Patents Examined by Jay W. Radke
  • Patent number: 11520697
    Abstract: A method for managing a memory apparatus comprising a plurality of NV memory elements is disclosed. The method includes providing a physical block of each NV memory element with a local page address linking table by obtaining a first host address and first data from a first host command, and obtaining a second host address and second data from a second host command; linking the first host address to a first page of the physical block; and linking the second host address to a second page of the physical block. A global page address linking table is built by reading the local page address linking tables and stored in a volatile memory. For the local page address linking table, a difference value of the first host address and the second host address is greater than a number of pages of the physical block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsai-Cheng Lin, Chun-Kun Lee
  • Patent number: 11514990
    Abstract: A temperature sensing circuit of a data storage system includes a temperature sensor, a digital-to-analog circuit, and a reference generation and trimming circuit configured to generate a common mode voltage (VCM), a positive reference voltage (VREFP), and a negative reference voltage (VREFN) using a single band gap reference signal. The trimming circuit is configured to trim the VCM, VREFP, and VREFN by adjusting a VC trim signal to increase the VCM until a VCM error is below a threshold; adjusting a high temperature trim signal to increase the VREFP and decrease the VREFN until a digital temperature signal associated with the digital-to-analog circuit attains a predetermined accuracy level for a first temperature; and adjusting a low temperature trim signal to increase the VREFP, VCM, and VREFN until the digital temperature signal attains a predetermined accuracy level for a second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Nittala Venkata Satya Somanadh Kumar, Sridhar Yadala, Anupam G N Choudhary, Addagalla Aswani Krishna Lakshminarayana
  • Patent number: 11514969
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for an arbitrated sense amplifier are described. A memory device may couple a memory cell to a first node via a digit line and may couple the first node to a second node. If a voltage at the second node is associated with a first logic value stored at the memory cell, the memory device may couple the second node with a third node and may charge the third node according to the voltage. However, if the voltage at the second node is associated with a second logic value stored at the memory cell, the memory device may not couple the second node with the third node. The memory device may compare the resulting voltage at the third node with a reference voltage and may generate a signal indicative of a logic value stored by the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Huy T. Vo, Ferdinando Bedeschi, Suryanarayana B. Tatapudi, Hyunyoo Lee, Adam S. El-Mansouri
  • Patent number: 11513713
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for partitioned parallel data movement. An example apparatus includes a memory device that includes a plurality of partitions, where each partition of the plurality of partitions includes a subset of a plurality of subarrays of memory cells. The memory device also includes sensing circuitry coupled to the plurality of subarrays, the sensing circuitry including a sense amplifier. A controller for the memory device is configured to direct a first data movement within a first partition of the plurality of partitions in parallel with a second data movement within a second partition of the plurality of partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremiah J. Willcock, David L. Pinney
  • Patent number: 11508426
    Abstract: Various aspects relate to a memory cell arrangement including: a field-effect transistor based capacitive memory cell including a memory element, wherein a memory state of the memory element defines a first memory state of the field-effect transistor based capacitive memory cell and wherein a second memory state of the memory element defines a second memory state of the field-effect transistor based capacitive memory cell; and a memory controller configured to, in the case that a charging state of the field-effect transistor based capacitive memory cell screens an actual threshold voltage state of the field-effect transistor based capacitive memory cell, cause a destructive read operation to determine whether the field-effect transistor based capacitive memory cell was, prior to the destructive read operation, residing in the first memory state or in the second memory state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ferroelectric Memory GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Ocker
  • Patent number: 11501840
    Abstract: A method is described that includes determining, by a memory subsystem controller of a memory device, a number of memory cells from a set of memory cells that are in a programmed state. The memory subsystem controller further compares the number of memory cells from the set of memory cells that are in the programmed state to a proximity disturb threshold and in response to determining that the number satisfies the proximity disturb threshold, performs a remediation operation on user data stored in the set of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Chun Sum Yeung, Devin M. Batutis
  • Patent number: 11488672
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a latch defined on a circuit chip; and a bit line select transistor defined in a first memory chip stacked in the circuit chip and a second memory chip stacked on the first memory chip. The bit line select transistors exchange data with the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Lae Oh
  • Patent number: 11475961
    Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more control circuits configured to connect to a plurality of non-volatile memory cells through a plurality of word lines. The one or more control circuits are configured to, for each target word line of a plurality of target word lines to be read, select either a first neighboring word line or a second neighboring word line as a selected neighboring word line according to whether non-volatile memory cells of the first neighboring word line are in an erased condition. The one or more control circuits are further configured to determine a read voltage to read non-volatile memory cells of a corresponding target word line according to an amount of charge in non-volatile memory cells of the selected neighboring word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Sujjatul Islam, Ravi J. Kumar, Deepanshu Dutta
  • Patent number: 11475960
    Abstract: An embodiment non-volatile memory device includes an array of memory cells in rows and columns; a plurality of local bitlines, the memory cells of each column being coupled to a corresponding local bitline; a plurality of main bitlines, each main bitline being coupleable to a corresponding subset of local bitlines; a plurality of program driver circuits, each having a corresponding output node and injecting a programming current in the corresponding output node, each output node coupleable to a corresponding subset of main bitlines. Each program driver circuit further includes a corresponding limiter circuit that is electrically coupled, for each main bitline of the corresponding subset, to a corresponding sense node whose voltage depends, during writing, on the voltage on the corresponding main bitline. Each limiter circuit turns off the corresponding programming current, in case the voltage on any of the corresponding sense nodes overcomes a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics International N.V., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio Enrico Carlo Disegni, Laura Capecchi, Marcella Carissimi, Vikas Rana, Cesare Torti
  • Patent number: 11462278
    Abstract: Embodiments herein disclose a method for managing seed value for data scrambling in a NAND memory. The method includes detecting, by a NAND controller, a first scrambling of the data of a word line in the NAND memory. The method further includes caching, by the NAND controller, at least one of a last written data of the word line post the first scrambling for each open block in a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) for programming the word line, and a super page of the last written data of the word line in the DRAM for programming the super page. The method can be used to manage the seed value which is used for NAND page scrambling, which can reduce retention effect. As a result, the retention recycles for the NAND cells may be reduced, which may improve endurance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Saugata Das Purkayastha
  • Patent number: 11462249
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for reading and writing memory management data using a non-volatile cell based register are described. A memory device may include a set of latch units addressable via a set of row lines and a set of column lines. Each latch unit may include a sense amplifier coupled with a first line and a first non-volatile capacitor coupled with the first line and a second line, where the first capacitor is configured to store a charge representing one or more bits. Additionally, each latch unit may include a second capacitor coupled with the first line and a third line, where the second capacitor is configured to amplify a voltage at the first line based on the charge stored in the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Matsubara, Yusuke Jono, Donald Martin Morgan, Nobuo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11450365
    Abstract: An input/output circuit including: an input circuit configured to load differential input data to setup nodes based on a data strobe clock; an output circuit configured to compare and amplify the data loaded to the setup nodes, and output differential output data; and a voltage retention circuit configured to retain the setup nodes at voltage levels corresponding to the differential output data, based on the data strobe clock and the differential output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Joo Hyung Chae
  • Patent number: 11450386
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device that performs two-way channel precharge during programming is provided. A program operation of the nonvolatile memory device simultaneously performs a first precharge operation in a bit line direction and a second precharge operation in a source line direction on channels of a plurality of cell strings before programming a selected memory cell to initialize the channels. The first precharge operation precharges the channels of the plurality of cell strings using a first precharge voltage applied to the bit line through first and second string selection transistors, and the second precharge operation precharges the channels of the plurality of cell strings using a second precharge voltage applied to the source line through first and second ground selection transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungmin Joe, Sangsoo Park, Joonsuc Jang, Kihoon Kang, Yonghyuk Choi
  • Patent number: 11451223
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an electronic device. A driver for generating a signal that satisfies a characteristic required according to a type of a signal includes a current controller configured to control total current flowing through the driver based on a selected signal, among a plurality of signals, applied to a page buffer that stores data, a load controller configured to control a magnitude of a load of an output terminal of the driver based on the selected signal and a cap compensator configured to control the magnitude of the load of the output terminal by increasing or decreasing a capacitance of the load of the output terminal based on the selected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Chan Hui Jeong
