Patents Examined by Uyen B Tran
  • Patent number: 9966151
    Abstract: There are provided a current sensing circuit and a memory device having the same. A current sensing circuit includes a current mirror unit suitable for outputting a first voltage and a second voltage; a chunk current controller suitable for generating the first voltage by generating a current through at least one page buffer; a fail bit counter suitable for adjusting a current at a first node where the first voltage is output in response to fail bits received from the page buffer; an allowed bit counter suitable for adjusting the current at the first node according to predetermined allowed bits; and a target range setting unit suitable for adjusting a current at a second node where the second voltage is output in response to a target code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jung Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 9959934
    Abstract: A differential current sensing circuit architecture is used with an integrated circuit NVM memory block in which a selected memory cell and a related complementary memory cell are accessed at the same time for reading. The circuit architecture is used not only for normal operations for reading the logic states of a selected memory cell and its complementary memory cell after programming, but also for reading the logic states of a selected memory cell and its complementary memory cell before programming for the detecting of faults in memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Kilopass Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chinh Vo
  • Patent number: 9953728
    Abstract: Examples include a resistive random access memory (RRAM) array to support a redundant column. Some examples include an RRAM cell at a cross point of a column line and a row line of the RRAM array. A first column line may be coupled to a first input of a first current-steering multiplexer and the first current-steering multiplexer may have an output coupled to a first current sense amplifier and a select input coupled to a first column select signal. A second column line may be coupled to a second input of the first current-steering multiplexer and coupled to a first input of a second current-steering multiplexer. The second current-steering multiplexer may have an output coupled to a second current sense amplifier and a select input coupled to a second column select signal. A third column line may be coupled to a second input of the second current-steering multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Emmanuelle J Merced Grafals, Brent Buchanan, Le Zheng
  • Patent number: 9953707
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a sense amplifier including a first input node and a second input node, a first path including a memory cell to be selectively connected to the first input node, and a second path including a reference cell to be selectively connected to the second input node, and is configured to change an input value at the second input node in accordance with the state of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Katayama
  • Patent number: 9941002
    Abstract: A memory unit is provided. The memory unit includes a resistive element, a diode, and a first transistor. The resistive element has a first terminal receiving a bit voltage and a second terminal coupled to a first node. The diode has an anode coupled to the first node and a cathode coupled to a second node. The second node receives a word voltage. The first transistor has a control electrode, a first electrode coupled to the first node, and a second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Chuan Ke, Yin-Ting Lin, Yung-Chang Chen
  • Patent number: 9934864
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device comprises a cell array including a memory cell. The nonvolatile memory device also includes a reference signal generator configured to generate a reference current for reading data stored in the memory cell. The reference signal generator includes a first circuit coupled to a current summation node and having a reference cell. The first circuit is configured to generate a first current that flows between drain and source terminals of a transistor in the reference cell. The reference signal generator also includes a second circuit coupled to the current summation node and configured to generate a second current that is a temperature-dependent current. The current summation node is configured to combine the first and second currents to generate the reference current that tracks a temperature trend of a current flowing through the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Hsu-Shun Chen, Gu-Huan Li, Cheng-Hsiung Kuo, Yue-Der Chih
  • Patent number: 9934834
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive memory device includes a variable resistance element and a read circuit. The resistance element has a resistance state, which is one of switchable first and second resistance states. The first and second resistance states exhibit different resistances. Each of the first and second resistance states is reached by a current flowing through the variable resistance element in one of opposing first and second directions. The read circuit passes a read current through the variable resistance element autonomously in the first or second direction in accordance with the resistance state of the variable resistance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Nakatsuka, Katsuhiko Hoya
  • Patent number: 9911470
    Abstract: A memory circuit that presents input data at a data output promptly on receiving a clock pulse includes upstream and downstream memory logic and selection logic. The upstream memory logic is configured to latch the input data on receiving the clock pulse. The downstream memory logic is configured to store the latched input data. The selection logic is configured to expose a logic level dependent on whether the upstream memory logic has latched the input data, the exposed logic level derived from the input data before the input data is latched, and from the latched input data after the input data is latched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Venkata Kottapalli, Scott Pitkethly, Christian Klingner, Matthew Gerlach
  • Patent number: 9905305
    Abstract: Read disturb due to hot electron injection is reduced in a 3D memory device by controlling the magnitude and timing of word line and select gate ramp down voltages at the end of a sensing operation. In an example read operation, a predefined subset of word lines includes source-side and drain-side word lines. For the predefined subset of word lines, word line voltages are ramped down before the voltages of the select gates are ramped down. Subsequently, for a remaining subset of word lines, word line voltages are ramped down, but no later than the ramping down of the voltages of the select gates. The timing of the ramp down of the selected word line depends on whether it is among the predefined subset or the remaining subset. The predefined subset can include a number of adjacent or non-adjacent word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Hong-Yan Chen, Yingda Dong
  • Patent number: 9892780
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first terminal configured to communicate data with an outside of the apparatus, a second terminal configured to receive a first power source potential, a third terminal configured to receive a second power source potential lower than the first power source potential, a fourth terminal configured to be coupled to a calibration resistor, an output buffer including first to third nodes coupled to the first to third terminals respectively, and a replica circuit including fourth and fifth nodes coupled to the second and third terminals respectively, and sixth node coupled to the fourth terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takeda, Hiroki Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9892770
