Patents by Inventor Kyoung-Nam Kim

Kyoung-Nam Kim 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: 20080165607
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: a delay locked loop (DLL) clock buffer for buffering a system clock in response to the a buffer enable signal; a DLL circuit for generating a delay locked loop (DLL) clock by performing a delay locking operation using the buffered system clock; and a DLL clock buffer controller for generating the buffer enable signal in response to a code signal and a clock enable signal, the code signal containing information about whether to perform the delay locking operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Young-Jun Ku, Hoon Choi
  • Patent number: 7394718
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor design technology, particularly, a bus line arrangement method of global data bus in the semiconductor memory device. According to the invention, skew by lines can be not occurred, or can be minimized upon an issuance thereof. Further, upon its issuance, it is easy to compensate it relying on the specific rule. The present invention proposes a scheme that classifies data transmission units corresponding to each bank into plural groups, each group having some continuous data transmission units, and makes bus lines of the global data bus to be arranged alternately for each group. In other words, the global data bus line arrangement scheme suggested by the present invention may be defined as grouped alternate arrangement scheme. In this case, the overlap interval between adjacent global data bus lines can be reduced largely and skew problem by lines can also be solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Seok-Cheol Yoon
  • Publication number: 20080151679
    Abstract: A synchronous semiconductor memory device of the present invention includes: an operation controller for outputting a column active sense pulse in response to a column address and a column command signal; a shift register controller, activated in response to the column active sense pulse, for dividing a clock signal by N to thereby output a divided clock signal, N being a positive integer greater than 1; a plurality of shift registers connected in series and synchronized with the divided clock signal, wherein each shift register transmits the column active sense pulse to the next shift register; and a column active control signal generator for logically combining outputs of the shift registers to thereby generate a column active control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Sang-Hee Kang
  • Publication number: 20080122502
    Abstract: A Delay Locked Loop (DLL) circuit prevents a malfunction caused by a change of a power supply voltage, and includes a first and a second delay lines and a first and a second signal processors for controlling the first and the second delay lines, and turns off the second signal processor after DLL locking. The DLL circuit further includes a phase comparator for generating a comparison signal notifying which of phases of a first clock signal of the first delay line and a second clock signal of the second delay line precedes the other, and a signal selector for inputting an output of the second signal processor to the second delay line before the DLL locking, and inputting the comparison signal of the phase comparator to the second delay line after the DLL locking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventor: Kyoung-Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 7368964
    Abstract: Provided are a delay locked loop (DLL) and a method for generating a divided clock therein. In the DLL, a width of a reference frequency for phase comparison can be changed depending on a magnitude of an operating frequency. In the DLL, a clock buffer receives a clock equal to an external clock and generates an internal clock. An enable clock generator generates a 1-period enable clock or a 2-period enable clock using a command signal generated for performing a predefined operation. The command signal is generated according to an address command signal inputted from an exterior. A clock divider divides the internal clock to generate a divided clock. The divided clock is controlled by the 1-period enable clock or the 2-period enable clock, such that the divided clock is made to be a 1-period based dividing clock or a 2-period based dividing clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Tae-Yun Kim
  • Patent number: 7358784
    Abstract: A delayed locked loop, capable of a duty cycle compensation, resets if a phase difference between outputs from delay blocks in the delay locked loop is over a predetermined amount after a delay locking state is achieved. The delay locked loop includes a duty cycle compensator for receiving first and second clocks and a reset control block for resetting the delay locked loop if a phase difference between the first and second clocks is over a predetermined amount after the delay locked loop achieves a delay locking state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Hwang Hur
  • Patent number: 7345949
    Abstract: A synchronous semiconductor memory device of the present invention includes: an operation controller for outputting a column active sense pulse in response to a column address and a column command signal; a shift register controller, activated in response to the column active sense pulse, for dividing a clock signal by N to thereby output a divided clock signal, N being a positive integer greater than 1; a plurality of shift registers connected in series and synchronized with the divided clock signal, wherein each shift register transmits the column active sense pulse to the next shift register; and a column active control signal generator for logically combining outputs of the shift registers to thereby generate a column active control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Sang-Hee Kang
