Patents Examined by Min Huang
  • Patent number: 11961576
    Abstract: Systems and methods for repairing a memory. A method includes performing a repair analysis of the embedded memories to produce repair information. The method includes storing the repair information in the registers, where the registers are organized into groups having chains of identical length. The method includes performing collision detection between the repair information in each of the groups. The method includes merging the repair information in each of the groups. The method includes repairing the embedded memories using the merged repair information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventors: Benoit Nadeau-Dostie, Luc Romain
  • Patent number: 11955195
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a semiconductor memory device includes a substrate that includes a memory cell region and a test region. The semiconductor memory device further includes an active pattern on the memory cell region, a source/drain pattern on the active pattern, a dummy pattern on the test region, a first gate electrode on the dummy pattern, a first common contact, and a first wiring layer. The first wiring layer includes a first test line electrically connected to the first common contact. The first common contact includes a first contact pattern in contact with the dummy pattern, and a first gate contact connected to the first gate electrode. The first gate contact includes a body and a protrusion part. A lowermost level of a top surface of the active pattern is lower than a lowermost level of a top surface of the dummy pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seongkyung Kim, Dahye Min, Ukjin Jung
  • Patent number: 11955167
    Abstract: Systems formed by a multi-bit three-transistor (3T) memory cell (i.e., dynamic-analog RAM) are provided. The 3T memory cell includes: a read-access transistor M1 in electrical communication with a read bitline; a switch transistor M2 in electrical communication with the read-access transistor M1; a write-access transistor M3 in electrical communication with the read-access transistor M1 and a write bitline; and a memory node MEM in electrical communication between the read-access transistor M1 and the write-access transistor M3, wherein the memory node MEM is configured to store a 4-bit weight WE. An array of the 3T memory cells (i.e., dynamic-analog RAMs) may form a computing-in-memory (CIM) macro, and further form a convolutional neural network (CNN) accelerator by communicating with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which communicates with a global weight static random access memory and an activation static random access memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jie Gu, Zhengyu Chen
  • Patent number: 11942282
    Abstract: A thermally sensitive ionic redox transistor comprises a channel, a reservoir layer, and an electrolyte layer disposed between the channel and the reservoir layer. A conductance of the channel is varied by changing concentration of ions in the channel layer. The electrolyte layer is configured to undergo a state change at a state transition temperature. Below the state transition temperature, ions in the electrolyte layer are substantially immobile. Above the state transition temperature, ions can move freely between the reservoir layer and the channel across the electrolyte layer in response to a voltage being applied between the channel and the reservoir layer. When the device is cooled below the state transition temperature or temperature range, the ions are trapped in one or more of the layers because the electrolyte layer loses its ionic conductivity. A state of the redox transistor can be read by measuring the conductance of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: David Scott Ashby, Elliot James Fuller, Albert Alec Talin, Yiyang Li
  • Patent number: 11922997
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer arranged in the vertical direction. A first semiconductor layer includes a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of metal lines extending in a first direction, and including first bit lines, second bit lines, and a common source line tapping wire between the first bit lines and the second bit lines. A second semiconductor layer includes a page buffer circuit connected to the first bit lines and the second bit lines, and the page buffer circuit includes first transistors arranged below the first bit lines and electrically connected to the first bit lines, second transistors arranged below the second bit lines and electrically connected to the second bit lines, and a first guard ring arranged below and overlapped the common source line tapping wire in the vertical direction and extending in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changbum Kim, Sunghoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11908511
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory string, first wirings electrically connected to the memory string, second wirings electrically connected to the first wirings, transistors electrically connected between the first wirings and the second wirings, and a third wiring connected to gate electrodes of the transistors in common. The memory string includes memory transistors connected in series. Gate electrodes of the memory transistors are connected to the first wirings. The semiconductor memory device executes a first read operation in response to an input of a first command set, and executes a second read operation in response to an input of a second command set. A first voltage that turns the transistors ON is applied to the third wiring from an end of the first read operation to a start of the second read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Kato
  • Patent number: 11908539
