Patents by Inventor Heinz Honigschmid

Heinz Honigschmid 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: 20020054501
    Abstract: An integrated memory in which the plate lines run parallel to the bit lines and are driven by the column decoder. The effect achieved by the fact that each plate line is connected to the memory cells of the associated bit line is that only those memory cells whose associated bit line is required for the respective memory access are affected by the pulsed signals of the plate line. Therefore, only the potential of that bit line which is currently required for a data transfer is influenced by pulsed signals on the associated plate lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Heinz Honigschmid, Tobias Schlager
  • Publication number: 20020050840
    Abstract: A circuit configuration and a method for accelerating aging in an MRAM, in which additional means are provided in order to feed a higher current into a control line of a memory cell which is located nearer the soft-magnetic layer. A second transistor is inserted in parallel with the driver transistors, which form a first control unit. The second transistor supplies a current through the control line located nearer the soft-magnetic layer. The second transistor can drive a higher current through the control line and can be activated by means of a test mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventor: Heinz Honigschmid
  • Publication number: 20020044478
    Abstract: An integrated memory has word lines that run in a first direction, and bit lines and control lines that run in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. A controllable path of each memory transistor connects one of the bit lines to one of the control lines. The control electrode of each memory transistor is connected to one of the word lines. Since the bit lines and control lines run in the same direction and are thus arranged parallel to one another, they can be arranged within a common wiring plane of the integrated memory. Since the terminals of the controllable path are usually likewise arranged in a common wiring plane, for example in a substrate of the integrated memory, it is possible, to arrange the bit lines and control lines in the same wiring plane as the controllable path of the transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Heinz Honigschmid, Marc Ullmann
  • Publication number: 20020044493
    Abstract: An integrated memory has a multiplexer and a differential sense amplifier with a differential input. The differential sense amplifier is connected to three bit lines by the multiplexer. The multiplexer electrically connects the differential input of the sense amplifier to any two of the three bit lines connected to it respectively, in accordance with its activation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Bohm, Heinz Honigschmid, Georg Braun, Zoltan Manyoki, Stefan Lammers, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20020027816
    Abstract: The memory has identically constructed memory cells and reference cells. An item of reference information is written into the reference cells by uncoupling the reference cells from the read amplifiers via first switching elements, and by electrically connecting the part of the bit lines that is connected to the reference cells via second switching elements to a potential line carrying the reference information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Bohm, Heinz Honigschmid, Thomas Rohr, Georg Braun, Zoltan Manyoki
  • Patent number: 6353562
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor memory has memory cells that are combined to form addressable normal units and to form at least one redundant unit for replacing one of the normal units. In addition, the semiconductor memory has an address bus to which an address can be applied, and a redundancy circuit that is connected to the address bus. The redundancy circuit is used to select the redundant unit. An input of a processing unit is connected to a connection of the address bus and also to a connection for a test signal, and the output of the processing unit is connected to an input of the redundancy circuit. The redundant unit can be tested before the repair information is programmed in the redundancy circuit. The circuit complexity required for this is comparatively low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Böhm, Heinz Hönigschmid, Stefan Lammers, Zoltan Manyoki
  • Publication number: 20020024836
    Abstract: A circuit configuration for reading a ferroelectric memory cell which has a ferroelectric capacitor is described. The memory cell is connected to a bit line. The circuit configuration provides a differential amplifier having a first differential amplifier input, a second differential amplifier input and a differential amplifier output. The first differential amplifier input is connected to the bit line, and the second differential amplifier input is connected to a reference signal. A first driver input of a first driver circuit is connected to the differential amplifier output, and a first driver output is connected to the bit line. The differential amplifier is fed back through the first driver circuit and regulates the bit line voltage to the voltage value of the reference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Publication date: February 28, 2002
    Inventors: Georg Braun, Heinz Honigschmid
  • Patent number: 6351422
    Abstract: The memory has writable memory cells. In addition, it has a bit line pair which connects the memory cells MC to a differential sense amplifier. A control unit is used for precharging the bit lines in a plurality of steps before one of the memory cells is conductively connected to one of the bit lines for a read access operation. For a write access operation, the control unit carries out no more than some of the bit line precharging steps provided for a read access operation before the sense amplifier transfers data to the bit line pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Röhr, Thomas Böhm, Heinz Hönigschmid, Georg Braun
  • Publication number: 20020015337
    Abstract: An integrated memory contains two normal read amplifiers and two first redundant read amplifiers. It also contains bit lines which are combined into at least two individually addressable normal columns, at least one of which from each normal column is connected to one of the normal read amplifiers. It also has first redundant bit lines which are combined into one individually addressable redundant column, at least one of which is connected to one of the redundant read amplifiers. The first redundant read amplifier and its redundant columns are provided for replacing the two normal read amplifiers and one of the normal columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Inventors: Ernst Neuhold, Heinz Honigschmid, Georg Braun, Zoltan Manyoki, Thomas Bohm, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20020012266
    Abstract: A memory matrix has at least one cell array including column lines and row lines. Memory elements are situated at points where the row lines and column lines intersect one another. In each case two adjacent lines are guided such that they cross one another in such a way that the two lines change their spatial configurations in sections along the direction in which they run. Thus an overcoupling of signals between the lines is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Dietmar Gogl, Thomas Rohr, Heinz Honigschmid
  • Publication number: 20020008564
