Patents by Inventor Claudio Resta

Claudio Resta 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: 7020014
    Abstract: A phase change memory includes a temperature sensor having a resistance variable with temperature with the same law as a phase-change storage element. The temperature sensor is formed by a resistor of chalcogenic material furnishing an electrical quantity that reproduces the relationship between the resistance of a phase change memory cell and temperature; the electrical quantity is processed so as to generate reference quantities as necessary for writing and reading the memory cells. The chalcogenic resistor has the same structure as a memory cell and is programmed with precision, preferably in the reset state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Ovonyx, Inc.
    Inventors: Osama Khouri, Ferdinando Bedeschi, Claudio Resta
  • Publication number: 20060056265
    Abstract: A nonvolatile phase change memory device including a memory array formed by memory cells arranged in rows and columns, word lines connected to first terminals of memory cells arranged on the same row, and bit lines connected to second terminals of memory cells arranged on the same column; a row decoder coupled to the memory array to bias the word lines; a column decoder coupled to the memory array to bias the bit lines; and a biasing circuit coupled to the row decoder and to the column decoder to supply a first biasing voltage and a second biasing voltage to the terminals of an addressed memory cell, wherein the first biasing voltage is a positive biasing voltage and the second biasing voltage is a negative biasing voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Bedeschi, Claudio Resta
  • Publication number: 20050185572
    Abstract: A memory device having a reading configuration and including a plurality of memory cells, arranged in rows and columns, memory cells arranged on the same column having respective first terminals connected to a same bit line and memory cells arranged on the same row having respective second terminals selectively connectable to a same word line; a supply line providing a supply voltage; a column addressing circuit and a row addressing circuit for respectively addressing a bit line and a word line corresponding to a memory cell selected for reading in the reading configuration. The column addressing circuit is configured to bias the addressed bit line corresponding to the selected memory cell substantially at the supply voltage in the reading configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., OVONYX Inc.
    Inventors: Claudio Resta, Ferdinando Bedeschi, Guido Torelli
  • Publication number: 20050180188
    Abstract: A phase change memory device includes a plurality of phase-change memory cells, arranged in rows and columns, phase-change memory cells arranged on the same column being connected to a same bit line; a plurality of first selectors, each coupled to a respective phase-change memory cell; an addressing circuit for selectively addressing at least one of the bit lines, one of the first selectors, and the phase-change memory cell connected to the addressed bit line and to the addressed first selector; and a regulated voltage supply circuit, selectively connectable to the addressed bit line, for supplying a bit line voltage. The bit line voltage is correlated to a first control voltage on the addressed first selector, coupled to the addressed phase-change memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Universita' Degli Studi Di Pavia
    Inventors: Ferdinando Bedeschi, Claudio Resta, Guido Torelli
  • Publication number: 20050169095
    Abstract: A method of controlling a discharge of bit lines of a matrix of memory cells comprises conditioning a value of a current flowing through a bit line of the matrix during a bit line discharge phase to an absence of an indication of defectiveness of the bit line. The method allows preventing crowbar currents that otherwise flow during the bit line discharge phase when a defective bit line exhibits a short-circuit to a defective word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Ferdinando Bedeschi, Claudio Resta, Roberto Gastaldi
  • Publication number: 20050047193
    Abstract: A memory device is proposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Inventors: Ferdinando Bedeschi, Claudio Resta
  • Publication number: 20050041498
    Abstract: A memory device of a phase change type, wherein a memory cell has a memory element of calcogenic material switcheable between at least two phases associated with two different states of the memory cell. A write stage is connected to the memory cell and has a capacitive circuit configured to generate a discharge current having no constant portion and to cause the memory cell to change state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Claudio Resta, Ferdinando Bedeschi, Fabio Pellizzer, Giulio Casagrande
  • Publication number: 20040228163
    Abstract: A phase change memory has an array formed by a plurality of cells, each including a memory element of calcogenic material and a selection element connected in series to the memory element; a plurality of address lines connected to the cells; a write stage and a reading stage connected to the array. The write stage is formed by current generators, which supply preset currents to the selected cells so as to modify the resistance of the memory element. Reading takes place in voltage, by appropriately biasing the selected cell and comparing the current flowing therein with a reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., OVONYX Inc.
    Inventors: Osama Khouri, Claudio Resta
  • Publication number: 20040151023
    Abstract: A phase change memory includes a temperature sensor having a resistance variable with temperature with the same law as a phase-change storage element. The temperature sensor is formed by a resistor of chalcogenic material furnishing an electrical quantity that reproduces the relationship between the resistance of a phase change memory cell and temperature; the electrical quantity is processed so as to generate reference quantities as necessary for writing and reading the memory cells. The chalcogenic resistor has the same structure as a memory cell and is programmed with precision, preferably in the reset state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicants: STMicroelectronics S.r.I., OVONYX Inc.
    Inventors: Osama Khouri, Ferdinando Bedeschi, Claudio Resta