Patents Examined by Fernando Hidalgo
  • Patent number: 12045500
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed, including memory devices and systems. In an example, a memory module can include a first stack of at least eight memory die including four pairs of memory die, each pair of the four pairs of memory die associated with an individual memory rank of four memory ranks of the memory module, a memory controller configured to receive memory access commands and to access memory locations of the first stack, and a substrate configured to route connections between external terminations of the memory module and the memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Keeth
  • Patent number: 12046310
    Abstract: A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a first gate structure extending along a first direction and electrically connected to a first transistor, a second gate structure extending along the first direction and electrically connected to a second transistor, a first active region extending along a second direction different from the first direction and across the first gate structure and the second gate structure, and a first conductive element extending along the second direction and disposed on the first active region. The first conductive element is electrically connected to the first active region. The first conductive element is electrically connected to the first active region, such that a short circuit between the first active region and the third transistor is formed. The first gate structure and the first active region form a first fuse element, and the second gate structure and the first active region form a second fuse element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wu-Der Yang
  • Patent number: 12046276
    Abstract: One aspect of this description relates to a memory cell. In some embodiments, the memory cell includes a first gate structure, a second gate structure, a third gate structure, a fourth gate structure, and a fifth gate structure that each extend along a first lateral direction, a first active structure extending along a second lateral direction and overlaid by respective first portions of the first to fourth gate structures, a second active structure extending along the second lateral direction and overlaid by respective second portions of the first to fourth gate structures, and a third active structure extending along the second lateral direction and overlaid by respective third portions of the third and fifth gate structures. In some embodiments, the first and second gate structures are aligned with each other, with the fourth and fifth gate structures aligned with a first segment and a second segment of the third gate structure, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Chuan Yang, Feng-Ming Chang, Kuo-Hsiu Hsu, Ping-Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 12048164
    Abstract: A memory array and an operation method of the memory array are provided. The memory array includes first and second ferroelectric memory devices formed along a gate electrode, a channel layer and a ferroelectric layer between the gate electrode and the channel layer. The ferroelectric memory devices include: a common source/drain electrode and two respective source/drain electrodes, separately in contact with a side of the channel layer opposite to the ferroelectric layer, wherein the common source/drain electrode is disposed between the respective source/drain electrodes; and first and second auxiliary gates, capacitively coupled to the channel layer, wherein the first auxiliary gate is located between the common source/drain electrode and one of the respective source/drain electrodes, and the second auxiliary gate is located between the common source/drain electrode and the other respective source/drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Ling Lu, Chen-Jun Wu, Ya-Yun Cheng, Sheng-Chih Lai, Yi-Ching Liu, Yu-Ming Lin, Feng-Cheng Yang, Chung-Te Lin
  • Patent number: 12041854
    Abstract: Disclosed art a magnetic tunnel junction device, a magnetic memory using the same, and a method for manufacturing the same. The method for manufacturing the magnetic tunnel junction device may include the steps of a lamination step of forming an initial multilayer structure including at least one metallic oxide layer and a metallic layer on a substrate; a heat treatment step of heat-treating the initial multilayer structure; and a device forming step of forming a magnetic tunnel junction device of a final multilayer structure in which at least one metallic oxide layer and the metallic layer are converted to at least one ferromagnetic material layer and the oxide layer by heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: UIF (University Industry Foundation), Yonsei University
    Inventor: Jongill Hong
  • Patent number: 12033702
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cell transistors, a word line connected to a gate of each of the memory cell transistors, a sequencer configured to control an operation of the memory cell array, and an input/output circuit. When the input/output circuit receives a command instructing an operation of continuously reading data of a plurality of pages from the memory cell transistors, the sequencer determines the data of the plurality of pages by continuously applying read voltages corresponding to the plurality of pages to be read, to the word line. In each continuous time period during which the control circuit applies read voltages for determining the data of one of the pages to the word line, the control circuit does not apply any read voltage for determining the data of another one of the pages to the word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Harada
  • Patent number: 12027214
    Abstract: A sensing device for a non-volatile memory includes a reference circuit, two switches, a sensing circuit and a judging circuit. The reference circuit is connected to a first node. A first terminal of the first switch is connected with the first node and a control terminal of the first switch receives an inverted reset pulse. A first terminal of the second switch is connected with the first node, a second terminal of the second switch receives a ground voltage, and a control terminal of the second switch receives a reset pulse. The sensing circuit is connected between the second terminal of the first switch and a second node. The sensing circuit generates a first sensed current. The judging circuit is connected to the second node. The judging circuit receives the first sensed current and generates an output data according to the first sensed current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: EMEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Che-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 12029031
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory and a controller. The semiconductor memory includes blocks each containing memory cells. The controller is configured to instruct the semiconductor memory to execute a first operation and a second operation. In the first operation and the second operation, the semiconductor memory selects at least one of the blocks, and applies at least one voltage to all memory cells contained in said selected blocks. A number of blocks to which said voltage is applied per unit time in the second operation is larger than that in the first operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehiko Amaki, Yoshihisa Kojima, Toshikatsu Hida, Marie Grace Izabelle Angeles Sia, Riki Suzuki, Shohei Asami
  • Patent number: 12014787
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques for determining an interface connection status are described. A system may include an interface between a host device and a memory device. The host device may transmit to the memory device first data in a pattern over a first set of transmission lines of the interface. The host device may also transmit to the memory device second data in the pattern over a second set of transmission lines of the interface. The memory device may compare the first data and the second data, and based on the comparison, send an indication of a connection status of the interface to the host device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Melissa I. Uribe
  • Patent number: 12014792
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for monitoring and adjusting access operations at a memory device are described to support integrating monitors or sensors for detecting memory device health issues, such as those resulting from device access or wear. The monitoring may include traffic monitoring of access operations performed at various components of the memory device, or may include sensors that may measure parameters of components of the memory device to detect wear. The traffic monitoring or the parameters measured by the sensors may be represented by a metric related to access operations for the memory device. The memory device may use the metric (e.g., along with a threshold) to determine whether to adjust a parameter associated with performing access operations received by the memory device, in order to implement a corrective action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark D. Ingram, Todd Jackson Plum, Scott E. Schaefer, Aaron P. Boehm, Scott D. Van De Graaff
  • Patent number: 12014767
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes an act of configuring hardware to cause at least a part of the hardware to operate as a double data rate (DDR) memory controller, and to produce a capture clock to time a read data path, where a timing of the capture clock is based on a first clock signal of a first clock, delay the first clock signal to produce a delayed first clock signal, adjust the delay such that at least one clock edge of the delayed first clock signal is placed nearer to at least one clock edge of at least one data strobe (DQS), or at least one signal dependent on a DQS timing, and produce a modified timing of the capture clock based on the delay of the first clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Uniquify, Inc.
