Patents by Inventor Eric Carman

Eric Carman 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: 8797819
    Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Carman, Mikhail Nagoga, Serguei Okhonin
  • Publication number: 20130250674
    Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Eric CARMAN, Mikhail NAGOGA, Serguei OKHONIN
  • Patent number: 8446794
    Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Carman, Mikhail Nagoga, Serguei Okhonin
  • Patent number: 8411524
    Abstract: Techniques for refreshing a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for refreshing a semiconductor memory device may include applying a plurality of voltage potentials to a memory cell in an array of memory cells. Applying a plurality of voltage potentials to the memory cell may include applying a first voltage potential to a first region of the memory cell via a respective source line of the array. Applying a plurality of voltage potentials to the memory cells may also include applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory cell via a respective local bit line and a respective selection transistor of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Patent number: 8411513
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device having hierarchical bit lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of local bit lines coupled directly to the plurality of memory cells. The semiconductor memory device may also include a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of local bit lines and a global bit line coupled to the multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Patent number: 8351266
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device comprising applying a first voltage potential to a first region via a bit line, applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory device via a source line, applying a control voltage potential to a body region of the memory device via a word line that is spaced apart and capacitively coupled to the body region, and applying a third voltage potential to a third region of the memory device via a carrier injection line in order to bias at least one of the first region, the second region, the third region, and the body region to perform one or more operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Patent number: 8315083
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing a voltage swing are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for reducing a voltage swing comprising: a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in arrays of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. The one or more memory transistors of the apparatus for reducing a voltage swing may comprise: a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line, a first body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the first body region may be electrically floating, and a first gate coupled to a word line spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the first body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Eric Carman
  • Publication number: 20120236671
    Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Eric CARMAN, Mikhail NAGOGA, Serguei OKHONIN
  • Publication number: 20120176845
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device comprising applying a first voltage potential to a first region via a bit line, applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory device via a source line, applying a control voltage potential to a body region of the memory device via a word line that is spaced apart and capacitively coupled to the body region, and applying a third voltage potential to a third region of the memory device via a carrier injection line in order to bias at least one of the first region, the second region, the third region, and the body region to perform one or more operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Eric CARMAN
  • Patent number: 8213226
    Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device includes an electrically floating body region and a gate disposed about a first portion of the body region. The device includes a source region adjoining a second portion of the body region, the second portion adjacent the first portion and separating the source region from the first portion. The device includes a drain region adjoining a third portion of the body region, the third portion adjacent the first portion and separating the drain region from the first portion, wherein the source and drain regions are opposing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Patent number: 8194487
    Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Carman, Mikhail Nagoga, Serguei Okhonin
  • Patent number: 8139418
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device. The method may comprise applying a first voltage potential to a first region via a bit line and applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory device via a source line. The method may also comprise applying a control voltage potential to a body region of the memory device via a word line that is spaced apart and capacitively coupled to the body region, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The method may further comprise applying a third voltage potential to a third region of the memory device via a carrier injection line in order to bias at least one of the first region, the second region, the third region, and the body region to perform one or more operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Patent number: 8134867
    Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Publication number: 20110273942
    Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric CARMAN
  • Publication number: 20110273947
    Abstract: Techniques for refreshing a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for refreshing a semiconductor memory device may include applying a plurality of voltage potentials to a memory cell in an array of memory cells. Applying a plurality of voltage potentials to the memory cell may include applying a first voltage potential to a first region of the memory cell via a respective source line of the array. Applying a plurality of voltage potentials to the memory cells may also include applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory cell via a respective local bit line and a respective selection transistor of the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Innovative Silicon ISi SA
    Inventor: Eric CARMAN
  • Publication number: 20110228617
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing a voltage swing are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for reducing a voltage swing comprising: a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in arrays of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. The one or more memory transistors of the apparatus for reducing a voltage swing may comprise: a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line, a first body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the first body region may be electrically floating, and a first gate coupled to a word line spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the first body region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Eric Carman
  • Publication number: 20110216605
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device having hierarchical bit lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of local bit lines coupled directly to the plurality of memory cells. The semiconductor memory device may also include a multiplexer coupled to the plurality of local bit lines and a global bit line coupled to the multiplexer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Innovative Silicon ISi SA
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Publication number: 20110199848
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a semiconductor memory device including applying a plurality of voltage potentials to a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Innovative Silicon ISi SA
    Inventors: Eric Carman, Philippe Bruno Bauser, Jean-Michel Daga
  • Patent number: 7940559
    Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Carman
  • Patent number: 7933140
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing a voltage swing are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for reducing a voltage swing comprising: a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in arrays of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. The one or more memory transistors of the apparatus for reducing a voltage swing may comprise: a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line, a first body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the first body region may be electrically floating, and a first gate coupled to a word line spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the first body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Eric Carman