Patents by Inventor Daniele Vimercati

Daniele Vimercati 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).

  • Publication number: 20190067206
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for memory that includes a first memory cell including a storage component having a first end coupled to a plate line and a second end coupled to a digit line, and a second memory cell including a storage component having a first end coupled to a digit line and a second end coupled to a plate line, wherein the digit line of the second memory cell is adjacent to the plate line of the first memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ferdinando Bedeschi, Umberto Di Vincenzo, Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20190043595
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for techniques to mitigate disturbances of unselected memory cells in a memory array during an access operation are described. A shunt line may be formed between a plate of a selected memory cell and a digit line of the selected memory cell to couple the plate to the digit line during the access operation. A switching component may be positioned on the shunt line. The switching component may selectively couple the plate to the digit line based on instructions received from a memory controller. By coupling the plate to the digit line during the access operation, voltages resulting on the plate by changes in the voltage level of the digit line may be reduced in magnitude or may be altered in type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Mark Fischer, Adam D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10192606
    Abstract: A ferroelectric capacitor of a memory cell may be in electronic communication with a sense capacitor through a digit line. The digit line may be virtually grounded during memory cell sensing, limiting or avoiding voltage drop across the digit line, and allowing all or substantially all of the stored charge of the ferroelectric capacitor to be extracted and transferred to the sense capacitor. Virtually grounding the digit line may be achieved by activating a switching component (e.g., a p-type field-effect transistor) that is electronic communication with the digit line. The charge of the ferroelectric capacitor may be transferred through the switching component. A sense amplifier may compare the voltage of the sense capacitor to a reference voltage in order to determine the stored logic state of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20190013072
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus, such as a memory device, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a memory cell, digit line driver, access line driver, clamping element, and control circuit. The memory cell and clamping element can be both coupled to a digit line. The control circuit can be configured to cause the clamping element to clamp the voltage of the digit line for a period of time while the digit line driver is caused to bias the digit line at a voltage level sufficient to enable selection of the memory cell. In addition, the control circuit can be configured to cause the access line driver to bias an access line coupled to memory cell when the voltage of the digit line is at the voltage level sufficient to enable selection of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Efrem Bolandrina, Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 10170173
    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: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Xinwei Guo, Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20180374527
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for redundancy in a memory array are described. A memory array may include some memory cells that are redundant to other memory cells of the array. Such redundant memory cells may be used if a another memory cell is discovered to be defective in some way; for example, after the array is fabricated and before deployment, defects in portions of the array that affect certain memory cells may be identified. Memory cells may be designated as redundant cells for numerous other memory cells of the array so that a total number of redundant cells in the array is relatively small fraction of the total number of cells of the array. A configuration of switching components may allow redundant cells to be operated in a manner that supports redundancy for numerous other cells and may limit or disturbances to neighboring cells when accessing redundancy cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Xinwei Guo
  • Patent number: 10163481
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for offset cancellation for latching in memory devices are described. A memory device may include a sense component comprising a first and second transistor. In some cases, a memory device may further include a first capacitor coupled to the first transistor and a second capacitor coupled to the second transistor and a first switching component coupled between a voltage source and the first capacitor and the second capacitor. For example, the first switching component may be activated, a reference voltage may be applied to the sense component, and the first switching component may then be deactivated. In some examples, a voltage offset may be measured across both the first and the second capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 10163482
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ground reference scheme may be employed in a digit line voltage sensing operation. A positive voltage may be applied to a memory cell; and after a voltage of the digit line of the cell has reached a threshold, a negative voltage may be applied to cause the digit line voltages to center around ground before a read operation. In another example, a first voltage may be applied to a memory cell and then a second voltage that is equal to an inverse of the first voltage may be applied to a reference capacitor that is in electronic communication with a digit line of the memory cell to cause the digit line voltages to center around ground before a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Scott James Derner, Umberto Di Vincenzo, Christopher John Kawamura, Eric S. Carman
  • Publication number: 20180358072
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for dual mode ferroelectric memory cell operation are described. A memory array or portions of the array may be variously operated in volatile and non-volatile modes. For example, a memory cell may operate in a non-volatile mode and then operate in a volatile mode following a command initiated by a controller while the cell is operating in the non-volatile mode. The memory cell may operate in the volatile mode and then operate in the non-volatile mode following a subsequent command. In some examples, one memory cell of the memory array may operate in the non-volatile mode while another memory cell of the memory array operates in the volatile mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20180358078
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be selected using a selection component that is in electronic communication with a sense amplifier and a ferroelectric capacitor of a ferroelectric memory cell. A voltage applied to the ferroelectric capacitor may be sized to increase the signal sensed during a read operation. The ferroelectric capacitor may be isolated from the sense amplifier during the read operation. This isolation may avoid stressing the ferroelectric capacitor which may otherwise occur due to the applied read voltage and voltage introduce by the sense amplifier during the read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 10153020
