Patents by Inventor Aaron S. Yip

Aaron S. Yip has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11043272
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory include applying a programming pulse having a particular voltage level to a selected access line connected to a plurality of memory cells selected for programming during a programming operation, concurrently enabling for programming each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming while applying the programming pulse, applying a subsequent programming pulse having a plurality of different voltage levels to the selected access line, and, for each group of memory cells of a plurality of groups of memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming, enabling that group of memory cells for programming while the subsequent programming pulse has a corresponding voltage level of the plurality of different voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10978478
    Abstract: A memory device stores data in non-volatile memory. The memory device includes a non-volatile memory array. The memory array includes tiers for accessing data stored in blocks of the memory array, including a block having a left block portion and a right block portion. A first staircase is positioned between the left block portion and the right block portion, and a bottom portion of the first staircase includes steps corresponding to first tiers of the left block portion. A second staircase is positioned between the left block portion and the right block portion, and a top portion of the second staircase includes steps corresponding to second tiers of the right block portion. The steps of the first staircase and the steps of the second staircase descend in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20210050357
    Abstract: A microelectronic device comprises a stack structure having tiers each including a conductive structure and an insulating structure, the stack structure comprises a staircase region comprising staircase structures, a select gate contact region, and a memory array region between the staircase region and the select gate contact region; contact structures on steps of the staircase structures; string drivers coupled to the contact structures and comprising transistors underlying and within horizontal boundaries of the staircase region; a triple well structure underlying the memory array region; a select gate structure between the stack structure and the triple well structure; semiconductive pillar structures within horizontal boundaries of the memory array region and extending through the stack structure and the select gate structure to the triple well structure; and a select gate contact structure within horizontal boundaries of the select gate contact region and extending through the stack structure to the sele
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10891191
    Abstract: An example method for determining likelihood of erroneous data bits stored in memory cells may include sensing a first plurality of memory cells based on a first sense thresholds. Responsive to sensing the first plurality of cells, a first set of probabilistic information may be associated with the first plurality of memory cells. A second plurality of memory cells may be sensed based on a second sense threshold. Responsive to sensing the second plurality of memory cells, a second set of probabilistic information may be associated with the second plurality of memory cells. An error correction operation may be performed on the first and second pluralities of memory cells based, at least in part, on the first and second values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Khayat, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Mark A. Helm, Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20200357448
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory array with memory blocks each having a plurality of memory cells, and one or more current monitors configured to measure current during post-deployment operation of the memory device; and a controller configured to identify a bad block within the memory blocks based on the measured current, and disable the bad block for preventing access thereof during subsequent operations of the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Aaron S. Yip, Theodore T. Pekny
  • Publication number: 20200327922
    Abstract: Memories having block select circuitry having an output that is selectively connected to a plurality of driver circuitries, with each driver circuitry connected to a respective block of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10714166
    Abstract: Memories having block select circuitry having an output that is selectively connected to a plurality of driver circuitries, each driver circuitry connected to a respective block of memory cells, as well as methods of operating such memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10629266
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory include applying a programming pulse having a particular voltage level to a selected access line connected to a plurality of memory cells selected for programming during a programming operation, concurrently enabling for programming each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming while applying the programming pulse, applying a subsequent programming pulse having a plurality of different voltage levels to the selected access line, and, for each group of memory cells of a plurality of groups of memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming, enabling that group of memory cells for programming while the subsequent programming pulse has a corresponding voltage level of the plurality of different voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20200051612
    Abstract: Memories having block select circuitry having an output that is selectively connected to a plurality of driver circuitries, each driver circuitry connected to a respective block of memory cells, as well as methods of operating such memories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10535408
    Abstract: Memories having a controller configured to apply a first voltage level to channel regions of memory cells of an array of memory cells coupled to a plurality of access lines; apply a second voltage level, lower than the first voltage level, to a first access line; apply a third voltage level, lower than the second voltage level, to a second access line while applying the second voltage level to the first access line and while applying the first voltage level to the channel regions of the memory cells; and increase the voltage level applied to the second access line to the second voltage level and decrease the voltage level applied to the first access line to a fourth voltage level, lower than the second voltage level and different than the third voltage level, while applying the first voltage level to the channel regions of the memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20190341113
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory include applying a programming pulse having a particular voltage level to a selected access line connected to a plurality of memory cells selected for programming during a programming operation, concurrently enabling for programming each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming while applying the programming pulse, applying a subsequent programming pulse having a plurality of different voltage levels to the selected access line, and, for each group of memory cells of a plurality of groups of memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming, enabling that group of memory cells for programming while the subsequent programming pulse has a corresponding voltage level of the plurality of different voltage levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20190287623