    Abstract: A voltage regulator for providing a word line voltage is provided. The voltage regulator includes a voltage divider, a comparator, a boost circuit and a bypass transistor. The voltage divider is coupled between the word line voltage and a low reference voltage. The voltage divider includes resistive elements connected in series at intermediate nodes. The comparator provides an enable signal according to a divided voltage value on a divided intermediate node among the intermediate nodes. The boost circuit boosts the word line voltage in response to the enable signal. A source terminal of the bypass transistor is connected to a first intermediate node among the intermediate nodes. A drain terminal of the bypass transistor is connected to a second intermediate node among the intermediate nodes. The bypass transistor is turned-off in response to the control signal having an intermediate voltage value on the first intermediate node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chih-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 11908522
    Abstract: In certain aspects, a memory device includes memory cells, and a peripheral circuit coupled to the memory cells. The peripheral circuit is configured to initiate a program operation on a selected memory cell of the memory cells, obtain a number of occurrences of one or more suspensions during the program operation, and determine a program pulse limit for the program operation based on the number of occurrences of the suspensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Huangpeng Zhang, Zhichao Du, Ke Jiang, Cong Luo, Daesik Song
  • Patent number: 11907714
    Abstract: This application discloses a mechanism to securely store and compute with a matrix of numbers or any two-dimensional array of binary values in a storage entity called a matrix space. A matrix space is designed to store matrices or arrays of values into arrays of volatile or non-volatile memory cells with accessibility in two or three dimensions. Any row or column or line of storage elements in the storage entity is directly accessible for writing, reading, or clearing via row bit lines and column bit lines, respectively. The elements in rows of the arrays are selected or controlled for access using row address lines and the elements in columns of the arrays are selected or controlled for access using column address lines. Access control methods and mechanisms with keys to secure, share, lock, and unlock regions in the matrix space for matrices and arrays under the control of an operating system or a virtual-machine hypervisor by permitted threads and processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Sitaram Yadavalli
  • Patent number: 11908534
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of built-in memories, and each of the built-in memories includes a plurality of memory cells. Each built-in memory includes a selector circuit that connects a selected memory cell among the memory cells to an outside, a memory cell relief circuit that, when a fault has occurred in one of the memory cells, transmits, to the selector circuit, a relief signal configured to connect a normal memory cell to the outside without connecting the one of the memory cells in which the fault has occurred, to the outside, and switches selection in the selector circuit, and an abnormality detection circuit that performs abnormality detection for the memory cell relief circuit, based on a temporal change in the relief signal output from the memory cell relief circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro Yanagida, Hiroyuki Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11901015
    Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory cell that arranged in an array, which includes a plurality of channels that are in electrical communication with a source line. The memory device also includes a controller that is configured to erase the memory cells in at least one erase pulse. During the at least one erase pulse, the controller is configured to drive the source line to an elevated voltage that is equal to an erase voltage Vera plus a kick voltage V_kick for a duration t_kick. The controller is then configured to reduce the voltage of the source line to the erase voltage Vera such that a voltage of the channel remains elevated during the entire erase pulse, including after the voltage of the source line has been reduced to the erase voltage Vera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Xuan Tian, Liang Li
  • Patent number: 11894101
    Abstract: Sense amplifier, memory and control method are provided. The sense amplifier includes: amplify module configured to amplify voltage difference between bit line and reference bit line when the sense amplifier is in amplifying stage; write module connected to the bit line and the reference bit line, and configured to pull the voltage difference between the bit line and the reference bit line according to data to be written when the sense amplifier is in write stage; controllable power module connected to the amplify module, configured to provide first voltage to the amplify module when the sense amplifier is in non-write stage, and to provide second voltage to the amplify module when the sense amplifier in write stage. Herein, the second voltage is less than the first voltage, and the second voltage is in positive correlation with the drive capability of the write module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Hsin-Cheng Su
  • Patent number: 11887656
    Abstract: A memory includes: a plurality of row lines; a plurality of column lines; and a plurality of memory cells each of which is coupled to one row line among the row lines and one column line among the column lines, wherein memory cells corresponding to a row line which is selected based on a row address among the row lines are simultaneously activated, and data are read from memory cells corresponding to column lines which are selected based on a column address among the activated memory cells, and the selected column lines are not adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Min Soo Yoo, Eun Hyup Doh
