Patents Examined by Muna A Techane
  • Patent number: 12040046
    Abstract: Disclosed is an operating method of a memory device communicating with a memory controller, which includes receiving a first command from the memory controller, the first command indicating initiation of synchronization of a data clock signal and defining a clock section corresponding to the synchronization, preparing a toggling of the data clock signal during a preparation time period, processing a first data stream based on the data clock signal toggling at a reference frequency, and processing a second data stream based on the data clock toggling at the reference frequency and extended for a period of the defined first clock section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-Hoon Jang, Kyungryun Kim, Young Ju Kim, Seung-Jun Lee, Youngbin Lee, Yeonkyu Choi
  • Patent number: 12035539
    Abstract: The present application provides a magnetic memory and a reading/writing method thereof. The magnetic memory includes at least one cell layer, the cell layer including: a plurality of paralleled first conductors located in a first plane; a plurality of paralleled second conductors located in a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the second plane, a projection of the second conductor on the first plane intersecting with the first conductor; a plurality of memory elements arranged between the first plane and the second plane, the memory element including a magnetic tunnel junction and a bidirectional gating device arranged in series along a direction perpendicular to the first plane, the magnetic tunnel junction being connected to the first conductor, the bidirectional gating device being connected to the second conductor, and the bidirectional gating device being configured to be turned on when a threshold voltage and/or a threshold current are/is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Baolei Wu, Xiaoguang Wang, Yulei Wu
  • Patent number: 12027205
    Abstract: A memory device includes RRAM memory cells configured to form a zero-transistor and one-resistor (0T1R) array structure in which access transistors of the RRAM memory cells are bypassed or removed. Alternatively, the access transistors of the RRAM memory cells may be arranged in a parallel structure to reduce associated IR drop and thus enable reduced write voltage operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Zheng-Jun Lin, Chung-Cheng Chou, Yu-Der Chih
  • Patent number: 12027221
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a first active region extending along a first direction, a first pair of gate regions extending across the first active region along a second direction transverse to the first direction, and a first metal layer. The first pair of gate regions and the first active region configure a first program transistor and a first read transistor sharing a common source/drain region. The first metal layer includes a first program word line pattern over and coupled to the gate region of the first program transistor, a first read word line pattern over and coupled to the gate region of the first read transistor, a first source line pattern coupled to another source/drain region of the first program transistor, and a first bit line pattern coupled to another source/drain region of the first read transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Sheng Chang, Yao-Jen Yang
  • Patent number: 12020759
    Abstract: An operation method of a nonvolatile memory device includes performing a 1-stage program step and a 1-stage verify step on a first word line, storing a first time stamp, performing the 1-stage program step and the 1-stage verify step on a second word line, storing a second time stamp, calculating a delay time based on the first time stamp and the second time stamp, determining whether the delay time is greater than a threshold value, adjusting at least one 2-stage verify voltage associated with the first word line from a first voltage level to a second voltage level based on the delay time, and performing a 2-stage program step and a 2-stage verify step on the first word line. A level of the at least one 1-stage verify voltage is lower than the second voltage level, and the second voltage level is lower than the first voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun-Ho Seo, Juwon Lee, Suk-Eun Kang, Dogyeong Lee, Youngwook Jeong, Sang-Hyun Joo
  • Patent number: 12020884
    Abstract: Fuse programming circuits, devices and methods. In some embodiments, a fuse circuit can include a fuse pad configured to receive a voltage, a fuse having a first end coupled to the fuse pad and a second end coupled to a switching element configured to enable a current to pass from the fuse pad to a ground potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Bo Zhou
  • Patent number: 12014796
    Abstract: A memory device includes a plurality of memory cells including a first memory cell and a second memory cell, a first bit line connected to the first memory cell, a second bit line connected to the second memory cell, a first word line connected to the first and second memory cells, a first control transistor connected to the first bit line, a second control transistor connected to second bit line, a first mux transistor commonly connected to the first and second control transistors, and a sense amplifier connected to the first mux transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Meng-Sheng Chang, Ku-Feng Lin
  • Patent number: 12014766