    Abstract: A decoder element is provided with an output, whereby an output signal with one of three different possible potentials is produced. The output signal may have a value of either a first potential, a second potential, and a third potential, where the second potential lies between the first potential and the third potential. The output signal is produced according to voltage values of input signals at terminal connections of the decoder element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Bohm, Georg Braun, Heinz Honigschmid, Zoltan Manyoki, Ernst Neuhold, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20020008989
    Abstract: The invention relates to an MRAM memory cell including a magnetoresistive resistor and a switching transistor. The magnetoresistive resistor is located between a central metallization plane and an upper metallization plane. The central metallization plane serves for the word line stitch and also for writing. A word line BOOST circuit is provided in the stitch region of each cell, with the result that the critical voltage is not reached in the magnetoresistive resistor and the switching transistor can nevertheless be turned on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: Heinz Honigschmid
  • Publication number: 20020003735
    Abstract: The integrated memory has m>1 bit lines that are connected to an input of a read-write amplifier via a switching element. Only one switching element is conductively connected for each read or write access. The memory is provided with a switching unit that influences read or write access occurring by way of the read-write amplifier and bit lines. The circuit unit is provided with an activation input. A column-end decoder has a first decoder stage and m second decoder stages. The outputs of the second decoder stages are connected to a control input for each of the switching elements. The output of the first decoder stage is connected to the activation input of the switching unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Bohm, Georg Braun, Heinz Honigschmid, Zoltan Manyoki, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20020003728
    Abstract: An integrated memory has a normal bit line for transferring data from or to normal memory cells connected to it, and also a normal sense amplifier, which is connected via a line to the normal bit line and connected to a data line and amplifies data read from the normal memory cells. Furthermore, the memory has a redundant sense amplifier for replacing the normal sense amplifier in the redundancy situation. The redundant sense amplifier is likewise connected on the one hand to the line and on the other hand to the data line and, in the redundancy situation, serves for amplifying the data read from the normal memory cells. A method for repairing an integrated memory is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Heinz Honigschmid, Georg Braun, Andrej Majdic
  • Publication number: 20010054948
    Abstract: A fuse circuit configuration is described wherein a compensation capacitor counteracts a parasitic capacitor. The parasitic capacitor occurs between a connection point of a switching transistor and a fuse and ground. The compensation capacitor is connected to an evaluation circuit. In this manner, the negative effects caused by the parasitic capacitor are compensated for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Inventor: Heinz Honigschmid
  • Publication number: 20010038557
    Abstract: A circuit for generating a reference voltage for the reading out from and the evaluation of read output signals which are read out with a constant plate voltage from storage cells of a ferroelectric memory via bit lines. In the circuit, a reference voltage device is formed of two reference cells that are subjected to the action of complementary signals. The reference cells can be simultaneously read out in order to generate the reference voltage in a selection and evaluation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Georg Braun, Heinz Honigschmid, Kurt Hoffmann, Oskar Kowarik, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20010038562
    Abstract: The memory has writable memory cells. In addition, it has a bit line pair which connects the memory cells MC to a differential sense amplifier. A control unit is used for precharging the bit lines in a plurality of steps before one of the memory cells is conductively connected to one of the bit lines for a read access operation. For a write access operation, the control unit carries out no more than some of the bit line precharging steps provided for a read access operation before the sense amplifier transfers data to the bit line pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Thomas Rohr, Thomas Bohm, Heinz Honigschmid, Georg Braun
  • Publication number: 20010038561
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor memory has memory cells with a ferroelectric memory property. The memory cells are in each case connected between a column line and a charge line. The column line is connected to a read amplifier which supplies an output signal. The charge line is connected to a driver circuit which provides the charge line with a given potential. In an inactive mode, the column line and the charge line are jointly connected to a connection for a common supply potential in the read amplifier or in the driver circuit. As a result, a relatively quick equalization of a potential between the lines is possible. Thus, unintended changes in the memory cell content due to interfering voltages are avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Robert Esterl, Helmut Kandolf, Heinz Honigschmid, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20010036099
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a ferroelectric memory configuration in the VDD/2 mode. The memory configuration has a large number of memory cells which each have at least one selection transistor, one storage capacitor with an upper and a lower electrode and one short-circuiting transistor whose source-drain junction is connected in parallel with the storage capacitor. After a read or write procedure in which the memory cells are driven via respectively associated word lines and via respectively associated bit lines which are precharged in a precharge phase, the short-circuiting transistor is driven during a standby phase and in the process short-circuits the electrodes in the storage capacitor. The method is characterized in that the time of the standby phase coincides with the time of the precharge phase and, in the process, the bit lines are at a different potential with respect to that of the two electrodes of the storage capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Inventors: Heinz Honigschmid, Thomas Rohr
  • Publication number: 20010036100
    Abstract: A description is given of a method for operating an integrated memory which has memory cells each having a selection transistor and a storage capacitor with a ferroelectric storage effect. The memory contains a plate line, which is connected to one of the column lines via a series circuit containing a selection transistor and a storage capacitor of respective memory cells. A memory access is carried out according to the “pulsed plate concept”. In this case, the temporal sequence is controlled in such a way that, in an access cycle, the storage capacitor of the memory cell to be selected is in each case charged and discharged by the same amount. An attenuation or destruction of the information stored in the memory cells, which is caused by source-drain leakage currents of unactivated selection transistors, is thus avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Inventors: Robert Esterl, Heinz Honigschmid, Helmut Kandolf, Thomas Rohr