheral circuit may be configured to determine a second effective erasure voltage applied to the selected block according to a plurality of erasure verification results corresponding to the plurality of different erasure verification voltages. The second effective erasure voltage may be greater than the first effective erasure voltage.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2023Date of Patent: April 21, 2026Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.Inventors: Zhipeng Dong, Li Xiang, Zhuo Chen, Shuai Wang, Chunyuan Hou
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Patent number: 12609714Abstract: A circuit comprises a plurality of bit lines, a global counter configured to provide a count value, a global reference source, a plurality of capacitors, a comparator, a storage element, and capacitor selector circuitry. The capacitor selector circuitry is configured to select, in dependence on the count value, one or more capacitors from the plurality of capacitors, and wherein the selection of the one or more capacitors is further in dependence on pre-coded codes receivable from an agent separate from the circuit, the pre-coded codes enabling specifying respective first and second sets of the plurality of capacitors as respective one or more capacitors having respective first and second capacitance values, the pre-coded codes further enabling specifying selection of the first set to be performed at an earlier time than selection of the second set, and the second capacitance value is more than the first capacitance value.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2024Date of Patent: April 21, 2026Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.Inventor: Chun-Hsiung Hung
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Patent number: 12597451Abstract: A control circuit that reads data from a memory array including a bit line electrically connecting memory cells, includes an amplification unit that includes a read line connected to the bit line, charges the bit line via the read line during a read operation of the data, and then amplifies an electric signal of the bit line at a sense node on the read line, and an inverter that determines data stored in a memory cell selected during the data read operation on the basis of a voltage of the sense node, in which the amplification unit includes switching elements, the switching element charges the bit line on the basis of power supplied from a first power supply having a first voltage, and the switching element is turned on/off on the basis of power supplied from a second power supply having a second voltage higher than the first voltage.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2022Date of Patent: April 7, 2026Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION SHIZUOKA UNIVERSITYInventor: Toru Tanzawa
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Patent number: 12580030Abstract: A memory apparatus is provided and includes memory cells connected to word lines and coupled to bit lines and configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to data states. A control means determines ones of the data states for a first set of the memory cells connected to a selected word line and for a second set of the memory cells connected to at least one neighboring word line. The control means determines which of a plurality of state groups the memory cells of the first and second sets belong according to the data states determined. The control means determines which one of a plurality of bit line voltage biases to be applied to the bit lines coupled to the memory cells of the first set during a verify operation based on a comparison of state groups of the memory cells of the first set and the second set.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2023Date of Patent: March 17, 2026Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ming Wang, Xuan Tian, Liang Li
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Patent number: 12562232Abstract: A non-volatile storage apparatus comprises a non-volatile memory divided into blocks, with each block divided into regions. Each region of a same block includes a plurality of non-volatile memory cells controlled by a separate drain side (or different type of) select line for the region such that different regions of a same block are controlled by different drain side (or different type of) select lines. The non-volatile storage apparatus is configured to concurrently program memory cells in multiple regions.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2023Date of Patent: February 24, 2026Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yichen Wang, Wei Li, Ming Wang, Liang Li
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Patent number: 12537069Abstract: Disclosed are a memory device and a control method thereof. The memory device may be a high-capacity and high-performance three-dimensional NAND flash memory. The control method includes the following steps. Data for performing a programming operation on a specific memory cell area is obtained. A number of memory cells in a predetermined potential state in the data are counted as a first number value. The programming operation is performed on the specific memory cell area based on the data. A read operation is performed based on a reference voltage corresponding to the predetermined potential state. A number of memory cells in the predetermined potential state in the specific memory cell area after the programming operation are counted as a second number value. Whether the specific memory cell area has program disturbances is determined based on the first number value and the second number value.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2024Date of Patent: January 27, 2026Assignee: MACRONIX International Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shih-Chang Huang, Han-Sung Chen
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Patent number: 12518834Abstract: To improve memory cell endurance and erase times for non-volatile memories, such as NAND memory, a sub-block based adaptive erase pulse is used. In a memory structure where the array is composed of blocks that have multiple sub-blocks, after applying an erase pulse to an erase selected block, one of the sub-blocks is erased verified and, if it fails to verify, the next erase pulse's duration is tuned based on the number of memory cells of that sub-block that fail to verify. If the first verified one of the sub-blocks verifies, the other sub-blocks of the erase selected block are erased verified, with the next erase pulse's duration tuned based on the number of the other sub-blocks that fail to verify.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2023Date of Patent: January 6, 2026Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ming Wang, Liang Li, Yichen Wang
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Patent number: 12518810Abstract: A memory device is provided and includes a memory block that has a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in a plurality of word lines. The memory device also includes a plurality of word line switch transistors that are electrically coupled with the plurality of word lines. Some of the word line switch transistors have a first width and some of the word line switch transistors have a second width that is different than the first width. By providing the word line switch transistors with different widths, the size of a word line switch area in the memory device can be optimized.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2023Date of Patent: January 6, 2026Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mohan Vamsi Dunga, Xiang Yang, Keyur Payak
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Patent number: 12499938Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a page buffer array and a continuous read determination circuit configured to determine a continued read request for pages in which encoded data are stored, based on an address and a command that are received from a host. When it is determined that a request that is received from the host is the continued read request, the page buffer array is controlled to sense and store coding data of a page in which the coding data have been stored and to use the sensed coding data in a subsequent read operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2023Date of Patent: December 16, 2025Assignee: SK hynix Inc.Inventor: Dong Hun Kwak
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Patent number: 12494254Abstract: The present technology relates to an electronic device. According to the present technology, a memory device may include a memory block including a plurality of memory cells, a peripheral circuit configured to generate operation voltages for the plurality of memory cells and transfer the operation voltages to the memory block through bit lines and word lines, and a control logic configured to control, based on temperature information of the memory device, the peripheral circuit to perform a low temperature management operation of increasing a temperature of the memory device. The peripheral circuit may transfer the operation voltages while limiting transferal of a local word line apply voltage to be applied to the memory block through the word lines in response to the low temperature management operation, the local word line apply voltage being included in the operation voltages.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2023Date of Patent: December 9, 2025Assignee: SK hynix Inc.Inventors: Jee Yul Kim, Jung Ae Kim
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Patent number: 12456527Abstract: The memory device includes a memory block with memory cells that are arranged in word lines, some of which are reconfigurable word lines that are dummy word lines when the memory block is operating in a one bit per cell mode and are data word lines when the memory block is operating in a multiple bits per cell mode. Circuitry is configured to program the memory cells of a selected word line. The circuitry determines if the selected word line is a reconfigurable word line. If the selected word line is not a reconfigurable word line, the circuitry programs the memory cells of the selected word line with a first programming scheme. If the selected word line is a reconfigurable word line, the circuitry programs the memory cells of the selected word line with a second programming scheme that is different than the first programming scheme.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2023Date of Patent: October 28, 2025Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Wei Cao, Xiang Yang
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Patent number: 12444472Abstract: A data storage device includes a memory device and a controller coupled to the memory device. When a read threshold calibration operation occurs, less than all of the pages of a representative wordline is sensed, such that read thresholds of less than all of the pages of the representative wordline is obtained. The obtained read thresholds and one or more physical conditions of the representative wordline are provided to a model to obtain the other read thresholds of the remaining pages of the representative wordline that were not sensed. The model correlates read thresholds of one page to another page of the same representative wordline and accounts for the one or more physical conditions of the representative wordline.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2023Date of Patent: October 14, 2025Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.Inventors: David Rozman, Ariel Navon, Alexander Bazarsky, Alon Eyal
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Patent number: 12400714Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a string that has one end electrically connected to a bit line, and another end electrically connected to a source line, and includes a plurality of memory cells. An operation of writing data to each of a plurality of adjacent first memory cells among the plurality of memory cells is sequentially performed in a direction from a first memory cell on a side of the source line to a first memory cell on a side of the bit line. An operation of reading data from each of the plurality of adjacent first memory cells is performed to allow a current to flow through the string in a first direction from the source line to the bit line.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2023Date of Patent: August 26, 2025Assignee: Kioxia CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Maejima, Katsuaki Isobe, Keita Kimura
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Patent number: 12380951Abstract: A memory device includes a memory cell array including a first memory cell connected to a first channel structure, and a second memory cell connected to a second channel structure; a peripheral circuit for performing a program operation of storing data in the first and second memory cells commonly connected to a word line; and a program operation controller for controlling the peripheral circuit to perform the program operation, the program operation including an intermediate program operation performed on the first memory cell and then on the second memory cell, and a final program operation preformed to have a threshold voltage of the first and second memory cells to a threshold voltage corresponding to a target program state.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2023Date of Patent: August 5, 2025Assignee: SK hynix Inc.Inventor: Yeong Jo Mun