Patents Examined by Jay Radke
  • Patent number: 9257152
    Abstract: Multi-dimensional memory architectures are provided having access wiring structures that enable different access patterns in multiple dimensions. Furthermore, three-dimensional multiprocessor systems are provided having multi-dimensional cache memory architectures with access wiring structures that enable different access patterns in multiple dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Alper Buyuktosunoglu, Philip G. Emma, Allan M. Hartstein, Michael B. Healy, Krishnan K. Kailas
  • Patent number: 9251883
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to a single-phase non-volatile flip-flop (NVFF), which includes a master stage formed from a dual giant spin Hall effect (GSHE)-magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure, the dual GSHE-MTJ structure comprising a first GSHE-MTJ and a second GSHE-MTJ coupled between a first combined terminal and a second combined terminal, and a slave stage formed from a first inverter coupled to a second inverter. During a single clock cycle of a clock, a first data value is read out from the slave stage when a clock is in a high state and a second data value is written into the master stage, when the clock is in a low state. The first and second inverters are cross coupled in a latch configuration to hold the first data value as an output, when the clock is in the low state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Wenqing Wu, Kendrick Hoy Leong Yuen, Karim Arabi
  • Patent number: 9245637
    Abstract: Non-volatile memory and methods of reading non-volatile memory are provided for managing and reducing read related disturb. Techniques are introduced to reduce read disturb using state-dependent read pass voltages for particular word lines during a read operation. Because of their proximity to a selected word line, adjacent word lines can be biased using state-dependent pass voltages while other unselected word lines are biased using a standard or second set of pass voltages. Generally, each state-dependent pass voltage applied to a word line adjacent to the selected word line is larger than the second set of pass voltages applied to other unselected word lines, although this is not required. Other word lines, may also be biased using state-dependent pass voltages. System-level techniques are provided with or independently of state-dependent pass voltages to further reduce and manage read disturb. Techniques may account for data validity and memory write and erase cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Nian Niles Yang, Chris Avila, Steven Sprouse, Alexandra Bauche
  • Patent number: 9245633
    Abstract: A storage device, an electronic device, and a corresponding method for programming a memory are provided. The memory includes a plurality of cells. Each of the cells stores a plurality of bits. The bits of the memory are arranged into a plurality of pages of the memory. The method includes the following steps: receiving a host command for programming data into a first page of the memory; and performing 2Plane programming to program the data into the first page and backups the data into a second page of the memory when the first page does not consist of the most significant bits (MSBs) of the cells. The first page and the second page are located in different planes of the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Hsin Liao, Fu-Jen Yeh, Chia-Yin Lu, Shih-Hung Chu
  • Patent number: 9240231
    Abstract: In a recording apparatus, a generating unit generates a timing signal by delaying a clock signal. A control unit controls so that a predetermined command is output multiple times to a storage device and each piece of data sent by the storage device in response to the multiple predetermined commands is received in accordance with the timing signal having a different delay amount for each of the multiple predetermined commands. A detection unit detects, in order of the delay amounts, a range of the delay amounts of the timing signals for which predetermined data has been successfully received. A setting unit sets, in a case where a plurality of the ranges have been detected by the detection unit, a single delay amount in a single predetermined range among the plurality of ranges, as the delay amount of the timing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryuichi Ishikuri
  • Patent number: 9236100
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are contemplated in which the apparatus may include a memory with a plurality of pages, circuitry, and a plurality of pre-charge circuits. The circuitry may be configured to receive a first read command and address, corresponding to a given page. The plurality of pre-charge circuits may be configured to charge a plurality of data lines to a predetermined voltage. The circuitry may be configured to read data values from the memory, and transfer the data values to the plurality of data lines. The plurality of pre-charge circuits may be configured to maintain the data on the plurality of data lines. The circuitry may select a first subset of the maintained data, receive a second read command and a second address by the memory, and select a second subset of the maintained data responsive to a determination that the second address corresponds to the given page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Greg M. Hess, Ramesh Arvapalli
