Patents Examined by Sultana Begum
  • Patent number: 11024397
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device is provided. A nonvolatile memory device comprises a word line, a bit line, a memory cell array including a first memory cell at an intersection region between the word line and the bit line, a word line voltage generating circuitry configured to generate a program voltage, the program voltage to be provided to the word line, a row decoder circuitry configured to receive the program voltage from the word line voltage generating circuitry and configured to provide the program voltage to the word line, a verification circuitry configured to generate a verification signal in response to verifying a success or a failure of programming of the first memory cell, and a control circuitry configured to apply the program voltage to the first memory cell in response to the verification signal, and configured to cut off the program voltage in response to the verification signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seul Bee Lee, Dong Hun Kwak, Jong-Chul Park
  • Patent number: 11024346
    Abstract: A semiconductor circuit includes a first circuit to apply an inverted voltage of a voltage at a first node to a second node, a second circuit to apply an inverted voltage of a voltage at the second node to the first node, a first transistor that includes a gate, a drain, and a source, and stores a threshold state, a second transistor that couples the first node to a first terminal by being turned on, a third transistor that couples a first predetermined node to the gate of the first transistor, and a driving section that controls operations of the second transistor and the third transistor, and applies a control voltage to a second terminal. The first terminal is one of the drain or the source of the first transistor. The second terminal is another of the drain or the source of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuo Kanda
  • Patent number: 11024348
    Abstract: An electronic memory array includes a plurality of memory domains, a current controller, and a selector device. Each memory domain includes a plurality of bit cells. The current controller includes a current controller output electrically connectable to said plurality of memory domains and is configured to control a bit cell current. The selector device is electrically connected to the current controller and the plurality of memory domains. The selector device is configured to selectively electrically connect the current controller output to only a select one of said memory domains, such that the current controller controls only the bit cell current of the bit cells of the select memory domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: John K. Lynch, Pedro P. Irazoqui
  • Patent number: 11011208
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, first memory cells that are connected to first word lines extending along a first direction and first bit lines extending along a second direction, over the substrate, first conductive materials that are connected to the first word lines and extend from the first word lines along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, second conductive materials that are connected to the first bit lines and extend along the first direction over the first bit lines, and third conductive materials that are connected to the second conductive materials and extend from the second conductive materials along the third direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bongsoon Lim, Hojoon Kim, Sang-won Park, Sang-won Shim, Wonbo Shim
  • Patent number: 11010294
    Abstract: A method of writing data utilizes a pipeline to process write operations of a first plurality of data words addressed to a memory bank. The method also comprises writing a second plurality of data words into an error buffer, wherein the second plurality of data words comprises data words that are awaiting write verification. Additionally, the method comprises searching for at least one data word that is awaiting write verification in the error buffer, wherein verify operations associated with the at least one data word occur in a same row as the write operation. Finally, the method comprises determining if an address associated with any of the at least one data word is proximal to an address for the write operation and preventing a verify operation associated with the at least one data word from occurring in a same cycle as the write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Spin Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Louie, Neal Berger, Lester Crudele
  • Patent number: 10998032
    Abstract: One or more blocks of dynamic random access memory are embedded together with a processor and a data bus on an integrated circuit. The data bus has a bandwidth b for general operation including memory access, the block of dynamic random access memory further requiring data refresh at a refresh rate r. The block thus forms an eDRAM on the integrated circuit, typically an ASIC. A refresh controller embedded with the eDRAM may control refresh by clocking the data bus at a rate higher than the rate of the data bus to accommodate both the required memory access and the required data refresh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: MELLANOX TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: George Elias, Hillel Chapman, Eitan Zahavi, Elad Mentovich
  • Patent number: 10998074
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for word line capacitance balancing are described. A memory device may include a set of memory tiles, where one or more memory tiles may be located at a boundary of the set. Each boundary memory tile may have a word line coupled with a driver and a subarray of memory cells, and may also include a load balancing component (e.g., a capacitive component) coupled with the driver. In some examples, the load balancing component may be coupled with an output line of the driver (such as a word line) or an input of the driver (such as a line providing a source signal). The load balancing component may adapt a load output from the driver to the subarray of memory cells such that the load of the memory tile at the boundary may be similar to the load of other memory tiles not at the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Corrado Villa, Shane D. Moser
