Patents Examined by Van Thu Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7746689
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for implementing molecular quantum memory are disclosed. In one implementation, a source of polarized electrons and a source of oppositely polarized electrons may be selectively coupled to at least one probe tip of a probe assembly. The at least one probe tip may, in turn, be electrically coupled to a molecule so that information may be written to the molecule using a time-varying polarized electron current selectively derived from the polarized electron current sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Eric C. Hannah
  • Patent number: 7742352
    Abstract: Techniques for use with a fuse-based non-volatile memory circuit include digitally controlling a resistance threshold of the circuit. The circuit includes a fuse circuit and a comparator circuit. The comparator circuit is configured to compare a first signal indicative of the fuse resistance to a second signal indicative of a reference level. At least one of the first and second signals is digitally controllable. The comparator circuit is configured to generate a digital output signal indicative of the comparison. The circuit may include a first digital-to-analog converter circuit configured to generate a first analog signal based on at least a first plurality of digital signals. The first signal is at least partially based on the first analog signal. The circuit may include a control circuit configured to digitally control the digitally controllable ones of the first and second signals at least partially based on the digital output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Susumu Hara, Jeffrey S. Batchelor, Jeffrey L. Sonntag
  • Patent number: 7738307
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is capable of minimizing data skew among respective data which are transmitted to a receiver through respective data lines. The semiconductor device includes a synchronization unit connected to at least one portion of the respective data lines, for synchronizing time that the plurality of data transferred through the respective data lines take to arrive at the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Seong-Hwi Song
  • Patent number: 7719907
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device is capable of performing a normal operation, while detecting an internal voltage without a special bonding method during a test mode. The semiconductor memory device comprises a switching unit and an internal reference voltage generating unit. The switching unit transfers one of an internal and an external reference voltages according to whether a test mode is being performed, wherein the external reference voltage is input from outside of the semiconductor memory device. The internal reference voltage generating unit generates the internal reference voltage having the same level of the external reference voltage to thereby supply the internal reference inside the semiconductor memory device during the test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Kee-Teok Park
  • Patent number: 7701798
    Abstract: A power supply circuit for a sense amplifier of a semiconductor memory device includes a first reference voltage supplier configured to output a first reference voltage when a control signal is activated upon a write operation, a second reference voltage supplier configured to output a second reference voltage when the control signal is deactivated upon a read operation, and a core voltage source configured to receive the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage and generate a core voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kang Youl Lee
  • Patent number: 7701754
    Abstract: An electromechanical memory cell utilizes a cantilever and a laterally positioned electrode. The cantilever is spaced apart from the electrode by a distance that is greater than the elastic limit of the cantilever. The memory cell is programmed by applying voltages to the cantilever and the electrode which causes the cantilever to move into a region of plastic deformation without ever touching the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Roozbeh Parsa, Trevor Niblock, Mark W. Poulter, Peter J. Hopper
  • Patent number: 7684258
    Abstract: To perform mask control of data signals without increasing the number of external terminals even when the number of bits in a data mask signal is large, an address input circuit sequentially receives a first address signal, a second address signal, and a first data mask signal supplied to an address terminal in synchronization with transition edges of a clock signal. Namely, the first data mask signal is supplied to the address terminal at a different timing from timing at which the first and second address signals are received. The first address signal, second address signal, and first data mask signal are output, for example, from a controller accessing a semiconductor memory. A data input/output circuit inputs/outputs data via a data terminal and masks at least either of write data to memory cells and read data from the memory cells in accordance with logic of the first data mask signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kanda, Kotoku Sato
  • Patent number: 7656736
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a negative voltage generation circuit provided at each power supply circuit unit for six memory macros. Therefore, the response with respect to variation in a negative voltage is increased. In a standby mode, a negative voltage supply line for the six memory macros is connected by a switch circuit, and only a negative voltage generation circuit of one power supply circuit unit among six negative voltage generation circuits of the six power supply circuit units is rendered active. Thus, increase in standby current can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Mihoko Akiyama, Futoshi Igaue, Kenji Yoshinaga, Masashi Matsumura, Fukashi Morishita
  • Patent number: 7639550
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a pair of local input/output (IO) lines, a global IO line, a local driver configured to pull up/down voltage levels of the first and second local IO lines in response to input data, a global driver configured to pull up/down a voltage level of the global IO line in response to input data, and a data IO control block configured to transport output data from the local IO lines to the global driver and input data from the global IO line to the local driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Sung-Joo Ha
  • Patent number: 7613047
    Abstract: The embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus, method, etc. for an efficient circuit and method to measure resistance. A sense line driver for an integrated circuit memory is provided, including a sense node that receives an experiment signal from an experiment structure. An output device is connected to the sense node, wherein the output device amplifies the experiment signal. Further, a voltage divider is connected to the sense node, wherein the voltage divider includes a first device and a second device. A sensing range is controlled by an operating width/resistance range and/or an adjust signal of the second device. The adjust signal changes a gate to source voltage of the second device and holds a constant voltage over multiple sensing instances. The sensing range is different for each of the sensing instances due to a change in the operating width of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan R. Fales, John A. Gabric, Muthukumarasamy Karthikeyan, Jeffery H. Oppold
  • Patent number: 7613065
    Abstract: In a multi-port memory device, a plurality of ports simultaneously access a plurality of banks through global data buses. A data conflict detector compares valid data signals input from the plurality of ports through the global data buses to the plurality of banks, and detects data conflict caused when the valid data signals are simultaneously input to the same bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Jin-Il Chung