    Abstract: A system and a method for determining a target locking time for a delay locked loop of a memory apparatus are provided. The system includes a signal generating device, a measuring device and a computing device. The signal generating device is configured to provide a first set of input signals to the memory apparatus in accordance with a first set of first operational parameters and a set of second operational parameters. The measuring device is configured to measure a first set of output signals from the memory apparatus in response to the first set of input signals, and to determine whether the delay locked loop fails at any combination of the first set of first operational parameters and the set of second operational parameters. The computing device is configured to determine a first candidate operational parameter to further determine the target locking time based on the first candidate operational parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shu-Wei Yang
  • Patent number: 12009057
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a quadrature error correction circuit, a clock generation circuit and a data input/output (I/O) buffer. The quadrature error correction circuit performs a locking operation to generate a first corrected clock signal and a second corrected clock signal by adjusting a skew and a duty error of a first through fourth clock signals generated based on a data clock signal and performs a relocking operation to lock the second corrected clock signal to the first corrected clock signal in response to a relock signal. The clock generation circuit generates an output clock signal and a strobe signal based on the first corrected clock signal and the second corrected clock signal. The data I/O buffer generates a data signal by sampling data from a memory cell array based on the output clock signal and transmits the data signal and the strobe signal to a memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hojun Yoon, Youngchul Cho, Youngdon Choi, Changsik Yoo, Junghwan Choi
  • Patent number: 12009024
    Abstract: A circuit includes a delay generation circuit. The delay generation circuit is configured to generate a sub-grab signal for each of the storage areas based on an initial grab signal and data transmission delay of each of the storage areas, and generate a grab enable signal based on all the sub-grab signals. A time interval between a time when the read-write control circuit receives data transmitted from each of the storage areas by a global data line and a time when the read-write control circuit receives the sub-grab signal corresponding to the storage area satisfies a preset range. The read-write control circuit is configured to read out data of the global data line to a data bus based on the grab enable signal. Therefore, the tCCD of the DRAM is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Xianjun Wu, Weibing Shang
  • Patent number: 12002528
    Abstract: A memory device is provided, including a first bit cell including a first memory cell coupled to a first word line and a second bit cell including a second memory cell coupled to a second word line. The first and second memory cells are coupled to a first control line and further coupled to a first bit line through first and second nodes. The second bit cell further includes a first protection array coupled to the second memory cell at the second node coupled to the first bit line and further coupled to a third word line. When the first and second bit cells operate in different operational types, the first protection array is configured to generate an adjust voltage to the second node according to a voltage level of the third word line while the first bit cell is programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Gu-Huan Li, Tung-Cheng Chang, Perng-Fei Yuh, Chia-En Huang, Chun-Ying Lee, Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 11990168
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic device includes first and second conductive portions, first and second stacked bodies, and a controller. The first conductive portion includes first to third region. The third region is between the first and second regions. The first stacked body includes first and second magnetic layers. The second magnetic layer is between the third region and the first magnetic layer. The second conductive portion includes fourth to sixth regions. The sixth region is between the fourth and fifth regions. The second stacked body includes third and fourth magnetic layers. The fourth magnetic layer is between the sixth region and the third magnetic layer. The first stacked body is configured to be in a first low or high electrical resistance state. The second stacked body is configured to be in a second low high electrical resistance state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: SP-AITH LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yoda, Yuichi Ohsawa, Yushi Kato, Tomomi Yoda
  • Patent number: 11990171
    Abstract: Disclosed is threshold voltage (VT)-programmable field effect transistor (FET)-based memory cell including a first transistor and a second transistor (which has an electric-field based programmable VT) connected in series between two voltage source lines. The gates of the transistors are connected to different wordlines and a sense node is at the junction between the two transistors. In preferred embodiments, the first transistor is a PFET and the second transistor is an NFET. Different operating modes (e.g., write 0 or 1 and read) are achieved using specific combinations of voltage pulses on the wordlines and voltage source lines. The memory cell is non-volatile, exhibits relatively low leakage, and has a relatively small footprint as compared to a conventional memory cell. Also disclosed are a look-up table (LUT) incorporating multiple threshold voltage (VT)-programmable field effect transistor (FET)-based memory cells and associated methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventors: Venkatesh P. Gopinath, Pirooz Parvarandeh