  • Patent number: 10991410
    Abstract: A method of writing data into a memory device is disclosed. The method comprises utilizing a pipeline to process write operations of a first plurality of data words addressed to a memory bank and writing a second plurality of data words and associated memory addresses into an error buffer. The method also comprises monitoring a first counter value which tracks a number of write 1 errors and a second counter value which tracks a number of write 0 errors in the memory bank. Further, the method comprises determining if the first counter value and the second counter value have exceeded a predetermined threshold. Responsive to a determination that the first counter value has exceeded the predetermined threshold increasing a write 1 voltage of the memory bank, and, further, responsive to a determination that the second counter value has exceeded the predetermined threshold increasing a write 0 voltage of the memory bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Spin Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal Berger, Benjamin Louie, Kadriye Deniz Bozdag
  • Patent number: 10990465
    Abstract: A method of writing data into a memory device discloses utilizing a pipeline to process write operations of a first plurality of data words addressed to a memory bank. The method further comprises writing a second plurality of data words into an error buffer, wherein the second plurality of data words comprises data words that are awaiting write verification associated with the memory bank. The method further comprises searching for a data word that is awaiting write verification in the error buffer, wherein the verify operation occurs in a same row as the write operation. The method also comprises determining if an address of the data word is proximal to an address for the write operation and responsive to a positive determination, delaying a start of the verify operation so that a rising edge of the verify operation occurs a predetermined delay after a rising edge of the write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Spin Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Louie, Neal Berger, Lester Crudele
  • Patent number: 10991414
    Abstract: A system and method for refreshing memory cells of a memory device includes storing each bit of a B-bit word in a different sub-array of a memory device. Each of the bits is associated with a bit position, and the memory device includes a plurality of sub-arrays. The system and method also include determining a refresh interval for a plurality of the bit positions based upon a relative importance of the plurality of the bit positions to a performance of a machine learning or signal processing task involving the B-bit word. The refresh interval is based upon a fidelity metric and a resource metric. The system and method further include refreshing the plurality of sub-arrays based upon the refresh interval determined for the plurality of bit positions, and dynamically updating the refresh interval for the plurality of bit positions upon receiving a new fidelity metric or a new resource metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjune Kim, Won Ho Choi, Cyril Guyot, Yuval Cassuto
  • Patent number: 10984864
    Abstract: Methods include receiving a pattern to be searched in a memory having a plurality of sets of memory elements with each set coupled to a separate data line and corresponding to a same set of bit positions of the pattern. Methods further include receiving a pattern of data to be programmed into a memory, programming a first data state into one memory cell of each cell pair of a plurality of cell pairs of a memory array, and programing a second data state into another memory cell of each cell pair of the plurality of cell pairs for each bit position of the pattern. Memory configured to facilitate such methods include a plurality of cell pairs, each cell pair of the plurality of cell pairs programmed to store a same bit of data corresponding to a particular bit position of a pattern to be searched in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luca De Santis, Tommaso Vali, Kenneth J. Eldredge, Vishal Sarin
  • Patent number: 10978114
    Abstract: A shift register unit, a gate driving circuit, a display device and a driving method are disclosed. The shift register unit includes an input circuit, a first reset circuit, an output circuit, and a node control circuit. The input circuit is configured to control a level of a first node in response to an input signal; the first reset circuit is configured to reset the first node in response to the first reset signal; the output circuit is configured to output a driving signal to an output terminal under control of the level of the first node; and the node control circuit is configured to control a level of a second node in response to the driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignees: ORDOS YUANSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhichong Wang
  • Patent number: 10978118
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DDR SDRAM signal calibration device capable to adapting to the variation of voltage and/or temperature. The device includes: an enablement signal setting circuit configured to generate data strobe (DQS) enablement setting; a signal pad configured to output a DQS signal; a signal gating circuit configured to generate a DQS enablement setting signal and a DQS enablement signal according to the DQS enablement setting and then output a gated DQS signal according to the DQS enablement signal and the DQS signal; and a calibration circuit configured to output a calibration signal according to the DQS enablement setting signal and at least one of the DQS enablement signal and the DQS signal so that the enablement signal setting circuit can maintain or adjust the DQS enablement setting according to the calibration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chun-Chi Yu, Fu-Chin Tsai, Chih-Wei Chang, Gerchih Chou
