Patents by Inventor K. Shawn Smith

K. Shawn Smith 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: 9159392
    Abstract: Memory subsystems and methods, such as those involving a memory cell array formed over a semiconductor material of a first type, such as p-type substrate. In at least one such subsystem, all of the transistors used to selectively access cells within the array are transistors of a second type, such as n-type transistors. Local word line drivers are coupled to respective word lines extending through the array. Each local word line drivers includes at least one transistor. However, all of the transistors in the local word line drivers are of the second type. A well of semiconductor material of the second type, is also formed in the material of the first type, and a plurality of global word line drivers are formed using the well. Other subsystems and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Kim, Howard C. Kirsch, Charles L. Ingalls, Shigeki Tomishima, K. Shawn Smith
  • Patent number: 9147473
    Abstract: Apparatuses, global and local wordline drivers, and methods for driving a wordline voltage in a memory is described. An example apparatus includes a memory array including a plurality of sub-arrays. The plurality of sub arrays are coupled to a wordline. The memory array further including a plurality of local wordline drivers coupled between a global wordline and the wordline. The plurality of local wordline drivers are configured to selectively couple the wordline to the global wordline during a memory access operation. The example apparatus further includes a global wordline driver configured to selectively couple the wordline to the global wordline during the memory access operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Kim, Howard Kirsch, Charles Ingalls, K. Shawn Smith, Jonathan Doebler
  • Publication number: 20150036442
    Abstract: Apparatuses, global and local wordline drivers, and methods for driving a wordline voltage in a memory is described. An example apparatus includes a memory array including a plurality of sub-arrays. The plurality of sub arrays are coupled to a wordline. The memory array further including a plurality of local wordline drivers coupled between a global wordline and the wordline. The plurality of local wordline drivers are configured to selectively couple the wordline to the global wordline during a memory access operation. The example apparatus further includes a global wordline driver configured to selectively couple the wordline to the global wordline during the memory access operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Kim, Howard Kirsch, Charles Ingalls, K. Shawn Smith, Jonathan Doebler
  • Publication number: 20140226427
    Abstract: Memory subsystems and methods, such as those involving a memory cell array formed over a semiconductor material of a first type, such as p-type substrate. In at least one such subsystem, all of the transistors used to selectively access cells within the array are transistors of a second type, such as n-type transistors. Local word line drivers are coupled to respective word lines extending through the array. Each local word line drivers includes at least one transistor. However, all of the transistors in the local word line drivers are of the second type. A well of semiconductor material of the second type, is also formed in the material of the first type, and a plurality of global word line drivers are formed using the well. Other subsystems and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Kim, Howard C. Kirsch, Charles L. Ingalls, Shigeki Tomishima, K. Shawn Smith
  • Patent number: 8737157
    Abstract: Memory subsystems and methods, such as those involving a memory cell array formed over a semiconductor material of a first type, such as p-type substrate. In at least one such subsystem, all of the transistors used to selectively access cells within the array are transistors of a second type, such as n-type transistors. Local word line drivers are coupled to respective word lines extending through the array. Each local word line drivers includes at least one transistor. However, all of the transistors in the local word line drivers are of the second type. A well of semiconductor material of the second type, is also formed in the material of the first type, and a plurality of global word line drivers are formed using the well. Other subsystems and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Kim, Howard C. Kirsch, Charles L. Ingalls, Shigeki Tomishima, K. Shawn Smith
  • Publication number: 20120063256
    Abstract: Memory subsystems and methods, such as those involving a memory cell array formed over a semiconductor material of a first type, such as p-type substrate. In at least one such subsystem, all of the transistors used to selectively access cells within the array are transistors of a second type, such as n-type transistors. Local word line drivers are coupled to respective word lines extending through the array. Each local word line drivers includes at least one transistor. However, all of the transistors in the local word line drivers are of the second type. A well of semiconductor material of the second type, is also formed in the material of the first type, and a plurality of global word line drivers are formed using the well. Other subsystems and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tae Kim, Howard C. Kirsch, Charles L. Ingalls, Shigeki Tomishima, K. Shawn Smith