  • Patent number: 11990172
    Abstract: A memory device with internal row hammer mitigation couples to a memory controller. The memory controller or host can assist with row hammer mitigation by sending additional refresh cycles or refresh commands. In response to an extra refresh command the memory device can perform refresh for row hammer mitigation instead of refresh for standard data integrity. The memory controller can keep track of the number of activate commands sent to the memory device, and in response to a threshold number of activate commands, the memory controller sends the additional refresh command. With the extra refresh command the memory device can refresh the potential victim rows of a potential aggressor row, instead of simply refreshing a row that has not been accessed for a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Nale, Christopher E. Cox
  • Patent number: 11984146
    Abstract: A neuromorphic device including: a plurality of unit weighting elements connected to a bit line in a manner that shares the bit line, each of the plurality of unit weighting elements being connected to a source line and comprising a fixed layer of which a magnetization direction is fixed, a free layer of which a magnetization direction changes in parallel with or in anti-parallel with the fixed layer, and a tunnel barrier layer arranged between the fixed layer and the free layer and a plurality of drive transistors being selectively turned on according to a plurality of bit selection signals, respectively, and correspondingly driving the unit weighting elements, respectively, wherein the plurality of unit weighting elements have different resistances in such a manner as to correspond to bits, respectively, of a synapse weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Seung Heon Baek
  • Patent number: 11984184
    Abstract: An electronic device, such as a memory device, may include various circuit components. The electronic device may also include one or more voltage testing circuits to determine whether signals of one or more of the circuit components are within acceptable voltage ranges of the respective circuit components. Systems and methods are described to improve correct voltage measurement of the received signals by a voltage testing circuit. In particular, multiple supply voltage levels are provided to different components of the voltage testing circuit to provide a sufficient headroom voltage gap between received signals and the supply voltages. For example, some active circuits (e.g., operational amplifiers) of the voltage testing circuit may receive a higher supply voltage of the electronic device compared to one or more other circuits of the voltage testing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Subhasis Sasmal, Dong Pan
  • Patent number: 11978701
    Abstract: A fuse circuit that permits a fuse to be selected and programmed using a single fuse pad. The fuse circuit includes a fuse pad to receive a first voltage, a fuse coupled in series with a voltage controlled switch between the fuse pad and a reference node, and a switch control circuit coupled in series between the fuse pad and the reference node and in parallel with the fuse and the voltage controlled switch, the switch control circuit being configured to select and program the fuse responsive to the first voltage received at the fuse pad. The fuse pad may subsequently be grounded and a sense circuit may be coupled to the fuse to measure a voltage dropped across the fuse to determine whether the fuse has been programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Bo Zhou
  • Patent number: 11967396
    Abstract: A multi-rank system includes multiple circuit ranks communicating over a common data line to multiple data receivers, each corresponding to one or more of the ranks and each having a corresponding reference voltage generator and clock timing adjustment circuit, such that a rank to communicate on the shared data line is switched without reconfiguring outputs of either the reference voltage generators or the clock timing adjustment circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORP.
    Inventors: Wen-Hung Lo, Michael Ivan Halfen, Abhishek Dhir, Jaewon Lee
  • Patent number: 11955191
    Abstract: A memory device and a method of operating a memory device are disclosed. In one aspect, the memory device includes a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, each of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells is operatively coupled to a word line, a gate control line, and a bit line. Each of the plurality of non-volatile memory cells comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a first diode-connected transistor, and a capacitor. The first transistor, second transistor, first diode-connected transistor are coupled in series, with the capacitor having a first terminal connected to a common node between the first diode-connected transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Perng-Fei Yuh, Tung-Cheng Chang, Gu-Huan Li, Chia-En Huang, Chun-Ying Lee, Yih Wang
  • Patent number: 11955190
    Abstract: In some aspects of the present disclosure, a memory array includes: a plurality of memory cells; and a plurality of logic gates, each of the plurality of logic gates having a first input, a second input, and an output gating a corresponding one of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the first input of each of the plurality of logic gates of a first subset is coupled to a first bit select line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Perng-Fei Yuh