    Abstract: Memories having a controller configured to apply a first voltage level to channel regions of memory cells of an array of memory cells coupled to a plurality of access lines; apply a second voltage level, lower than the first voltage level, to a first access line; apply a third voltage level, lower than the second voltage level, to a second access line while applying the second voltage level to the first access line and while applying the first voltage level to the channel regions of the memory cells; and increase the voltage level applied to the second access line to the second voltage level and decrease the voltage level applied to the first access line to a fourth voltage level, lower than the second voltage level and different than the third voltage level, while applying the first voltage level to the channel regions of the memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20190213073
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for generating probabilistic information for error correction using current integration are disclosed. An example method comprises sensing a first plurality of memory cells based on a first sense threshold, responsive to sensing the first plurality of cells, associating a first set of probabilistic information with the first plurality of memory cells, sensing a second plurality of memory cells based on a second sense threshold, responsive to sensing the second plurality of memory cells, associating a second set of probabilistic information with the second plurality of memory cells, and performing an error correction operation on the first and second pluralities of memory cells based, at least in part, on the first and second values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Khayat, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Mark A. Helm, Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10332601
    Abstract: Methods include applying a first voltage to channel regions of a plurality of memory cells; applying a lower second voltage to each access line of a plurality of access lines coupled to the memory cells other than a first set of access lines; applying a lower third voltage to the first set of access lines while applying the first voltage and the second voltage; determining a desired voltage level of the third voltage for a subsequent set of access lines; and applying the third voltage to the subsequent set of access lines while applying the first voltage and while applying the second voltage to each access line of the plurality of access lines other than the subsequent set of access lines. Methods further include methods of determining the desired voltage level for the third voltage for each set of access lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10332603
    Abstract: Memory devices including an array of memory cells, a plurality of access lines selectively coupled to respective pluralities of memory cells of the array of memory cells, a plurality of first registers, a second register, a first multiplexer, a second multiplexer, and a decoder configured to selectively connect a corresponding access line to a selected voltage source of a plurality of voltage sources in response to the output of the second multiplexer, wherein the second multiplexer is configured to pass a selected one of the output of the second register and the output of the first multiplexer to its output, and wherein the first multiplexer is configured to pass a selected one of the outputs of the plurality of first registers to its output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Louie, Ali Mohammadzadeh, Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10289484
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining likelihood of erroneous data bits stored in a plurality of memory cells. A sense circuit to perform a coarse sense operation to detect first memory cells of the plurality of memory cells that stored charge sufficiently above a transition voltage threshold where the first memory cells are unlikely to be erroneous. The sense circuit further performs a fine sense operation to sense second memory cells of the plurality of memory cells having stored charge near the transition voltage between adjacent logic states. The first memory cells remain unsensed during the fine sense operation. The second memory cells detected during the fine sense operation may have an increased likelihood of being erroneous. Responsive to a number of sensed second memory cells near the transition voltage exceeding a threshold, additional sensing operations are performed by the sense circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Khayat, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Mark A. Helm, Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10248500
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining likelihood of erroneous data bits stored in a plurality of memory cells. A sense circuit to perform a coarse sense operation to detect first memory cells of the plurality of memory cells that stored charge sufficiently above a transition voltage threshold where the first memory cells are unlikely to be erroneous. The sense circuit further performs a fine sense operation to sense second memory cells of the plurality of memory cells having stored charge near the transition voltage between adjacent logic states. The first memory cells remain unsensed during the fine sense operation. The second memory cells detected during the fine sense operation may have an increased likelihood of being erroneous. Responsive to a number of sensed second memory cells near the transition voltage exceeding a threshold, additional sensing operations are performed by the sense circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Khayat, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Mustafa N. Kaynak, Mark A. Helm, Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20190066797
    Abstract: Methods include applying a first voltage to channel regions of a plurality of memory cells; applying a lower second voltage to each access line of a plurality of access lines coupled to the memory cells other than a first set of access lines; applying a lower third voltage to the first set of access lines while applying the first voltage and the second voltage; determining a desired voltage level of the third voltage for a subsequent set of access lines; and applying the third voltage to the subsequent set of access lines while applying the first voltage and while applying the second voltage to each access line of the plurality of access lines other than the subsequent set of access lines. Methods further include methods of determining the desired voltage level for the third voltage for each set of access lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Publication number: 20180301195
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory include applying a programming pulse having a particular voltage level to a selected access line connected to a plurality of memory cells selected for programming during a programming operation, concurrently enabling for programming each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming while applying the programming pulse, applying a subsequent programming pulse having a plurality of different voltage levels to the selected access line, and, for each group of memory cells of a plurality of groups of memory cells of the plurality of memory cells selected for programming, enabling that group of memory cells for programming while the subsequent programming pulse has a corresponding voltage level of the plurality of different voltage levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip
  • Patent number: 10037806
    Abstract: Methods of operating a memory include applying a programming pulse having a particular voltage level to a selected access line connected to selected memory cells of a programming operation, assigning the selected memory cells to respective groups of memory cells each having a different range of threshold voltages, determining a respective value of VgVt for each group of memory cells, applying a subsequent programming pulse to the selected access line and having a particular voltage level determined in response to the value of VgVt for a particular group of memory cells, enabling the selected memory cells of the particular group of memory cells for programming while the subsequent programming pulse has the particular voltage level, and repeating for a next group of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron S. Yip