  • Patent number: 10962939
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for customizable content moderation using neural networks with fine-grained and dynamic image classification ontology. A content moderation system of the present disclosure may provide a plurality of image categories in which a subset of of image categories may be designated as restricted categories. The restricted categories may be chosen by a content provider or an end-user. The content moderation system may utilize a neural network to classify image data (e.g., still images, video, etc.) into one or more of the plurality of image categories, and determine that an image is a restricted image upon classifying the image into one of the restricted categories. The restricted image may by flagged, rejected, removed, or otherwise filtered upon being classified as a restricted image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ranju Das, Wei Xia, Hao Chen, Meng Wang, Venkatesh Bagaria, Jonathan Andrew Hedley
  • Patent number: 10957402
    Abstract: Discussed herein are systems and methods for compensating degradation of a transistor in a high-voltage (HV) shifter configured to transfer an input voltage to an access line, such as a global wordline. An embodiment of a memory device comprises a group of memory cells, and a HV shifter circuit including a signal transfer circuit and a compensator circuit. The signal transfer circuit includes a P-channel transistor to transfer a high-voltage input to an access line. The compensator circuit can provide a control signal to the signal transfer circuit by coupling a support voltage higher than a supply voltage (Vcc) to the signal transfer circuit for a specified time period to compensate for degradation of the P-channel transistor. The transferred high voltage is used to charge the access line to selectively read, program, or erase memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shigekazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 10957366
    Abstract: Circuits and methods for compensating mismatches in sense amplifiers are disclosed. In one example, a circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes: a first branch, a second branch, a first plurality of trimming transistors and a second plurality of trimming transistors. The first branch comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, and a first node coupled between the first transistor and the second transistor. The second branch comprises a third transistor, a fourth transistor, and a second node coupled between the third transistor and the fourth transistor. The first node is coupled to respective gates of the third transistor and the fourth transistor. The second node is coupled to respective gates of the first transistor and the second transistor. The first plurality of trimming transistors is coupled to the second transistor in parallel. The second plurality of trimming transistors is coupled to the fourth transistor in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ku-Feng Lin, Yu-Der Chih, Yi-Chun Shih, Chia-Fu Lee
  • Patent number: 10950294
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for controlling driving signals are disclosed herein. Word drivers may be included in a memory device for driving hierarchical structured main word lines and subword lines. The subword lines may be driven by subword drivers that are activated by main word drivers and word drivers. In driving the word lines, driving signals are driven between an active state having an active voltage and an inactive state having an inactive voltage. The active voltage may be a voltage of a power supply and the inactive voltage may be an intermediate voltage between the active voltage and a reference voltage, such as ground. Driving the driving signals in such a manner may reduce current consumption of the memory device in some operations, for example, such as refresh operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Takamasa Suzuki, Nobuo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10943655
    Abstract: The embodiments herein describe technologies of initializing resistive memory devices (e.g., non-volatile and volatile memory devices). In one method, a first voltage is applied across a resistance change material of a memory cell to form an initial filament and multiple cycles are performed to condition the initial filament. Each of the multiple cycles includes: applying a second voltage with a first polarity across the resistance change material; and applying a third voltage with a second polarity across the resistance change material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Hefei Reliance Memory Limited
    Inventors: Zhichao Lu, Brent Haukness, Gary Bronner
  • Patent number: 10937947
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory device includes a first interconnect and a magnetoresistive effect element. The first interconnect includes a first nonmagnet including a light metal and a second nonmagnet including a heavy metal on the first nonmagnet. The magnetoresistive effect element includes a third nonmagnet on the second nonmagnet, a first ferromagnet on the third nonmagnet, a second ferromagnet, and a fourth nonmagnet between the first ferromagnet and the second ferromagnet. The third nonmagnet has a film thickness of 2 nanometers or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Tatsuya Kishi
  • Patent number: 10937655
    Abstract: Provided herein may be a memory device and a method of operating the same. The memory device may include a memory block including a plurality of pages, and peripheral circuits configured to sequentially program the pages. The memory device may include control logic configured to control the peripheral circuits such that a program voltage is applied to a word line coupled to a page selected from among the pages such that different pass voltages are applied to all or some word lines coupled to pages on which a program operation has been performed among unselected pages other than the selected page, and to word lines coupled to pages on which a program operation has not been performed among the unselected pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Hee Youl Lee