  • Patent number: 9224492
    Abstract: An memory management method, a memory storage device and a memory controlling circuit unit are provided. The method comprises: obtaining a threshold voltage distribution of memory cells, wherein the threshold voltage distribution comprises a plurality of states, and each of the states represents a storage status; determining whether a width of a gap window between two neighboring states among the states is less than a threshold value; and if the width of the gap window is less than the threshold value, eliminating one of the two neighboring states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: PHISON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9214208
    Abstract: A decoder for decoding an address having a plurality of bits ranging from a first address bit a1 to a last address bit aN, each address bit being either true or false is provided that includes a pre-charge circuit adapted to pre-charge a dynamic NOR node and a dynamic OR node and then allow the pre-charged dynamic NOR node and pre-charged dynamic OR node to float; a plurality of switches coupled between the dynamic NOR node and ground, each switch corresponding uniquely to the address bits such that the switches range from a first switch corresponding to a1 to an nth switch corresponding to aN, wherein any switch corresponding to a true address bit is configured to turn on only if its corresponding address bit is false, and wherein any switch corresponding to a false address bit is configured to turn on only if its corresponding address bit is true.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Esin Terzioglu, Gil I. Winograd
  • Patent number: 9214198
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a subsystem, a plurality of energy storage elements coupled to the subsystem through one or more switches, and a charging and monitoring apparatus for concurrently charging the plurality of energy storage elements and monitoring operability of the energy storage elements. A first subset of the energy storage elements is coupled to a first node and a second subset of the energy storage elements is coupled to a second node of a bridge circuit. A power supply provides a DC charging voltage and an AC test voltage to both the first and second subsets of the energy storage elements. A monitoring circuit produces a predefined fault signal if a predefined electrical characteristic of the first subset of the energy storage elements differs from a same predefined electrical characteristic of the second subset of the energy storage elements by more than a predefined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: SANDISK ENTERPRISE IP LLC
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, Gregg S. Lucas
  • Patent number: 9209196
    Abstract: The present invention provides a memory circuit including a memory element to which writing can be performed with a small current and a low voltage, i.e., low power consumption, and provides a non-volatile storage device that can easily reduce a chip size by using this memory circuit. A memory element 1 is a memory transistor having a transistor structure including a source electrode 14, a drain electrode 15, a gate electrode 11, and, a source region, a drain region, and a channel region made of a metal oxide semiconductor layer 13. The resistance property between the source and the drain shows a low resistance, and the memory transistor is changed to have an ohmic resistance property, regardless of a voltage application state of the gate electrode, by allowing a writing current with a density not less than a predetermined value to flow in the channel region to generate Joule heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Ueda
  • Patent number: 9208846
    Abstract: The invention provides a multibit magnetic memory structure comprising a stack of two or more magnetic plaquettes, each of which has at least three distinct magnetic states. The invention provides for a new type of vertical memory where each layer encodes information in two degrees of freedom, which has the potential to increase the theoretical storage capacity by factor 4n. The information is read, through the resonant frequency of the stack or through a combination of the resonant frequency and resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: The Provost, Fellows, Foundation Scholars, & The Other Members of Board—Trinity College Dublin
    Inventors: Remy Lassalle-Balier, Michael Coey
  • Patent number: 9208899
    Abstract: An integrated circuit on-chip parametric (OCP) test structure includes a static random access memory (SRAM) universal test structure (UTS) having UTS ports and an OCP controller configured to determine first and second UTS ports of the SRAM UTS for independent connection to first and second on-chip test pads, respectively. The integrated circuit OCP test structure further includes a UTS OCP router connected to the OCP controller and configured to connect the first and second UTS ports of the SRAM UTS to the first and second on-chip test pads, respectively. Methods of operating an integrated circuit OCP test structure and OCP testing of an integrated circuit are also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Xiaowei Deng, Wah K. Loh
  • Patent number: 9208871