  • Patent number: 11443812
    Abstract: A method is described that includes performing a first erase operation on a set of memory cells of a memory device using an erase voltage, which is set to a first voltage value and adjusting the erase voltage to a second voltage value based on feedback from performance of at least the first erase operation. The method further includes performing a second erase operation on the set of memory cells using the erase voltage, which is set to the second voltage value. In this configuration, the erase voltage set to the second voltage value is an initial voltage applied to the set of memory cells to perform erase operations such that each subsequent erase operation on the set of memory cells following the first erase operation uses an erase voltage that is equal to or greater than the second voltage value when erasing the first set of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Scott A. Stoller, Pitamber Shukla, Priya Venkataraman, Giuseppina Puzzilli, Niccolo′ Righetti
  • Patent number: 11443817
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes processing circuitry configured to apply a sub-voltage to the first word lines, determine a desired first read voltage based on a threshold voltage distribution of a plurality of first memory cells connected to the first word lines, apply the sub-voltage to the second word lines, determine a desired second read voltage based on a threshold voltage distribution of a plurality of second memory cells connected to the second word lines, apply the desired first read voltage to the first word lines while simultaneously reading the first memory cells connected to the first word lines, and apply the desired second read voltage different from the desired first read voltage to the second word lines while simultaneously reading the second memory cells connected to the second word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myoung-Won Yoon, Jae-Hak Yun, Jae Woo Im, Sang-Hyun Joo
  • Patent number: 11437111
    Abstract: Instructions can be executed to adjust a trim at first intervals until a quantity of program/erase cycles (PEC) have occurred. The trim defines a valley width between data states. Instructions can be executed to adjust the trim at second intervals, greater than the first intervals, after the quantity of PEC have occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. McNeil, Jr., Karl D. Schuh, Vamsi Pavan Rayaprolu, Giuseppina Puzzilli, Kishore K. Muchherla, Gil Golov, Todd A. Marquart, Jiangang Wu, Niccolo' Righetti, Ashutosh Malshe
  • Patent number: 11437108
    Abstract: A difference between a current temperature and a prior temperature of a memory device is determined. In response to a determination that the difference between the current temperature and the prior temperature of the memory device satisfies a temperature criterion, an amount of voltage shift is measured for a set of memory cells of a block family associated with a first voltage bin of a set of voltage bins at the memory device. The first voltage bin is associated with a first voltage offset. An adjusted amount of voltage shift is determined for the set of memory cells based on the determined amount of voltage shift and a temporary voltage shift offset associated with the difference between the current temperature and the prior temperature for the memory device. In response to a determination that the adjusted amount of voltage shift satisfies a voltage shift criterion, the block family is associated with a second voltage bin of the set of voltage bins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kishore Kumar Muchherla, Karl Schuh, Mustafa N Kaynak, Xiangang Luo, Shane Nowell, Devin Batutis, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Sampath Ratnam, Jiangang Wu, Peter Feeley
  • Patent number: 11430539
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for modifiable repair solutions for a memory array are described to support storing repair information for a memory array within the memory array itself. A memory device may include the memory array and an on-die microprocessor, where the microprocessor may retrieve the repair information from the memory array and write the repair information to repair circuitry used for identifying defective memory addresses. The microprocessor may support techniques for identifying additional defects and updating the repair information during operation of the memory array. For example, the microprocessor may identify additional defects based on errors associated with one or more memory cells of the memory array or based on testing performed on one or more memory cells of the memory array. In some cases, a host device may identify additional defects and may notify the microprocessor of the additional defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy A. Manning, Troy D. Larsen, Jonathan D. Harms, Glen E. Hush, Timothy P. Finkbeiner
  • Patent number: 11423990
    Abstract: Control logic in a memory device initiates an erase operation on a memory array and causes an erase voltage signal to be applied to a source terminal of a string of memory cells in a data block of the memory array during the erase operation. The control logic further causes a first voltage signal to be applied to a first select line of the data block and a second voltage signal to be applied to a second select line of the data block, wherein the first select line is coupled to a first device in the string of memory cells and the second select line is coupled to a second device in the string of memory cells, and wherein the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal both have a common first voltage offset with respect to the erase voltage signal during a first stage of the erase operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Foroozan S. Koushan, Shinji Sato