Patents by Inventor Carlo Musilli

Carlo Musilli 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: 8891309
    Abstract: Read failure is reduced by increasing the drain current through a serial string of memory cells during the read operation. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by using a higher read pass voltage for unselected word lines when the selected word line is within a predetermined distance of the drain side of the memory block array. If the selected word line is closer to the source side, a lower read pass voltage is used. In another embodiment, the cells on the word lines closer to the drain side of the memory block array are erased to a lower threshold voltage than the memory cells on the remaining word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Aritome, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli
  • Patent number: 8705290
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant S. Damle, Krishna K. Parat, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Kalpana Vakati, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 8610490
    Abstract: Voltage switches, memory devices, memory systems, and methods for switching are disclosed. One such voltage switch uses a pair of switch circuits coupled in series, each switch circuit being driven by a level shift circuit. Each switch circuit uses a group of series coupled transistors with a parallel control transistor where the number of transistors in each group may be determined by an expected switch input voltage and a maximum allowable voltage drop for each transistor. A voltage of a particular state of an enable signal is shifted up to the switch input voltage by the level shift circuits. The particular state of the enable signal turns on the voltage switch such that the switch output voltage is substantially equal to the switch input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Giulio G. Marotta, Carlo Musilli, Stefano Perugini, Alessandro Torsi, Tommaso Vali
  • Patent number: 8565018
    Abstract: A method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Patent number: 8405444
    Abstract: Voltage switches, memory devices, memory systems, and methods for switching are disclosed. One such voltage switch uses a pair of switch circuits coupled in series, each switch circuit being driven by a level shift circuit. Each switch circuit uses a group of series coupled transistors with a parallel control transistor where the number of transistors in each group may be determined by an expected switch input voltage and a maximum allowable voltage drop for each transistor. A voltage of a particular state of an enable signal is shifted up to the switch input voltage by the level shift circuits. The particular state of the enable signal turns on the voltage switch such that the switch output voltage is substantially equal to the switch input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Giulio G. Marotta, Carlo Musilli, Stefano Perugini, Alessandro Torsi, Tommaso Vali
  • Publication number: 20130016569
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant S. Damle, Krishna Parat, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Kalpana Vakati, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 8331160
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant S. Damle, Krishna Parat, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Kalpana Vakati, Akira Goda
  • Publication number: 20120269011
    Abstract: Voltage switches, memory devices, memory systems, and methods for switching are disclosed. One such voltage switch uses a pair of switch circuits coupled in series, each switch circuit being driven by a level shift circuit. Each switch circuit uses a group of series coupled transistors with a parallel control transistor where the number of transistors in each group may be determined by an expected switch input voltage and a maximum allowable voltage drop for each transistor. A voltage of a particular state of an enable signal is shifted up to the switch input voltage by the level shift circuits. The particular state of the enable signal turns on the voltage switch such that the switch output voltage is substantially equal to the switch input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Giulio G. Marotta, Carlo Musilli, Stefano Perugini, Alessandro Torsi, Tommaso Vali
  • Publication number: 20120236640
    Abstract: A method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Patent number: 8217705
    Abstract: Voltage switches, memory devices, memory systems, and methods for switching are disclosed. One such voltage switch uses a pair of switch circuits coupled in series, each switch circuit being driven by a level shift circuit. Each switch circuit uses a group of series coupled transistors with a parallel control transistor where the number of transistors in each group may be determined by an expected switch input voltage and a maximum allowable voltage drop for each transistor. A voltage of a particular state of an enable signal is shifted up to the switch input voltage by the level shift circuits. The particular state of the enable signal turns on the voltage switch such that the switch output voltage is substantially equal to the switch input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Giulio G. Marotta, Carlo Musilli, Stefano Perugini, Alessandro Torsi, Tommaso Vali
  • Patent number: 8203876
    Abstract: Methods for programming and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Patent number: 8164950
    Abstract: A punch-through disturb effect in a memory device can be reduced by biasing a selected word line at a program voltage to program a selected memory cell, biasing word lines on the drain side of the series string with a Vpass voltage, turning off an adjacent memory cell to the selected memory cell, and biasing remaining word lines on the source side of the turned-off memory cell with a Vlow voltage that is less than Vpass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Seiichi Aritome
  • Publication number: 20120051139
    Abstract: Read failure is reduced by increasing the drain current through a serial string of memory cells during the read operation. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by using a higher read pass voltage for unselected word lines when the selected word line is within a predetermined distance of the drain side of the memory block array. If the selected word line is closer to the source side, a lower read pass voltage is used. In another embodiment, the cells on the word lines closer to the drain side of the memory block array are erased to a lower threshold voltage than the memory cells on the remaining word lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Seiichi ARITOME, Alessandro TORSI, Carlo MUSILLI
  • Publication number: 20110280085
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Prashant S. Damle, Krishna Parat, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Kalpana Vakati, Akira Goda
  • Patent number: 8059474
    Abstract: Read failure is reduced by increasing the drain current through a serial string of memory cells during the read operation. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by using a higher read pass voltage for unselected word lines when the selected word line is within a predetermined distance of the drain side of the memory block array. If the selected word line is closer to the source side, a lower read pass voltage is used. In another embodiment, the cells on the word lines closer to the drain side of the memory block array are erased to a lower threshold voltage than the memory cells on the remaining word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Aritome, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli
  • Publication number: 20110273219
    Abstract: Voltage switches, memory devices, memory systems, and methods for switching are disclosed. One such voltage switch uses a pair of switch circuits coupled in series, each switch circuit being driven by a level shift circuit. Each switch circuit uses a group of series coupled transistors with a parallel control transistor where the number of transistors in each group may be determined by an expected switch input voltage and a maximum allowable voltage drop for each transistor. A voltage of a particular state of an enable signal is shifted up to the switch input voltage by the level shift circuits. The particular state of the enable signal turns on the voltage switch such that the switch output voltage is substantially equal to the switch input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Giulio G. Marotta, Carlo Musilli, Stefano Perugini, Alessandro Torsi, Tommaso Vali
  • Patent number: 7990772
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant S. Damle, Krishna Parat, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Kalpana Vakati, Akira Goda
  • Publication number: 20110128782
    Abstract: Methods for programming and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Publication number: 20110116311
    Abstract: In one or more of the disclosed embodiments, a punch-through disturb effect in a memory device can be reduced by biasing a selected word line at a program voltage to program a selected memory cell, biasing word lines on the drain side of the series string with a Vpass voltage, turning off an adjacent memory cell to the selected memory cell, and biasing remaining word lines on the source side of the turned-off memory cell with a Vlow voltage that is less than Vpass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Seiichi Aritome
  • Publication number: 20100232234
    Abstract: Some embodiments include methods and devices having a module and memory cells. The module is configured to reduce the amount of electrons in the sources and drains of the memory cells during a programming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Prashant S. Damle, Krishna Parat, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Kalpana Vakati, Akira Goda