  • Patent number: 7339847
    Abstract: A bit line equalization signal (BLEQ) driving circuit for generating an equalization signal used to perform a precharge operation in a semiconductor memory device includes a second boosted voltage generator for producing a second boosted voltage by pumping a supply voltage, a BLEQ driver for generating the equalization signal by using the second boosted voltage in response to an equalization command and providing the equalization signal to a precharge unit, an equalizer and an I/O switch module. By using the second boosted voltage VPUP, which is lower than a first boosted voltage and higher than the supply voltage, as the equalization signal to be provided to gates of transistors for precharging a low power device to a precharge voltage level, it is possible to save current that a voltage pump consumes and satisfy a constant tRP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Kang-Seol Lee
  • Patent number: 7280422
    Abstract: A bit line equalization signal (BLEQ) driving circuit for generating an equalization signal used to perform a precharge operation in a semiconductor memory device includes a second boosted voltage generator for producing a second boosted voltage by pumping a supply voltage, a BLEQ driver for generating the equalization signal by using the second boosted voltage in response to an equalization command and providing the equalization signal to a precharge unit, an equalizer and an I/O switch module. By using the second boosted voltage VPUP, which is lower than a first boosted voltage and higher than the supply voltage, as the equalization signal to be provided to gates of transistors for precharging a low power device to a precharge voltage level, it is possible to save current that a voltage pump consumes and satisfy a constant tRP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Kang-Seol Lee
  • Patent number: 7280418
    Abstract: An internal voltage generation control circuit and an internal voltage generation circuit using the same are provided. The internal voltage generation control circuit comprises first to n-th latches and a logic unit. The first latch receives, as an input signal, a column active pulse signal generated after a read/write command is input, and latches state information of the column active pulse signal, received when a clock signal is enabled, during a predetermined time, and then outputs the latched information. A k-th latch (2?k?n) receives an output signal of a k-1-th latch, and latches state information of the output signal of the k-1-th latch, received when the clock signal is enabled, during a predetermined time, and then outputs the latched information. The logic unit performs a logical operation between the column active pulse signal and output signals of the n latches and outputs an internal voltage generation control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hee Kang, Kyoung Nam Kim
  • Publication number: 20070210841
    Abstract: A DLL circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a frequency sensing unit that generates and outputs a high frequency signal and a low frequency signal on the basis of a CAS latency signal. A clock dividing unit divides the frequency of an internal clock by a predetermined value and generates a divided clock in response with whether the high frequency signal is enabled or the low frequency signal is enabled. A phase sensing unit that switches a reference clock and a comparison clock, compares the phases thereof in accordance with whether the high frequency signal is enabled or the low frequency signal is enabled, selectively switches first and second phase control signals generated on the basis of the comparison result, and outputs the switched signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kyoung Nam Kim
  • Publication number: 20070195632
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor design technology, particularly, a bus line arrangement method of global data bus in the semiconductor memory device. According to the invention, skew by lines can be not occurred, or can be minimized upon an issuance thereof. Further, upon its issuance, it is easy to compensate it relying on the specific rule. The present invention proposes a scheme that classifies data transmission units corresponding to each bank into plural groups, each group having some continuous data transmission units, and makes bus lines of the global data bus to be arranged alternately for each group. In other words, the global data bus line arrangement scheme suggested by the present invention may be defined as grouped alternate arrangement scheme. In this case, the overlap interval between adjacent global data bus lines can be reduced largely and skew problem by lines can also be solved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Seok-Cheol Yoon
  • Publication number: 20070182471
    Abstract: A delayed lock loop (DLL) circuit includes: a phase conversion control unit configured to latch an initial value of a phase comparison signal, and output the latched signal as a phase conversion control signal. A phase converting unit configured to control the phase of a delay clock on the basis of the phase conversion control signal, and transmit the controlled delay clock to a delay compensating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kyoung Nam Kim
  • Publication number: 20070171745
    Abstract: A bit line equalization signal (BLEQ) driving circuit for generating an equalization signal used to perform a precharge operation in a semiconductor memory device includes a second boosted voltage generator for producing a second boosted voltage by pumping a supply voltage, a BLEQ driver for generating the equalization signal by using the second boosted voltage in response to an equalization command and providing the equalization signal to a precharge unit, an equalizer and an I/O switch module. By using the second boosted voltage VPUP, which is lower than a first boosted voltage and higher than the supply voltage, as the equalization signal to be provided to gates of transistors for precharging a low power device to a precharge voltage level, it is possible to save current that a voltage pump consumes and satisfy a constant tRP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Kang-Seol Lee
  • Patent number: 7227805
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor design technology, particularly, a bus line arrangement method of global data bus in the semiconductor memory device. According to the invention, skew by lines can be not occurred, or can be minimized upon an issuance thereof. Further, upon its issuance, it is easy to compensate it relying on the specific rule. The present invention proposes a scheme that classifies data transmission units corresponding to each bank into plural groups, each group having some continuous data transmission units, and makes bus lines of the global data bus to be arranged alternately for each group. In other words, the global data bus line arrangement scheme suggested by the present invention may be defined as grouped alternate arrangement scheme. In this case, the overlap interval between adjacent global data bus lines can be reduced largely and skew problem by lines can also be solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Seok-Cheol Yoon
  • Publication number: 20070101938
    Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus for a large area processing, the inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus comprising: a reaction chamber; a plurality of linear antennas horizontally arranged at an inner upper portion of the reaction chamber while being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance for receiving induced RF power, the linear antennas being coupled to each other at an outer portion of the reaction chamber, the linear antennas including at least one bending antenna formed by connecting first ends of adjacent antennas, which are exposed to the outer portion of the reaction chamber, to each other; and at least one magnet positioned adjacent to the linear antennas for creating a magnetic field perpendicularly crossing an electric field created by the linear antennas in such a manner that electrons perform a spiral movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventors: Geun-Young Yeom, Young-Joon Lee, Kyoung-Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 7215594
    Abstract: An address latch circuit of a memory device is disclosed. A latch operation is disabled while an address signal makes a level transition in the memory device, and then enabled when the address signal is stabilized after the level transition. Therefore, it is possible to reduce power consumption caused during the level transition of the address signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jae-Hyuk Im, Kyoung-nam Kim
  • Publication number: 20070070715
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a pipe latch unit having a plurality of pipe latches for latching data. An input controller controls input timing of data transmitted from data line to the pipe latch unit. An output controller controls output timing of data latched in the pipe latch unit. An initialization controller controls the input controller and the output controller to thereby initialize the pipe latch unit in response to a read/write flag signal which is activated during a write operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Ho-Youb Cho
  • Publication number: 20070069774
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device has a delay locked loop (DLL) with low power consumption. The semiconductor memory device includes a DLL for receiving an external clock to generate a DLL clock, an idle detector for detecting an idle state in which a command for driving a device is not supplied, and an output controller for controlling the output of the DLL through the idle state whether or not data is output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Ho-Youb Cho
  • Publication number: 20070069781
    Abstract: A delayed locked loop, capable of a duty cycle compensation, resets if a phase difference between outputs from delay blocks in the delay locked loop is over a predetermined amount after a delay locking state is achieved. The delay locked loop includes a duty cycle compensator for receiving first and second clocks and a reset control block for resetting the delay locked loop if a phase difference between the first and second clocks is over a predetermined amount after the delay locked loop achieves a delay locking state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Inventors: Kyoung-Nam Kim, Hwang Hur