Patents by Inventor Koying Huang

Koying Huang 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: 20240006003
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a memory device including a controller configured for initiating a program operation for a first column of memory cells which belongs to a group of memory cells; setting a verify condition which comprises a leakage current threshold during a leakage current verifying operation; performing, via a leakage current verifying circuit, a leakage current verifying operation for the first column of the memory cells by applying a negative voltage sweep to each of first remaining M?1 unselected WLs of the M WLs until finding a first negative voltage resulting in the first column of the memory cells having passed leakage current threshold; and applying the program operation for the first column of the memory cells by applying the first negative voltage to each of the first remaining M?1 unselected WLs of the M WLs and a positive bit line voltage for the N BLs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 11854624
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a non-volatile memory erasing operation method is provided. The method includes the following. A first erasing operation is performed, including reducing a threshold voltage of each of a plurality of memory cells of the non-volatile memory through a first erasing pulse. A first verification operation is performed to confirm whether the threshold voltage of each of the memory cells is less than an erasing target voltage level. In response to at least one of the memory cells failing the first verification operation, a second erasing operation is performed. The second erasing operation includes selecting the at least one memory cell failing the first verification operation, and reducing the threshold voltage of the at least one memory cell to be less than the erasing target voltage level through a second erasing pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 11798642
    Abstract: In an aspect, the memory device includes not limited to a memory array, a leakage current verifying circuit, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform an erase operation for a first column of memory cells connected to a first WL, set a verify condition including a leakage current threshold, perform a leakage current verifying operation for the first column of the memory cells by comparing a leakage current of a cell of the first column of the memory cells to the leakage current threshold, detect a failure of the first column in response to a cell having the leakage current being above the leakage current threshold, and perform a post-program operation to repair the failure of the first column of the memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20230207020
    Abstract: A memory storage device including a flash memory and a controller circuit is provided. The flash memory includes a plurality of memory cells. Each of the memory cells includes a substrate, a drain terminal, a source terminal, and a gate terminal. The controller circuit is coupled to the flash memory. The controller circuit is configured to perform a first erase operation on the memory cells to obtain a first erase threshold voltage distribution, and perform a program operation on the memory cells to obtain a program threshold voltage distribution. The first erase threshold voltage distribution is larger than a first target voltage. The program threshold voltage distribution is smaller than a second target voltage. The first target voltage is larger than the second target voltage. A writing method of a flash memory is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20230154543
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a non-volatile memory erasing operation method is provided. The method includes the following. A first erasing operation is performed, including reducing a threshold voltage of each of a plurality of memory cells of the non-volatile memory through a first erasing pulse. A first verification operation is performed to confirm whether the threshold voltage of each of the memory cells is less than an erasing target voltage level. In response to at least one of the memory cells failing the first verification operation, a second erasing operation is performed. The second erasing operation includes selecting the at least one memory cell failing the first verification operation, and reducing the threshold voltage of the at least one memory cell to be less than the erasing target voltage level through a second erasing pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 11635913
    Abstract: A NOR flash memory apparatus and a recover and read method for the NOR flash memory apparatus are described. The recover and read method includes: operating a power-up process on the NOR flash memory apparatus during a power-up time period; operating a power-up reading operation and reading a mark bit of a memory block of the flash memory apparatus during a reading time period after the power-up time period; and, applying a negative voltage to a plurality of un-selected word lines for the power-up reading operation to operate without leakage current from bit lines of the memory block being caused and therefore to operate normally without causing mistakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20220383966
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a memory device with a leakage current verifying circuit for minimizing leakage current. In an aspect, the memory device includes not limited to a memory array, a leakage current verifying circuit, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform an erase operation for a first column of memory cells connected to a first WL, set a verify condition including a leakage current threshold, perform a leakage current verifying operation for the first column of the memory cells by comparing a leakage current of a cell of the first column of the memory cells to the leakage current threshold, detect a failure of the first column in response to a cell having the leakage current being above the leakage current threshold, and perform a post-program operation to repair the failure of the first column of the memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20210218330
    Abstract: A charge pump device and a method for generating a positive pump voltage or a negative pump voltage are introduced. The charge pump device may include a plurality of pump capacitors, a first switch and a second switch. The plurality of pump capacitors are configured to generate the negative pump voltage or the positive pump voltage. The first switch is coupled between the first power supply line and a first pump capacitor among the plurality of pump capacitors, and is configured to electrically connect the first pump capacitor to the first power supply line to generate the positive pump voltage. The second switch is coupled between the second power supply line and a second pump capacitor among the plurality of pump capacitors, and is configured to electrically connect the second pump capacitor to the second power supply line to generate the negative pump voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10910051
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method and an apparatus for verifying an operation performed by a cell of a RRAM. In an aspect of the disclosure, the method of verifying an operation performed by a cell of a RRAM would include not limited to performing a first write operation by applying a first write voltage on a cell of the RRAM; measuring a first resistance and a first rate of change of the resistance of the cell; detecting whether the first rate of change of the resistance is below a negative change of resistance threshold; detecting whether the first resistance is below a target resistance value in response to having detected that the first rate of change of the resistance is below the negative change of resistance threshold; and having determined the cell is valid in response to having detected the first resistance dropping below the target resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10790030
