Patents by Inventor Duncan Curry

Duncan Curry 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: 7916532
    Abstract: A memory array and method for performing a write operation in a memory array that eliminates parasitic coupling between selected and unselected bitlines and protects memory cells on unselected bitlines. A memory array (100); has a plurality of memory cells (148, 150,152, 154), each of which is coupled to a unique array bitline (104, 106, 108,110). A unique recovery transistor (138; 140, 142, 144) coupled to each array bitline (104, 106, 108, 110). The recovery transistors (140, 144) on odd bitlines (140, 144) are coupled to a first and second voltage (128, 144), while the recovery transistors on even bitlines are coupled, to a first and third voltage (128, 126). During a write operation, each recovery transistor coupled to an unselected bitline is active during a write operation and a recovery operation, while each recovery transistor coupled; to selected bitline is active during a recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard F. Pang
  • Publication number: 20100014354
    Abstract: A memory array and method for performing a write operation in a memory array that eliminates parasitic coupling between selected and unselected bitlines and protects memory cells on unselected bitlines. A memory array (100); has a plurality of memory cells (148, 150,152, 154), each of which is coupled to a unique array bitline (104, 106, 108,110). A unique recovery transistor (138; 140, 142, 144) coupled to each array bitline (104, 106, 108, 110). The recovery transistors (140, 144) on odd bitlines (140, 144) are coupled to a first and second voltage (128, 144), while the recovery transistors on even bitlines are coupled, to a first and third voltage (128, 126). During a write operation, each recovery transistor coupled to an unselected bitline is active during a write operation and a recovery operation, while each recovery transistor coupled; to selected bitline is active during a recovery operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard F. Pang
  • Patent number: 7304890
    Abstract: A byte select circuit of a memory cell array wherein each column of the memory cell array has two byte select lines. A first byte select line is coupled to the even numbered rows in the column and a second byte select line is coupled to the odd numbered rows in the column. The second byte select line is configured to be driven to a low voltage level when the first byte select line is driven to a high voltage level, thereby minimizing or eliminating any parasitic voltage coupling between adjacent rows of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard F. Pang
  • Patent number: 7295466
    Abstract: A memory array and method for performing a write operation in a memory array that eliminates parasitic coupling between selected and unselected bitlines and protects memory cells on unselected bitlines. A memory array has a plurality of memory cells, each of which is coupled to a unique array bitline. A unique recovery transistor is coupled to each array bitline. The recovery transistors on odd bitlines are coupled to a first and second voltage, while the recovery transistors on even bitlines are coupled to a first and third voltage. During a write operation, each recovery transistor coupled to an unselected bitline is active during a write operation and a recovery operation, while each recovery transistor coupled to a selected bitline is active during a recovery operation. The first voltage is sufficient to prevent parasitic coupling between the selected bitlines and the unselected bitlines during the write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard F. Pang
  • Publication number: 20070171756
    Abstract: A byte select circuit of a memory cell array wherein each column of the memory cell array has two byte select lines. A first byte select line is coupled to the even numbered rows in the column and a second byte select line is coupled to the odd numbered rows in the column. The second byte select line is configured to be driven to a low voltage level when the first byte select line is driven to a high voltage level, thereby minimizing or eliminating any parasitic voltage coupling between adjacent rows of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard Pang
  • Publication number: 20070140002
    Abstract: A memory array and method for performing a write operation in a memory array that eliminates parasitic coupling between selected and unselected bitlines and protects memory cells on unselected bitlines. A memory array has a plurality of memory cells, each of which is coupled to a unique array bitline. A unique recovery transistor is coupled to each array bitline. The recovery transistors on odd bitlines are coupled to a first and second voltage, while the recovery transistors on even bitlines are coupled to a first and third voltage. During a write operation, each recovery transistor coupled to an unselected bitline is active during a write operation and a recovery operation, while each recovery transistor coupled to a selected bitline is active during a recovery operation. The first voltage is sufficient to prevent parasitic coupling between the selected bitlines and the unselected bitlines during the write operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard Pang
  • Patent number: 7224610
    Abstract: Increasing levels of integration in successive generations of semiconductor memory products are possible through minimal metal-one layout pitches. An optimal bitline layout pitch in metal-one greatly exceeds an ability to match the pitch in a layout of a corresponding array of bitline-coupling-control latches. One latch controlling coupling for two bitlines alleviates the layout problem. In order for one latch to control coupling of two bitlines a logical segregation of the addressing of even and odd bitlines is necessary along with an additional odd or even bitline selection device in series with the selection device managed by the coupling control latch. With the use of a logical-to-physical address mapping and even-odd bitline selection, a single coupling control latch is able to manage one of two bitlines at a time. One latch serving two bitlines makes possible a bitline pitch attaining a maximum layout density possible for a fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Emil Lambrache, Duncan Curry, Richard F. Pang
  • Patent number: 6879518
    Abstract: A memory device having a memory array of nonvolatile memory elements also includes one or more security rows (or columns) of security bits that can be programmed to a locked status. External memory access requests are processed by first reading the corresponding security bit. If the requested row or column is locked, a default zero value is returned. Only external requests of unlocked locations, and all internal access requests, return the actual memory contents. Security bits can be erased (unlocked), but the secured contents of the locked row or column is also erased at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Duncan Curry
  • Patent number: 6032248
    Abstract: A microcontroller having a special function register to internally select between internal memory and external memory on the fly. Two data pointers in conjunction with the special function register result in four effective quick reference locations. The internal memory consists of one memory module having its array subdivided into a data memory store and a code memory store, and having a bank of pass devices to selectively isolate the code memory store from the data memory store. The present memory can further support concurrent writing to the data memory store while reading from the code memory store. This is done through one of two memory embodiments. In a first memory embodiment two y-decoders are used; a first y-decoder adjacent the code memory store and a second y-decoder adjacent the data memory store. When a simultaneous read/write instruction is started, the outputs from the second y-decoder and an x-decoder are latched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Duncan Curry, Arthur Y. Yu, Tsung D. Mok