    Inventors: Mahesh Gopalan, David Wu, Venkat Iyer
  • Patent number: 12014768
    Abstract: A memory circuit includes first and second circuits. The first circuit includes a DRAM array including a plurality of bit lines, and the second circuit includes a computation circuit including a sense amplifier circuit. A boundary layer is positioned between the first and second circuits, and the boundary layer includes a plurality of via structures configured to electrically connect the plurality of bit lines to the sense amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chieh Lee, Chia-En Huang, Yi-Ching Liu, Wen-Chang Cheng, Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 12002524
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array including a plurality of wordline groups, each wordline group of the plurality of wordline groups including a set of even wordlines and a set of odd wordlines, and control logic, operatively coupled with the memory array, to perform operations including identifying a set of failing wordline groups from the plurality of wordline groups, the set of failing wordline groups including at least one failing wordline group determined to have failed a first erase verify of an erase verify process, and causing a second erase verify of the erase verify process to be performed sequentially with respect to each failing wordline group of the set of failing wordline groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronit Roneel Prakash, Jiun-Horng Lai, Chengkuan Yin, Shinji Sato
  • Patent number: 12002499
    Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein are related to a memory system. In one aspect, the memory system includes a first set of memory cells including a first string of memory cells and a second string of memory cells; and a first switch including: a first electrode connected to first electrodes of the first string of memory cells and first electrodes of the second string of memory cells, and a second electrode connected to a first global bit line, wherein gate electrodes of the first string of memory cells are connected to a first word line and gate electrodes of the second string of memory cells are connected to a second word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-chen Wang, Meng-Han Lin, Chia-En Huang, Yi-Ching Liu
  • Patent number: 11995339
    Abstract: Disclosed are a flash memory chip and a calibration method and apparatus therefor. A working array in the flash memory chip can be calibrated by using adjustable weight level of flash memory units, specifically, at least one reference array used for calibrating the working array can be provided, and the number of flash memory units in the reference array is greater than or equal to the adjustable weight grades N of the flash memory units; initial weight values of the N flash memory units of the reference array correspond to N level of adjustable weights of the flash memory units on a one-to-one basis, and spare flash memory units are used as redundant units for standby application; thereby realizing off-line updating calibration for weights of the flash memory units in the working array compensating for the influence of electricity leakage on the weights of the flash memory units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Hangzhou Zhicun (Witmem) Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shaodi Wang
  • Patent number: 11994930
    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a memory device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes a clock receiver circuit that receives an external clock signal and provides an internal clock signal. The memory device also includes a delay-locked loop circuit (DLL) having an input, and a circuit that receives the internal clock signal. The circuit selects which pulses of the internal clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL, such that no more than two clock pulses selected from at least three consecutive pulses of the external clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL during a predetermined interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh Patil, Amir Amirkhany, Farrukh Aquil, Kambiz Kaviani, Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 11996149
    Abstract: Memory devices may have a memory array and a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit that adjusts signals associated with operations to access of the memory array. The memory device may also include a controller that delays an access command to access the memory array by transmitting the access command through delay circuitry of the DLL circuit. This may cause the access command to be delayed by a first duration of time when output from the delay circuitry. Delay of the access command may align a data signal and the access command such that the access command and a system clock may cause latching of suitable data of the data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Inventors: Jason M. Brown, Vijayakrishna J. Vankayala
  • Patent number: 11990180
    Abstract: A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a cell array having a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells operative to store a bit value. The memory device further includes a reset circuit connected to the cell array. The reset circuit is operative to reset, in parallel, the bit value stored in each of the plurality of cells to a predetermined bit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Lien Linus Lu
  • Patent number: 11989498
    Abstract: A method of designing a circuit is provided. The method includes: providing a circuit; selecting a first NMOS fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) in the circuit; and replacing the first NMOS FinFET having a first fin number with a second NMOS FinFET having a second fin number and a third NMOS FinFET having a third fin number, wherein the sum of the second fin number and the third fin number is equal to the first fin number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yi-Tzu Chen, Hau-Tai Shieh, Che-Ju Yeh
  • Patent number: 11978493
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for deck-level shunting in a memory device are described. A memory device may include memory arrays arranged in a stack of decks over a substrate, and a combination of deck selection circuitry and shunting circuitry may be distributed among the decks to leverage common substrate-based circuitry, such as logic or addressing circuitry. For example, each memory array of a stack may include a set of digit lines and deck selection circuitry, such as deck selection transistors or other switching circuitry, operable to couple the set of digit lines with a column decoder that may be shared among multiple decks. Each memory array of a stack also may include shunting circuitry, such as shunting transistors or other switching circuitry operable to couple the set of digit lines with a plate node, thereby equalizing a voltage across the memory cells of the respective memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati