Patents Examined by Douglas King
  • Patent number: 11152079
    Abstract: An apparatus includes nonvolatile memory cells arranged in columns including a plurality of redundant columns with control circuits coupled to the nonvolatile memory cells. The control circuits are configured to maintain an ordered list of bad columns replaced by redundant columns. The control circuits are configured to detect an out-of-order entry in the ordered list of bad columns replaced by redundant columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Siddarth Naga Murty Bassa, Yenlung Li
  • Patent number: 11151439
    Abstract: A computing in-memory system and computing in-memory method based on a skyrmion race memory are provided. The system comprises a circuit architecture of SRM-CIM. The circuit architecture of the SRM-CIM comprises a row decoder, a column decoder, a voltage-driven, a storage array, a modified sensor circuit, a counter Bit-counter and a mode controller. The voltage-driven includes two NMOSs, and the two NMOSs are respectively connected with a selector MUX. The modified sensor circuit compares the resistance between a first node to a second node and a third node to a fourth node by using a pre-charge sense amplifier. The storage array is composed of the skyrmion racetrack memories. The computing in-memory architecture is designed by utilizing the skyrmion racetrack memory, so that storage is realized in the memory, and computing operation can be carried out in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: HEFEI INNOVATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE, BEIHANG UNIVERSITY, BEIHANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Peng Ouyang, Yu Pan, Youguang Zhang, Weisheng Zhao
  • Patent number: 11139026
    Abstract: A variable reference based sensing scheme is described. In one example, performance of a memory command to access a crosspoint memory device such as a memory read or memory write command involves a sensing operation. In one example, a memory read operation involves applying a voltage across the memory cell and sensing current through the cell. The current through the memory cell is compared with one of multiple reference currents to determine the state of the memory cell. The reference current is selected based on the voltage applied across the memory for the sensing operation. Different reference currents may be used for different types of operations. For example, different reference currents may be selected for a write sensing operation than for a read sensing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Ashraf B. Islam
  • Patent number: 11132142
    Abstract: A memory device may include a first wordline and a second wordline, each having multiple memory cells. The memory device may also include control circuitry to facilitate writing a data pattern to the memory cells of the first wordline and facilitate copying the data pattern from the first wordline to the second wordline. Copying the first wordline to the second wordline may include activating the second wordline such that the first wordline and the second wordline are simultaneously active. A memory cell of the first wordline may be written a data value of the data pattern, and the memory cell may drive, at least partially, a corresponding memory cell of the second wordline with the data value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Byung S. Moon, Harish N. Venkata, Gary L. Howe, Myung Ho Bae
  • Patent number: 11127457
    Abstract: The memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, a row control circuit including a plurality of row switches corresponding to the word lines, a column control circuit including a plurality of column switches corresponding to the bit lines, and a control logic circuit configured to control pre-charge operations on a word line and a bit line of a selected memory cell and perform a control operation to float the word line and the bit line together after a pre-charge period during a data reading operation. One of the word line and the bit line is floated after the pre-charge period and the other one is pseudo-floated after the pre-charge period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventors: Jongryul Kim, Taehui Na, Dueung Kim, Jongmin Baek
  • Patent number: 11127447
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropic magnetic random access memory. The memory comprises a virtual array, a memory array and a peripheral circuit, wherein the memory array comprises memory cells with X rows and Y columns; the virtual array comprises virtual cells with X rows and one column; the peripheral circuit comprises at least one data sampling-decision-output circuit, the data sampling-decision-output circuit comprises a sensitive amplifier circuit and a logic circuit in series, and are simultaneously connected to the data sampling-decision-output circuit in the peripheral circuit at the same time. By changing the width-length ratio of a differential circuit in the sensitive amplifier circuit and adding the virtual array, the problem that the storage state of the voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy magnetic random access memory cannot be determined is effectively solved, and the risk of resistance deviation under different process conditions also can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SHANGHAI IC R&D CENTER CO., LTD
    Inventors: Ling Shen, Yu Jiang, Huijie Yan, Jianxin Wen
  • Patent number: 11120869
    Abstract: One example includes a memory cell system. The memory cell system includes a quantizing loop configured to conduct a quantizing current in a first direction corresponding to storage of a first state of a stored memory state of the memory cell system and to conduct the quantizing current in a second direction opposite the first direction corresponding to storage of a second state of the stored memory state of the memory cell system. The memory cell system also includes a bias element arranged in the quantizing loop and which is configured to provide a substantially constant flux bias of the quantizing loop in each of the first and second states of the stored memory state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ofer Naaman, Donald L. Miller, Henry Y Luo