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for reducing a number of command shifters are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an encoder circuit, a latency shifter circuit, and a decoder circuit. The encoder circuit may be configured to encode commands, wherein the commands are encoded based on their command type and the latency shifter circuit, coupled to the encoder circuit, may be configured to provide a latency to the encoded commands. The decoder circuit, coupled to the latency shifter circuit, may be configured to decode the encoded commands and provide decoded commands to perform memory operations associated with the command types of the decoded commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Debra Bell, Kallol Mazumder
  • Patent number: 9892767
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure provide apparatuses and methods for storing a first element in memory cells coupled to a first sense line and a plurality of access line. The examples can include storing a second element in memory cells coupled to a second sense line and the plurality of access lines. The memory cells coupled to the first sense line can be separated from the memory cells coupled to the second sense line by at least memory cells coupled to a third sense line and the plurality of access lines. The examples can include storing the second element in the memory cells coupled to the third sense line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason T. Zawodny, Sanjay Tiwari, Richard C. Murphy
  • Patent number: 9886986
    Abstract: Provided herein are a voltage regulator, a memory system having the same and an operation method thereof. The memory system includes a memory device configured to store data, a controller configured to control the memory device, and a voltage regulator configured to supply a pump-out voltage to the memory device or the controller so that the memory device or the controller is operated in the following manner: until a level of the pump-out voltage is increased to a second reference voltage lower than a first reference voltage, the pump-out voltage is output using a clock having a first frequency; when the pump-out voltage exceeds the second reference voltage and does not exceed the first reference voltage, the pump-out voltage is output using a clock having a second frequency lower than the first frequency; and when the pump-out voltage exceeds the first reference voltage, the pump-out voltage is output using the clock having the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Ki Soo Kim, Jin Seong Kang
  • Patent number: 9881661
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a sensing scheme that extracts the full or nearly full remnant polarization charge difference between two logic states of a ferroelectric memory cell or cells is described. The scheme employs a charge mirror to extract the full charge difference between the two states of a selected memory cell. The charge mirror may transfer the memory cell polarization charge to an amplification capacitor. The signal on the amplification capacitor may then be compared with a reference voltage to detect the logic state of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Xinwei Guo, Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 9881679
    Abstract: A strobe signal shaping method for a data storage system includes receiving a strobe signal; boosting a first clock edge portion of the strobe signal when the strobe signal is received after having been idle or paused over a predetermined time period; and returning to an operating mode in which boosting is turned off with respect to a second clock edge portion of the strobe signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jangwoo Lee, Kyoungtae Kang, Taesung Lee, Jeongdon Ihm
  • Patent number: 9882122
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a stacked structure and a controller. The stacked structure includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer stacked with the first magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer includes a first portion and a second portion stacked with the first portion. A magnetic resonance frequency of the first portion is different from a magnetic resonance frequency of the second portion. The controller is electrically connected to the stacked structure and causes a pulse current to flow in the stacked body in a first period. A length of the first period is not less than 0.9 times and not more than 1.1 times the absolute value of an odd number times of the reciprocal of a magnetic resonance frequency of the second magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Daisuke Saida, Naoharu Shimomura
  • Patent number: 9881693
    Abstract: Apparatuses including an interface chip that interfaces with dice through memory channels are described. An example apparatus includes: an interface chip that interfaces with a plurality of dice through a plurality of memory channels, each of the dice comprising a plurality of memory cells, and the interface chip comprising a test circuit. The test circuit includes: first and second terminals corresponding to the first and second memory channels respectively; a test terminal and a built in self test (BIST) circuit common to the first and second memory channels; and a selector coupled to the first and second terminals, the test terminal and the BIST circuit, and couples a first selected one of the first terminal, the test terminal and the BIST circuit to the first channel and a second selected one of the second terminal, the test terminal and the BIST circuit to the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chikara Kondo, Tomoyuki Shibata, Ryota Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9881665
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first terminal configured to communicate data with an outside of the apparatus, a second terminal configured to receive a first power source potential, a third terminal configured to receive a second power source potential lower than the first power source potential, a fourth terminal configured to be coupled to a calibration resistor, an output buffer including first to third nodes coupled to the first to third terminals respectively, and a replica circuit including fourth and fifth nodes coupled to the second and third terminals respectively, and sixth node coupled to the fourth terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takeda, Hiroki Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9881672
    Abstract: A resistive memory apparatus may include a memory region including a plurality of resistive memory cells arranged in a plurality of memory cell pairs. The resistive memory apparatus may include a voltage generating circuit configured to generate a read voltage code based on a switching state of at least one memory cell pair. The resistive memory apparatus may include a voltage providing unit configured to generate a read voltage corresponding to the read voltage code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Tae Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9875796
    Abstract: A resistive memory device and a method may be provided. The resistive memory device may include a reset voltage-detecting circuit, a set voltage-detecting circuit, a control circuit and a read voltage-generating circuit. The reset voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary reset current to detect reference reset voltage information. The set voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary set current to detect reference set voltage information. The control circuit may receive the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information to determine middle voltage information of the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information. The read voltage-generating circuit may receive the middle voltage information to generate a read voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Seok Joon Kang, Ho Seok Em