  • Patent number: 7606082
    Abstract: The semiconductor circuit includes a voltage-controlled semiconductor device (N)N, the resistance value of which is controllable with a high voltage, the drain terminal of the N can be connected to the gate terminal (control terminal) of an output semiconductor device (NO) via a resistor (R) or to a last output stage of the driver circuit, the source terminal of the N is connected to the emitter terminal of the NO, and the gate terminal of the N is connected to the collector terminal, which is the output terminal, of the NO. When the input terminal of the semiconductor circuit is at the Hi-level, the NO OFF. By connecting the output terminal of the NO to the high-potential-side of a high-voltage circuit disposed separately and the negative electrode of a control power supply (VDD) to the low-potential-side of the high-voltage circuit in the state, in which the NO is OFF, a desired high voltage is applied between the collector and emitter of the NO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Device Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimabukuro, Hideto Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Shigeta, Gen Tada
  • Patent number: 7570508
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing soft errors in which the method includes: assigning a plurality of nodes within a storage circuit to a predetermined state; evaluating a plurality of signals coupled to the storage circuit, where evaluating the plurality of signals enables a first node to change from its predetermined state; and actively maintaining a second node in its predetermined state, where actively maintaining the predetermined state reduces the storage circuit's susceptibility to soft errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Norbert R. Seifert, Xiaowei Zhu
  • Patent number: 7567479
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes: first to Nth circuit blocks CB1 to CBN disposed along a direction D1, the circuit blocks CB1 to CBN includes a data driver block DB. A data driver DR included in the data driver block DB includes Q driver cells DRC1 to DRCQ arranged along a direction D2, each of the driver cells outputting a data signal corresponding to image data for one pixel. When a width of each of the driver cells DRC1 to DRCQ in the direction D2 is WD, each of the circuit blocks CB1 to CBN has a width WB in the direction D2 of “Q×WD?WB<(Q+1)×WD”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kumagai, Hisanobu Ishiyama, Kazuhiro Maekawa, Satoru Ito, Takashi Fujise, Junichi Karasawa, Satoru Kodaira
  • Patent number: 7567476
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes mini arrays and a serial-parallel conversion circuit. The serial-parallel conversion circuit simultaneously writes two continuous data into mutually different mini arrays out of plural data that are continuously input synchronously with an internal clock, and continuously outputs two data simultaneously read from different mini arrays, synchronously with the internal clock. In testing the semiconductor memory device according to the present invention, one data is written during a period when an external clock having a cycle of an integer times cycle of the internal clock is fixed to a high level or a low level. With this arrangement, continuous data can be assigned to mutually different mini arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Toru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7561455
    Abstract: A controller converts a parallel command signal and address signal, or a parallel write data signal into a first serial signal, and outputs the converted signal as a first optical signal with a single wavelength to a memory device via an optical transmission line. The memory device converts the first optical signal into the original parallel command signal, address signal, and write data signal, and outputs the converted parallel signals to a memory unit. The memory device converts a parallel read data signal from the memory unit into a second serial signal, and outputs the converted signal to the controller via the optical transmission line as a second optical signal with a single wavelength. It is unnecessary to transmit the optical signal using an optical multiplexer, an optical demultiplexer, etc., thereby improving transmission rate of signals transmitted between the controller and the memory device at minimum cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Toshio Ogawa, Yoshihiro Takemae, Yoshinori Okajima, Tetsuhiko Endo, Yasuro Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 7551487
    Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory device, a first verification result indicates whether a block of memory cells has been successfully programmed and a second verification result indicates whether a far cell in the block has been is successfully programmed. A controller defines the level and application time for the program voltage applied during a next program loop in response to the first and second verification results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Gun Park, Sung-Jyu Jo
  • Patent number: 7548444
    Abstract: In a memory module including a plurality of DRAM chips which transmit/receive a system data signal with a predetermined data width and at a transfer rate and which transmit/receive an internal data signal having a larger data width and a lower transfer rate as compared with the system data signal, the transfer rate of the system data signal is restricted. Current consumption in DRAMs constituting the memory module is large, hindering speed increases. For this memory module, a plurality of DRAM chips are stacked on an IO chip. Each DRAM chip is connected to the IO chip by a through electrode, and includes a constitution for mutually converting the system data signal and the internal data signal in each DRAM chip by the IO chip. Therefore, wiring between the DRAM chips can be shortened, and DLL having a large current consumption may be disposed only on the IO chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Epida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Matsui, Toshio Sugano, Hiroaki Ikeda
  • Patent number: RE40995
    Abstract: A memory device, and methods relating thereto, having memory cells in which a single an access transistor controls the grounding of at least two storage resistive memory elements, such as resistive storage elements, for purposes of reading the respective logical states of the storage elements. The logical states of the storage elements are decoupled from one another and are read independently. The storage elements are disposed in respective layers. Each storage element is coupled to first and second conductors having for reading the memory that have respective, parallel, longitudinal axes. The longitudinal axes are oriented substantially parallel to one another, at least in proximity to a particular storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramin Ghodsi
  • Patent number: RE41379
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory such as a dynamic RAM having memory mats each divided into a plurality of units or sub-memory mats. Each sub-memory mat comprises: a memory array having sub-word lines and sub-bit lines intersecting orthogonally and dynamic memory cells located in lattice fashion at the intersection points between the intersecting sub-word and sub-bit lines; a sub-word line driver including unit sub-word line driving circuits corresponding to the sub-word lines; a sense amplifier including unit amplifier circuits and column selection switches corresponding to the sub-bit lines; and sub-common I/O lines to which designated sub-bit lines are connected selectively via the column selection switches. The sub-memory mats are arranged in lattice fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Rising Silicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsugio Takahashi, Goro Kitsukawa, Takesada Akiba, Yasushi Kawase, Masayuki Nakamura