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for dual mode ferroelectric memory cell operation are described. A memory array or portions of the array may be variously operated in volatile and non-volatile modes. For example, a memory cell may operate in a non-volatile mode and then operate in a volatile mode following a command initiated by a controller while the cell is operating in the non-volatile mode. The memory cell may operate in the volatile mode and then operate in the non-volatile mode following a subsequent command. In some examples, one memory cell of the memory array may operate in the non-volatile mode while another memory cell of the memory array operates in the volatile mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20180331114
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for plate node configurations and operations for a memory array are described. A single plate node of a memory array may be coupled to multiple rows or columns of memory cells (e.g., ferroelectric memory cells) in a deck of memory cells. The single plate node may perform the functions of multiple plate nodes. The number of contacts to couple the single plate node to the substrate may be less than the number of contacts to couple multiple plate nodes to the substrate. Connectors or sockets in a memory array with a single plate node may define a size that is less than a size of the connectors or sockets with multiple plate nodes. In some examples, a single plate node of the memory array may be coupled to multiple lines of a memory cells in multiple decks of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 10121526
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for redundancy in a memory array are described. A memory array may include some memory cells that are redundant to other memory cells of the array. Such redundant memory cells may be used if a another memory cell is discovered to be defective in some way; for example, after the array is fabricated and before deployment, defects in portions of the array that affect certain memory cells may be identified. Memory cells may be designated as redundant cells for numerous other memory cells of the array so that a total number of redundant cells in the array is relatively small fraction of the total number of cells of the array. A configuration of switching components may allow redundant cells to be operated in a manner that supports redundancy for numerous other cells and may limit or disturbances to neighboring cells when accessing redundancy cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Xinwei Guo
  • Patent number: 10083731
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be selected using a selection component that is in electronic communication with a sense amplifier and a ferroelectric capacitor of a ferroelectric memory cell. A voltage applied to the ferroelectric capacitor may be sized to increase the signal sensed during a read operation. The ferroelectric capacitor may be isolated from the sense amplifier during the read operation. This isolation may avoid stressing the ferroelectric capacitor which may otherwise occur due to the applied read voltage and voltage introduce by the sense amplifier during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Patent number: 10083744
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus, such as a memory device, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a memory cell, digit line driver, access line driver, clamping element, and control circuit. The memory cell and clamping element can be both coupled to a digit line. The control circuit can be configured to cause the clamping element to clamp the voltage of the digit line for a period of time while the digit line driver is caused to bias the digit line at a voltage level sufficient to enable selection of the memory cell. In addition, the control circuit can be configured to cause the access line driver to bias an access line coupled to memory cell when the voltage of the digit line is at the voltage level sufficient to enable selection of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC
    Inventors: Efrem Bolandrina, Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20180247687
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for self-referencing memory cells are described. A reference value for a cell may be created through multiple sense operations on the cell. The cell may be sensed several times and an average of at least two sensing operations may be used as a reference for another sense operation. For example, the cell may be sensed and the resulting charge stored at a capacitor. The cell may be biased to one state, sensed a second time, and the resulting charge stored at another capacitor. The cell may be biased to another state, sensed a third time, and the resulting charge stored to another capacitor. The values from the second and third sensing operations may be averaged and used as a reference value in a comparison with value of the first sensing operation to determine a logic state of the cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20180190337
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ground reference scheme may be employed in a digit line voltage sensing operation. A positive voltage may be applied to a memory cell; and after a voltage of the digit line of the cell has reached a threshold, a negative voltage may be applied to cause the digit line voltages to center around ground before a read operation. In another example, a first voltage may be applied to a memory cell and then a second voltage that is equal to an inverse of the first voltage may be applied to a reference capacitor that is in electronic communication with a digit line of the memory cell to cause the digit line voltages to center around ground before a read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Scott James Derner, Umberto Di Vincenzo, Christopher John Kawamura, Eric S. Carman
  • Publication number: 20180137906
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a an electronic memory apparatus are described. A logic value stored in a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) cell is read onto a first sensing node of a sense amplifier. The reading is performed through a digit line coupling the FeRAM cell to the first sensing node, while the sense amplifier is in an inactive state. A second sensing node of the sense amplifier is biased to a reference voltage provided by a reference voltage source. The biasing is performed while reading the logic value stored in the FeRAM cell onto the first sensing node. The digit line is isolated from the first sensing node after the reading. The sense amplifier is activated, after isolating the digit line from the first sensing node, to amplify and sense a voltage difference between the first sensing node and the second sensing node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20180114559
    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: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Xinwei Guo, Daniele Vimercati
  • Publication number: 20180108393
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. Offsets in the threshold voltage of switching components (e.g., transistors) connected to digit lines may be compensated by using various operating techniques or additional circuit components, or both. For example, a switching component connected to a digit line may also be connected to an offset capacitor selected to compensate for a threshold voltage offset. The offset capacitor may be discharged in conjunction with a read operation, resulting in a threshold voltage applied to the switching component. This may enable all or substantially all of the stored charge of the ferroelectric memory cell to be extracted and transferred to a sense capacitor through the transistor. A sense amplifier may compare the voltage of the sense capacitor to a reference voltage in order to determine the stored logic state of the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventor: Daniele Vimercati