  • Patent number: 11114171
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell region including a first metal pad and a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, and a peripheral circuit region including a second metal pad and an output driver to output a data signal, and vertically connected to the memory cell region by the first metal pad and the second metal pad. The output driver includes a pull-up driver and a pull-down driver. The pull-up driver includes a first pull-up driver having a plurality of P-type transistors and a second pull-up driver having a plurality of N-type transistors. The pull-down driver includes a plurality of N-type transistors. One or more power supply voltages having different voltage levels are selectively applied to the pull-up driver. A first power supply voltage is applied to the first pull-up driver, and a second power supply voltage is applied to the second pull-up driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-yeon Shin, Jeong-don Ihm, Byung-hoon Jeong, Jung-june Park
  • Patent number: 11114159
    Abstract: In an example, a first data structure can be read with a first read voltage dedicated to the first data structure. A second data structure that stores a larger quantity of data than the first data structure can be with a second read voltage that is dedicated to the second data structure. The first data structure can be with a third read voltage in response to a quantity of errors in reading the first data structure being greater than or equal to a first threshold quantity. The second data structure can be read with the third read voltage in response to a quantity of errors in reading the second data structure being greater than or equal to a second threshold quantity. The read voltages can be based on a temperature of an apparatus that includes the first and second data structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Sforzin, Mattia Robustelli, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Mario Allegra, Paolo Amato
  • Patent number: 11100980
    Abstract: An Orthogonal Dual Port Ram (ORAM) memory cell may be provided. The ORAM memory cell may comprise a data storage element, a first port bit line, and a second port bit line that may be substantially perpendicular to first port bit line. The ORAM memory cell may further comprise a first word line that may be substantially perpendicular to first port bit line wherein the ORAM memory cell may be configured to read data from the data storage element to the first port bit line when the first word line is enabled. The ORAM memory cell may further comprise a second word line being substantially perpendicular to the second port bit line wherein the ORAM memory cell may be configured to read data from the data storage element to the second port bit line when the second word line is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Cormac Michael O'Connell
  • Patent number: 11081178
    Abstract: Reliability of stored data is improved without increasing power consumption in a case where a threshold of a control element in a memory cell changes. In a memory including the memory cell, a reference cell, and an access control unit, the memory cell changes from a non-conduction state to a conduction state according to an applied voltage at a threshold voltage and changes to a high resistance state and a low resistance state according to the voltage applied in the conduction state. The reference cell changes from a non-conduction state to a conduction state at a reference threshold voltage according to an applied voltage. The access control unit estimates that the reference threshold voltage measured in the reference cell is the threshold voltage of the memory cell and applies a voltage to the memory cell when accessing the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Haruhiko Terada
  • Patent number: 11081170
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory, and memory configured to perform similar methods, may include applying a first plurality of programming pulses to control gates of a plurality of memory cells during a particular programming operation and applying a second plurality of programming pulses to the control gates of the plurality of memory cells during a subsequent programming operation, wherein the first plurality of programming pulses have a particular slope, and wherein the second plurality of programming pulses have a different slope less than the particular slope. Methods of configuring a memory may include characterizing a read window budget for a programming operation of the memory as a function of a programming step voltage for a plurality of memory cell ages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Pin-Chou Chiang
  • Patent number: 11074980
    Abstract: A memory device that includes a memory array having pluralities of non-volatile memory cells, a plurality of index memory cells each associated with a different one of the pluralities of the non-volatile memory cells, and a controller. The controller is configured to erase the pluralities of non-volatile memory cells, set each of the index memory cells to a first state, and program first data into the memory array by reading the plurality of index memory cells and determining that a first one of the index memory cells is in the first state, programming the first data into the plurality of the non-volatile memory cells associated with the first one of the index memory cells, and setting the first one of the index memory cells to a second state different from the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaozhou Qian, Xiao Yan Pi, Vipin Tiwari
  • Patent number: 11074968
