Patents by Inventor Danilo Rimondi

Danilo Rimondi 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: 6459611
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell having a word line, a bit line, a precharge line, an access transistor, and first and second cross-coupled inverters. The first inverter includes a first P-channel transistor and a first N-channel transistor, and the second inverter includes a second P-channel transistor and a second N-channel transistor. The access transistor selectively couples the bit line to an output of the first or second inverter, and one terminal of the first N-channel transistor is connected to the precharge line. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided that, during a writing operation, supplies data to be written to the memory cell to the bit line, supplies a pulse signal to the precharge line, and activates the word line. A method of writing data to a semiconductor memory cell that is coupled to a word line and single bit line is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Danilo Rimondi
  • Publication number: 20010006475
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell having a word line, a bit line, a precharge line, an access transistor, and first and second cross-coupled inverters. The first inverter includes a first P-channel transistor and a first N-channel transistor, and the second inverter includes a second P-channel transistor and a second N-channel transistor. The access transistor selectively couples the bit line to an output of the first or second inverter, and one terminal of the first N-channel transistor is connected to the precharge line. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided that, during a writing operation, supplies data to be written to the memory cell to the bit line, supplies a pulse signal to the precharge line, and activates the word line. A method of writing data to a semiconductor memory cell that is coupled to a word line and single bit line is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Danilo Rimondi
  • Patent number: 6212094
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell having a word line, a bit line, a precharge line, an access transistor, and first and second cross-coupled inverters. The first inverter includes a first P-channel transistor and a first N-channel transistor, and the second inverter includes a second P-channel transistor and a second N-channel transistor. The access transistor selectively couples the bit line to an output of the first or second inverter, and one terminal of the first N-channel transistor is connected to the precharge line. In a preferred embodiment, a control circuit is provided that, during a writing operation, supplies data to be written to the memory cell to the bit line, supplies a pulse signal to the precharge line, and activates the word line. A method of writing data to a semiconductor memory cell that is coupled to a word line and single bit line is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Danilo Rimondi
  • Patent number: 6061286
    Abstract: A memory device comprises an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of gates for transmitting respective selection outputs of a row decoder to respective rows, a dummy column of dummy memory cells substantially identical to the memory cells, precharge means for precharging the columns and the dummy column at a precharge potential when no row is selected, and programming means for setting selected columns at respective programming potentials. The device comprises dummy memory cell preset means for presetting the dummy memory cells in a first logic state when no row is selected, dummy column programming means for setting the dummy column at a prescribed programming potential corresponding to a second logic state opposite to the first logic state, and first detector means for detecting that the dummy column has discharged from the precharge potential to the prescribed programming potential and for consequently enabling said plurality of gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Miroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Baroni, Danilo Rimondi, Michele Taliercio, Cosimo Torelli
  • Patent number: 5818775
    Abstract: The invention relates to a memory comprising a matrix of memory cells; a plurality of gates for transmitting respective selection outputs of a row decoder to respective rows of the matrix; a dummy bit line having an equivalent load as bit lines associated to columns of the matrix and which is discharged by a dummy memory cell when any row is selected; and circuitry for precharging the bit lines and the dummy bit line when no row is selected, and enabling said gates for transmission of the selection outputs of the row decoder in response to a clock signal. Each gate has an input coupled to the dummy bit line such that the gate is disabled as soon as the dummy bit line has discharged to a switching threshold of the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Cosimo Torelli, Danilo Rimondi