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced data read for multi-level cell (MLC) memory using threshold-voltage-drift or resistance-drift tolerant moving baseline memory data encoding. A data read back for data written to the MLC memory using threshold-voltage-drift or resistance-drift tolerant moving baseline memory data encoding is performed, higher voltage and lower voltage levels are compared, and respective data values are identified responsive to the compared higher voltage and lower voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Zvonimir Z. Bandic, Luiz M. Franca-Neto, Cyril Guyot, Robert Eugeniu Mateescu
  • Patent number: 9190118
    Abstract: Multi-dimensional memory architectures are provided having access wiring structures that enable different access patterns in multiple dimensions. Furthermore, three-dimensional multiprocessor systems are provided having multi-dimensional cache memory architectures with access wiring structures that enable different access patterns in multiple dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES U.S. 2 LLC
    Inventors: Alper Buyuktosunoglu, Philip G. Emma, Allan M. Hartstein, Michael B. Healy, Krishnan K. Kailas
  • Patent number: 9190164
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of operating the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a memory block including a plurality of pages having a plurality of first cells and a plurality of second cells, a circuit group configured to read first cells and second cells of a selected page of the pages a strobe signal control circuit configured to store source bouncing information generated during a read operation of the first cells of the selected page and output a strobe signal based on stored information, and a control circuit configured to control the circuit group in response to the strobe signal during a read operation of the second cells of the selected page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Nam Kyeong Kim, Sung Dae Choi, Jae Hyeon Shin
  • Patent number: 9190132
    Abstract: Interconnections between signal lines help to reduce signal skew between signals carried on the signal lines. The interconnections may be resistive interconnections, and the signal lines may be clock lines. In a memory controller, for example, resistive traces may connect adjacent clock lines. The resistive traces reduce the clock signal skew between the adjacent clock lines, and throughout the memory controller as a whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Ganesh Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 9190117
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix; a reference bit line; a reference source line; at least one reference cell including first and second transistors serially connected between these lines; a reference word line connected to the gate of the first transistor; and a reference driver circuit configured to control the gate voltage of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Ueda, Kazuyuki Kouno
  • Patent number: 9183125
    Abstract: A method is provided for sampling a data strobe signal of a memory cycle and determining a receiver enable phase based upon the data strobe signal. The method also includes performing a memory write cycle and a subsequent read cycle and training a read data strobe cycle at a one-quarter memory clock periodic offset. The method also includes determining a correct receiver enable delay in response to a successful read data strobe training cycle. Computer readable storage media are also provided. An apparatus is provided that includes a communication interface portion that is coupled to a memory portion and to a processing device. The apparatus also includes a first circuit portion, coupled to the communication interface portion. The first circuit portion monitors memory cycles on the communication interface portion, determines a receiver enable cycle phase and train a receiver enable cycle without using receiver enable seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Brandl, Oswin E. Housty, Edoardo Prete, Gerald Talbot
  • Patent number: 9165674
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor device may include a control signal generator and a fuse array portion. The control signal generator may generate a power control signal, disable the power control signal to a ground voltage signal level during a power-up period, and enable the power control signal to a power supply voltage signal level from a moment that the power-up period terminates until a moment that a mode register set operation terminates. The fuse array portion may execute a boot-up operation while the power control signal is enabled. The fuse array portion may generate fuse data according to an electrical open/short state of a fuse. The fuse may be selected by a level combination of address signals during the boot-up operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Yeon Uk Kim, Jeong Tae Hwang
  • Patent number: 9147480
    Abstract: The configurations of sense amplifier and methods thereof are provided. The proposed sense amplifier includes a switch circuit having a main control switch, a sensing switch and a holding switch, wherein the three switches have a first bias, a second bias and a third bias respectively, and an auxiliary control switch electrically connected to the holding switch to control an operation of the holding switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Kuang Chen, Han-Sung Chen, Chun-Hsiung Hung