Patents Examined by David Lam
  • Patent number: 10332589
    Abstract: An SRAM circuit that includes a biasing circuit adapted to selectively bias the transistors of the SRAM array to lower the threshold voltage of selected transistors. The SRAM circuit includes well voltages and positive voltages that are selectively different, and substrate voltages and ground voltages that are selectively different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Ambiq Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Hanson, Christophe J. Chevallier
  • Patent number: 10332907
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor memory device comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a memory cell array configured having a plurality of memory units, each of the memory units including a plurality of memory cells connected in series, the plurality of memory cells being stacked, the plurality of memory units involving a first memory unit and a second memory unit; and a plurality of bit lines connected to ends of each of the memory units in the memory cell array. The first memory unit and the second memory unit are arranged in a staggered manner by the first memory unit being displaced in a row direction with respect to the second memory unit by an amount less than an arrangement pitch in a row direction of the first memory unit or the second memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fumihiro Kono
  • Patent number: 10332588
    Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosed technology, a SRAM device includes a first stack of transistors and a second stack of transistors arranged on a substrate. Each of the first and second stacks includes a pull-up transistor, a pull-down transistor and a pass transistor, where each of the transistors includes a horizontally extending channel. In each of the first and second stacks, the pull-up transistor and the pull-down transistor have a common gate electrode extending vertically therebetween, and the pass transistor has a gate electrode separated from the common gate electrode. A source/drain of each of the pull-up transistor and the pull-down transistor and a source/drain of the pass transistor included in one of the first stack and the second stack are electrically interconnected with the common gate electrode of the pull-up transistor and the pull-down transistor included in the other of the first stack and the second stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignees: IMEC vzw, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Inventors: Trong Huynh Bao, Julien Ryckaert, Praveen Raghavan, Pieter Weckx
  • Patent number: 10332902
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor memory device that includes a peripheral logic structure including peripheral logic circuits disposed on a semiconductor substrate and a first insulation layer overlapping the peripheral logic circuits, and a plurality of memory blocks spaced apart from each other on the peripheral logic structure. At least one of the memory blocks includes a well plate electrode, a semiconductor layer in contact with a first surface of the well plate electrode, a stack structure including a plurality of electrodes vertically stacked on the semiconductor layer, and a plurality of vertical structures penetrating the stack structure and connected to the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yunghwan Son, Jaesung Sim, Shinhwan Kang, Youngwoo Park, Jaeduk Lee
  • Patent number: 10332609
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory bank accessible via a plurality of memory addresses. The memory device further includes a fuse array comprising a plurality of fuses. The memory device additionally includes a first plurality of local fuse latches disposed outside of the fuse array and configured to provide redundancy for the plurality of memory addresses. The memory device also includes a fuse array broadcasting system comprising an N-bit bus system, wherein the N-bit bus system is communicatively coupled to the fuse array and to the first plurality of local fuse latches, and wherein the fuse array broadcasting system is configured to communicate fuse data from the fuse array to the first plurality of local fuse latches via the N-bit bus system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Riley, Yu-Feng Chen, Scott E. Smith
  • Patent number: 10332570
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory cell coupled to a bitline and a bitline complement. A first capacitive structure is charged with a first voltage source such as a memory supply voltage. A second capacitive structure is charged with a second voltage source such as a core supply voltage. A coupling structure selectively and capacitively couples the first capacitive structure and the second capacitive structure to the bitline or the bitline complement, thereby applying a negative bitline write assist to the memory cell during a write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Tawfik Ahmed
  • Patent number: 10325651
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including: a first memory cell including a first transistor; and a second memory cell including a second transistor, where the second transistor overlays the first transistor and the second transistor is self-aligned to the first transistor, where access to the first memory cell is controlled by at least one junction-less transistor, and where the junction-less transistor is not part of the first memory cell and the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: MONOLITHIC 3D INC.
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Deepak C. Sekar, Brian Cronquist
  • Patent number: 10319426
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes an electrode, a ferroelectric material adjacent the electrode, the ferroelectric material comprising an oxide of at least one of hafnium and zirconium, the ferroelectric material doped with bismuth, and another electrode adjacent the ferroelectric material on an opposite side thereof from the first electrode. Related semiconductor structures, memory cells, semiconductor devices, electronic systems, and related methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Liao, Wayne I. Kinney, Yi Fang Lee, Manzar Siddik
  • Patent number: 10319432
    Abstract: Control circuits for memory devices are described. The control circuits may be configured such that the duration of the pulses delivered to the sense amplifiers increases with increasing parasitic RC delays. That is, the larger the parasitic RC delay along a line connecting a drive circuit to the sense amplifiers, the larger the duration of the pulses delivered. In some embodiments, a feedback line may be inserted between the end of the output signal line and the drive circuit to route the control pulses back to the drive circuit. The drive circuit may be arranged such that the duration of the pulses with which the sense amplifiers are driven depends on the delay experienced along the feedback line. In this way, the longer the RC delay arising along the feedback line, the larger the durations of the pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: MEDIATEK Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Dharin Nayeshbhai Shah, Manish Trivedi
  • Patent number: 10310019
    Abstract: A method and system for estimating a state of health using battery model parameters are provided. The system includes a battery model parameter extractor that is configured to extract liquid-phase diffusivity of Li-ion parameters and a storage unit that is configured to store a mapping table in which states of health (SOH) for each liquid-phase diffusivity of Li-ion parameter are mapped. In addition, a SOH estimator is configured to use the mapping table to estimate the SOH that corresponds to a liquid-phase diffusivity of Li-ion extracted from the battery model parameter extractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Woo Suk Sung
  • Patent number: 10304511
    Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to, among other things, a magnetoresistive memory. The magnetoresistive memory comprises a first memory cell, a first clock-generating circuit, and a second clock-generating circuit. The first clock-generating circuit is configured to provide a first output signal and a second output signal. The second clock-generating circuit is configured to provide a third output signal and a fourth output signal. The first output signal, the second output signal, the third output signal, and the fourth output signal are configured for controlling access operations for the first memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Everspin Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Syed M. Alam, Yaojun Zhang, Thomas Andre
  • Patent number: 10304508
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes: a free layer that includes a magnetostrictive layer containing a magnetostrictive material; a pin layer that includes a first ferromagnetic layer; a thin film that is located between the pin layer and the free layer; a piezoelectric substance that is located so as to surround at least a part of the magnetostrictive layer from a direction intersecting with a stacking direction of the free layer and the pin layer and applies a pressure to the magnetostrictive layer; and an electrode that is capable of applying a voltage different from a voltage applied to the free layer and a voltage applied to the pin layer and applies a voltage to the piezoelectric substance so that the piezoelectric substance applies a pressure to the magnetostrictive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Satoshi Sugahara, Yota Takamura, Shigeki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10304504
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an information storage circuit suitable for outputting an operating frequency information according to a command; and a data alignment circuit including a plurality of latch units and suitable for aligning input data inputted in series according to a data strobe signal, by determining activation of at least one latch unit among the plurality of latch units depending on the operating frequency information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: In-Sung Koh
  • Patent number: 10297329
    Abstract: Methods for improving channel boosting and reducing program disturb during programming of memory cells within a memory array are described. The memory array may comprise a NAND flash memory structure, such as a vertical NAND structure or a bit cost scalable (BiCS) NAND structure. In some cases, by applying continuous voltage ramping to unselected word lines during or throughout a programming operation, the boosting of channels associated with program inhibited memory cells may be improved. In one example, the slope and timing of a Vpass waveform applied to a group of unselected word lines (e.g., the neighboring word lines of the selected word line) during the programming operation may be set based on the location of the selected word line within the memory array and the locations of the group of unselected word lines within the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Peter Rabkin, Yingda Dong, Masaaki Higashitani
  • Patent number: 10297327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory system comprising one or more sense amplifiers for reading data stored in flash memory cells. The sense amplifiers utilize fully depleted silicon-on-insulator transistors to minimize leakage. The fully depleted silicon-on-insulator transistors comprise one or more fully depleted silicon-on-insulator NMOS transistors and/or one or more fully depleted silicon-on-insulator PMOS transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Hieu Van Tran, Anh Ly, Thuan Vu, Hung Quoc Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10297317
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a current source providing a reference current to a first node and a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit includes a transistor having a current path between the first node and a second node, and an amplifier circuit having a first input port at which a cell reference voltage can be received, a second input port connected to the second node, and an output port connected to a control terminal of the transistor. The amplifier circuit is configured to output a differentially amplified signal from the output port. A memory cell is connected between a bit line and a word line and includes a variable resistance element. The bit line can be connected to the second node. A sense amplifier is connected to the first node to detect data stored in the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Suzuki, Takayuki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10290363
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and an error compensation method for verifying the same are provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a memory block, a word line driver, a bit line circuit and a controller. The memory block includes multiple memory cells. After a first programming process and a first verification process are performed on the memory cells, the controller performs reverse reading to the control terminals of the memory cells, applies a preset voltage to the control terminals of the memory cells according to preset programming data by using the word line driver, reads data from the memory cells by using the bit line circuit, and determines whether the data of each memory cell is normal according to the data read from the memory cells. When the data of specific memory cells is not normal, the controller performs a second programming process to the specific memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Powerchip Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Chang Tsai, Chun-Yi Tu
  • Patent number: 10283171
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first tier, a second tier and a memory. The second tier is vertically stacked on the first tier. The memory includes a column of memory bit cells. A first portion of the column of memory bit cells is on the first tier. A second portion of the column of memory bit cells is on the second tier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shyh-An Chi
  • Patent number: 10276224
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a magnetic memory includes a first magnetic portion, a second magnetic portion, a first nonmagnetic portion, and a controller. The first magnetic portion includes a first portion and a second portion. The controller in a first operation supplies a first current from the first portion toward the second portion. The controller in a second operation supplies a second current to from the second portion toward the first portion. A first electrical resistance value can be different from a second electrical resistance value. The first electrical resistance value is between the second magnetic portion and the portion of the first magnetic portion before the first operation and the second operation are performed. The second electrical resistance value is between the second magnetic portion and the portion of the first magnetic portion after the first operation and the second operation are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morise, Tsuyoshi Kondo, Nobuyuki Umetsu, Yasuaki Ootera, Susumu Hashimoto, Masaki Kado, Takuya Shimada, Michael Arnaud Quinsat, Shiho Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10276246
    Abstract: Various embodiments are related to non-volatile memories, systems, and methods of using such. Some instances provide a computer readable medium that includes instructions executable by one or more processors of an NVM controller for controlling a NVM using memory pages where the NVM controller having a predefined error correction coding, ECC, capability (ECCCTRL). Executing the instructions may cause the NVM controller to: perform a monitoring process and perform a transitioning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Hyperstone GmbH
    Inventors: Fabio Tassan, Jan Peter Berns, Christoph Baumhof