    Abstract: A system and method for storing data that includes at least one memory device having a plurality of memory cells for storing data; and a memory control circuit that manages the read current and read pulse width applied to the memory cells, wherein the at least one memory device has a read current circuit configured to utilize adjustments to at least one of the read current or the read pulse width applied to the memory cells. In response to a request to read a group of the memory cells, the memory control circuit in an example, in response to determining that a comparative temperature value exceeds a first threshold, is configured to perform at least one of reducing the read current and/or increasing the read pulse width to be applied to the group of memory devices to be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Saravanan Sethuraman, Karthick Rajamani, Venkata K. Tavva, Hillery Hunter, Chitra Subramanian
  • Patent number: 11062759
    Abstract: A memory device and a programming method thereof are provided. The memory device includes a memory array, a plurality of word lines and a voltage generator. During a programming procedure, one of the word lines is at a selected state and others of the word lines are at a deselected state. Some of the word lines, which are at the deselected state, are classified into a first group and a second group. The first group and the second group are respectively located at two sides of the word line, which is at the selected state. The voltage generator provides a programming voltage to the word line, which is at the select state, during a programming duration. The voltage generator provides a first two-stage voltage waveform to the word lines in the first group and provides a second two-stage voltage waveform to the word lines in the second group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shaw-Hung Ku, Cheng-Hsien Cheng, Atsuhiro Suzuki, Yu-Hung Huang, Sheng-Kai Chen, Wen-Jer Tsai
  • Patent number: 11062761
    Abstract: A position of a memory cell to be accessed within a memory field of a memory device is identified. A region associated with the memory field within which the position is located is identified. A compensation parameter comprising a fixed electric step value for the region is identified. The compensation parameter may be selected from a set of compensation parameters or may be calculated based upon the position of the memory cell. The compensation parameter is applied to an action performed on a line connected to the memory cell during the access of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Jan Otterstedt, Wolf Allers, Christian Peters
  • Patent number: 11048439
    Abstract: A memory device is provided. The device comprises a substrate, a controller, at least a tap, a plurality of memory modules, and at least two resistors. The controller connects to the substrate. The tap, the memory modules, and the resistors are set on the substrate. The tap comprises an input terminal connecting to the controller; a first output terminal; and a second output terminal. After connecting to each other in series, the memory modules connect to the first output terminal and the second output terminal. Each of the resistors connects to one of the memory modules which connect to the first output terminal and the second output terminal. Thus, command signals, address signals, and timing signals are separately sent to the memory modules through the first output terminal and the second output terminal of the tap simultaneously to process instruction or read information by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: EOREX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cheng-Lung Lin, Wan-Tung Liang
  • Patent number: 11049000
    Abstract: Distributed state via cascades of tensor decompositions and neuron activation binding on neuromorphic hardware is provided. In various embodiments, a kernel is divided into a plurality of subkernels. Each subkernel has less than a predetermined size. The plurality of subkernels are distributed, each to one of a plurality of neurosynaptic processors. By each of the plurality of neurosynaptic processors, one of the subkernels is applied to an input to generate a partial convolution. The partial convolutions from each of the plurality of neurosynaptic processors are combined to determine an activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Andreopoulos, Myron D. Flickner
  • Patent number: 11037649
    Abstract: A test device capable of measuring characteristics of respective transistors constituting a memory cell is provided. The test device for testing a SRAM connects a resistor to a bit line on one side of a memory cell selected by a word line selection circuit and a bit line selection circuit of the SRAM. In a manner that a selected transistor and a resistor of the memory cell constitute a source follower circuit, the test device applies a voltage to each portion of the memory cell, applies an input voltage to a gate of the transistor constituting the source follower circuit, and inputs an output voltage outputted from a source of the transistor constituting the source follower circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Junichi Hirotsu, Daiki Ito
  • Patent number: 11036657
    Abstract: A writing-block for writing data to a memory-buffer, wherein the memory-buffer comprises an ordered sequence of elements and the writing-block is configured to: receive an input-data-stream; and write the input-data-stream to the memory-buffer in a successive manner from a first-element of the ordered sequence to a predetermined-element of the ordered sequence. Following writing to the predetermined-element the writing-block is configured to continue to write the input-data-stream to the memory-buffer in a successive manner restarting at the first-element. In response to writing the predetermined-element, the writing-block is configured to also continue to write the input-data-stream to the memory-buffer in a successive manner from an element immediately following the predetermined element until a second predetermined-element of the memory-buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Marinus van Splunter, Arie Koppelaar, Artur Burchard