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a method thereof that are capable of improving programming speed are introduced. The non-volatile memory device includes a memory array, a charge-pump circuit, a bias detection circuit and a memory controller is introduced. The memory array includes a plurality of memory cells; and a charge-pump circuit is configured to generate a charge-pump voltage. The bias detection circuit is coupled to the charge-pump circuit and is configured to determine whether a level of the charge-pump voltage is less than a first pre-determined threshold value. The memory controller is coupled to the bias detection circuit and is configured to pause a programming operation being performed on at least one of the plurality of memory cells when the bias detection circuit determines that the level of the charge-pump voltage is less than the first pre-determined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Windbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10748611
    Abstract: A resistive random access memory device which includes a resistive random access memory array, a sense amplifier and a boosting circuit. The sense amplifier is coupled to the resistive random access memory array and is configured to sense a resistance value of the memory cell. The boosting circuit is coupled to the memory cell of the resistive random access memory array and is configured to boost a reset voltage in a boosting period of a reset period according to the resistance value of the memory cell. The boosting period is from beginning of the reset period, and the memory cell is biased with the reset voltage in the reset period to perform the reset operation. A method for a reset operation on a resistive random access memory device is also introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Windbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10666233
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a power drop reset circuit which includes not limited to: a first step circuit configured to detect a change of a power supply voltage per unit of time and transmit an enable signal in response to the first step circuit having determined that the change of the power supply voltage per unit of time has dropped below zero, wherein the first step circuit does not consume any current when the Vcc change per unit of time is greater than or equal to zero; and a second step circuit electrically connected to the first step circuit and configured to detect the Vcc in response to having received the enable signal and generate a power drop reset signal in response to having determined that the Vcc has dropped below a predetermined operating voltage, wherein the second step circuit consumes an operating current after receiving the enable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20200143878
    Abstract: A resistive random access memory device which includes a resistive random access memory array, a sense amplifier and a boosting circuit. The sense amplifier is coupled to the resistive random access memory array and is configured to sense a resistance value of the memory cell. The boosting circuit is coupled to the memory cell of the resistive random access memory array and is configured to boost a reset voltage in a boosting period of a reset period according to the resistance value of the memory cell. The boosting period is from beginning of the reset period, and the memory cell is biased with the reset voltage in the reset period to perform the reset operation. A method for a reset operation on a resistive random access memory device is also introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10566072
    Abstract: A method for detecting a flash memory array includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, and a source line, includes executing a first detection process. The first detection process includes: applying a first positive voltage to a P-type well of the flash memory array; applying a ground to all the word lines; floating the bit lines and the source line; determining whether a leakage current flowing through the P-type well exceeds a leakage threshold; and when the leakage current exceeds the leakage threshold, determining that at least one of the word lines is short-circuited with at least one of the bit lines or the source line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10453529
    Abstract: This invention introduces a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device, a write verify method and a reverse write verify thereof which are capable of improving the performance of RRAM operations and improving the uniform performance for each RRAM cell. A first resistance value sensed from a RRAM cell is compared with a plurality of reference resistance values to obtain a comparison value. A set or a reset operation is performed on the RRAM cell by applying a first set or reset pulse to change the first resistance value to a second resistance value. Next, the second resistance value is compared with the comparison value to determine whether to continue the set or reset operation on the RRAM cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20190279732
    Abstract: A method for detecting a flash memory array includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, and a source line, includes executing a first detection process. The first detection process includes: applying a first positive voltage to a P-type well of the flash memory array; applying a ground to all the word lines; floating the bit lines and the source line; determining whether a leakage current flowing through the P-type well exceeds a leakage threshold; and when the leakage current exceeds the leakage threshold, determining that at least one of the word lines is short-circuited with at least one of the bit lines or the source line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20190179566
    Abstract: A NOR flash memory apparatus and a recover and read method for the NOR flash memory apparatus are described. The recover and read method includes: operating a power-up process on the NOR flash memory apparatus during a power-up time period; operating a power-up reading operation and reading a mark bit of a memory block of the flash memory apparatus during a reading time period after the power-up time period; and, applying a negative voltage to a plurality of un-selected word lines for the power-up reading operation to operate without leakage current from bit lines of the memory block being caused and therefore to operate normally without causing mistakes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Publication number: 20190172534
    Abstract: This invention introduces a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device, a write verify method and a reverse write verify thereof which are capable of improving the performance of RRAM operations and improving the uniform performance for each RRAM cell. A first resistance value sensed from a RRAM cell is compared with a plurality of reference resistance values to obtain a comparison value. A set or a reset operation is performed on the RRAM cell by applying a first set or reset pulse to change the first resistance value to a second resistance value. Next, the second resistance value is compared with the comparison value to determine whether to continue the set or reset operation on the RRAM cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Koying Huang
  • Patent number: 10074436
    Abstract: A memory device and a data reading method are provided. A dummy circuit performs a read operation in synchronism with a data access circuit according to an address signal, so as to estimate time points at which the data access circuit completes each of operating procedures, and enable the data access circuit to execute a next operating procedure when completing an operating procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Winbound Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Koying Huang, Teng Su
  • Patent number: 9859000
    Abstract: A data sensing apparatus adapted for sensing read-out data of a memory apparatus includes a sensing reference voltage generator, a sensing reference current generator, and a sense amplifier. The sensing reference voltage generator receives a reference voltage, generates a reference current according to the reference voltage and a control signal, and generates a sensing reference voltage according to the reference current. The sensing reference current generator receives the sensing reference voltage, and generates a sensing reference current according to the sensing reference voltage and the control signal. The sense amplifier receives the sensing reference current and a read-out current from the selected memory cell, and senses a current difference between the sensing reference current and the read-out current to generate the read-out data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chi-Shun Lin, Ngatik Cheung, Douk-Hyoun Ryu, Seow-Fong Lim, Koying Huang