  • Patent number: 11887691
    Abstract: Various design concepts, circuit implementations, and methods are provided for implementing temporal memory. For example, temporal memories may perform both read and write operations using time-encoded wavefronts. A temporal memory may include a group of tunable delay components that “store” time-encoding information. Using these delay components, the memory can perform a “read” operation by outputting wavefronts having the same or similar time-encoding as the stored wavefronts. Temporal memories may allow for more energy-cost-efficient operation and may serve as building blocks for more complex temporal computational circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
    Inventor: Advait Madhavan
  • Patent number: 11881253
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for using an average reference voltage for sensing memory. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells coupled to a common node driver, where a group of the memory cells are coupled to an access line and each respective memory cell of the group is coupled to a different respective sense line, sense circuitry coupled to the different respective sense lines, and circuitry configured to apply an average reference voltage from the common node driver to the sense circuitry during a sense operation being performed on the group of memory cells coupled to the access line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Pierguido Garofalo
  • Patent number: 11881256
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes data pads, wordlines, memory cells, global input-output lines, and intra-bank switches. The wordlines extend in a row direction and are arranged in a column direction. The wordlines are grouped into wordline groups such that each wordline group includes wordlines adjacent in the column direction. A selection wordline is selected based on a row address. The global input-output lines extend in the column direction and are arranged in the row direction to transfer data between the data pads and the memory cells. The global input-output lines are cut into line segment groups respectively corresponding to the wordline groups. The intra-bank switches control, based on the row address, electrical connections between two line segment groups among the line segment groups, where the two line segment groups are adjacent in the column direction and included in one memory bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seoulmin Lee, Seokjin Cho
  • Patent number: 11871678
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device includes a first magnetic memory device, a second magnetic memory device, a pulse power supplying current pulses to the first and second magnetic memory devices; and a switch configured to selectively connect the pulse power to one of the first and second magnetic memory devices. A resistance value of an MTJ device composed of the first fixed layer, the first non-magnetic layer, and the free layer is different from a resistance value of a MTJ device composed of the second fixed layer, the second non-magnetic layer, and the free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Kansai University, National University Corporation Ehime University
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Sonobe, Syuta Honda, Yasuaki Nakamura, Yoshihiro Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11869570
    Abstract: A refresh counter circuit, a refresh counting method and a semiconductor memory are provided. The refresh counter circuit includes: a first signal generator that is configured to generate a first carry signal according to each of refresh pulse signals generated by a received refresh command; a second signal generator that is configured to generate a second carry signal according to a last refresh pulse signal generated by the received refresh command; a first counter that is configured to perform signal inversion according to the first carry signal and generate a first output signal; and a second counter that is configured to count the refresh command according to the second carry signal and generate a second output signal; where the refresh command generates at least two refresh pulse signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Jixing Chen
  • Patent number: 11869578
    Abstract: A memory bank includes at least one storage module, each storage module including a read-write control circuit, a column decoding circuit and a plurality of storage arrays, the plurality of storage arrays being divided into a first unit and a second unit; a first decoding selective signal line, electrically connected to the column decoding circuit and the storage arrays in the first unit; a second decoding selective signal line, electrically connected to the column decoding circuit and the storage arrays in the second unit; a first data signal line; and a second data signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Weibing Shang, Hongwen Li
  • Patent number: 11862236
    Abstract: In a memory component programmed to operate in a first operating mode and having a page buffer and a fixed-width data interface, N bits of a command/address value are decoded to access one of 2N columns of data within the page-buffer, with that column of data output via the fixed-width data interface over a first burst interval. If programmed to operate in a second operating mode, M bits of the command/address value are decoded to access a larger column of data—one of 2M columns of data within the page buffer, where M<N—with that larger column of data output via the fixed-width data interface over a second burst interval longer than the first burst interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt, Kenneth L. Wright