Patents by Inventor Marco Defendi

Marco Defendi 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: 20220100404
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for circuit partitioning for a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set of memory tiles that each include a respective array of memory cells (e.g., in an array level or layer). Each of the memory tiles may include a respective circuit level or layer associated with circuitry configured to operate the respective array of memory cells. The memory device may also include circuitry for communicating data between the memory cells of the set of memory tiles and an input/output component. Aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data may be subdivided into repeatable blocks each configured to communicate one or more bits, and the repeatable blocks and other aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data is distributed across the circuit layer of two or more of the set of memory tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Andrea Martinelli, Christopher Vincent Antoine Laurent, Claudio Nava, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 11144228
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for circuit partitioning for a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set of memory tiles that each include a respective array of memory cells (e.g., in an array level or layer). Each of the memory tiles may include a respective circuit level or layer associated with circuitry configured to operate the respective array of memory cells. The memory device may also include circuitry for communicating data between the memory cells of the set of memory tiles and an input/output component. Aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data may be subdivided into repeatable blocks each configured to communicate one or more bits, and the repeatable blocks and other aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data is distributed across the circuit layer of two or more of the set of memory tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Martinelli, Christophe Vincent Antoine Laurent, Claudio Nava, Marco Defendi
  • Publication number: 20210011645
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for circuit partitioning for a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set of memory tiles that each include a respective array of memory cells (e.g., in an array level or layer). Each of the memory tiles may include a respective circuit level or layer associated with circuitry configured to operate the respective array of memory cells. The memory device may also include circuitry for communicating data between the memory cells of the set of memory tiles and an input/output component. Aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data may be subdivided into repeatable blocks each configured to communicate one or more bits, and the repeatable blocks and other aspects of the circuitry for communicating the data is distributed across the circuit layer of two or more of the set of memory tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Andrea Martinelli, Christophe Vincent Antoine Laurent, Claudio Nava, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 6950324
    Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory chips of a certain capacity assembled in a single package and sharing input/output pins, the memories being selectable and singularly enabled one at the time by appropriate external commands coherently with the currently addressed memory location. The device uses only one external enable/disable logic command applied through a single dedicated pin. Each of the memory chips has a number of additional input/output pads equal to 2*n, where 2n is the number of memory chips contained in the device, and a dedicated circuit that generates an internal enable/disable command, as a function of logic inputs corresponding to the logic states of the additional pads and the external enable/disable command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Magnavacca, Andrea Bellini, Francesco Mastroiani, Marco Defendi
  • Publication number: 20040136218
    Abstract: The memory device includes a plurality of memory chips of a certain capacity assembled in a single package and sharing input/output pins, the memories being selectable and singularly enabled one at the time by appropriate external commands coherently with the currently addressed memory location. The device uses only one external enable/disable logic command applied through a single dedicated pin. Each of the memory chips has a number of additional input/output pads equal to 2*n, where 2n is the number of memory chips contained in the device, and a dedicated circuit that generates an internal enable/disable command, as a function of logic inputs corresponding to the logic states of the additional pads and the external enable/disable command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alessandro Magnavacca, Andrea Bellini, Francesco Mastroianni, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 6333885
    Abstract: A circuit for reading a semiconductor memory device includes at least one global circuit for generating a global reference signal for a respective plurality of cell-reading circuits disposed locally in the memory device. The circuit includes at least one circuit for replicating the reference signal locally in order to generate a local reference signal to be supplied to at least one respective cell-reading circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Bedarida, Vincenzo Dima, Francesco Brani, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 6195290
    Abstract: A method of avoiding disturbance during the step of programming and erasing an electrically programmable, semiconductor integrated non-volatile memory device which includes a matrix of memory cells divided into sectors and programmable in a byte mode is disclosed. An operation of verification of the contents of the byte to be programmed, to be carried out for each individual bit, is provided even before the first program pulse is applied. The method also provides for the parallel erasing of several sectors during an erase step, and a verification of the erase step for each sector in the matrix. If the verification shows that a sector has been erased, the sector is applied no further erase pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Dallabora, Corrado Villa, Simone Bartoli, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 6157054
    Abstract: A voltage generator for electrically programmable non-volatile memory cells, constructed of a number of charge pump circuits having inputs controlled by a number of phase generators. The charge pump circuits are laid as pairs of first and second charge pump circuits. The first charge pump circuits are active when the second charge pump circuits are inactive, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio Tassan Caser, Marco Dellabora, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 5999450
    Abstract: An electrically erasable and programmable non-volatile memory device comprises at least one memory sector comprising an array of memory cells arranged in rows and first-level columns, the first-level columns being grouped together in groups of first-level columns each coupled to a respective second-level column, first-level selection means for selectively coupling one first-level column for each group to the respective second-level column, second-level selection means for selecting one of the second-level columns, first direct memory access test means activatable in a first test mode for directly coupling a selected memory cell of the array to a respective output terminal of the memory device, redundancy columns of redundancy memory cells for replacing defective columns of memory cells, and a redundancy control circuit comprising defective-address storage means for storing addresses of the defective columns and activating respective redundancy columns when the defective columns are addressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics s.r.l.
    Inventors: Marco Dallabora, Corrado Villa, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 5886949
    Abstract: A method and a circuit generates a pulse synchronization signal in order to control the reading phase of memory cells in semiconductor integrated, electronic memory devices. The pulse synchronization signal is generated upon sensing a change in logic state on at least one of a plurality of address input terminals of the memory cells to also generate an equalization signal for a sense amplifier. The logic state of said pulse synchronization signal is re-acknowledged by a fed-back response having a predetermined delay and being generated upon reception of a corresponding signal to said equalization signal. To this aim, a re-acknowledge circuit portion is provided which is input a corresponding signal to the equalization signal and feedback connected to the output node to drive the discharging of the node with a predetermined delay from the reception of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Corrado Villa, Marco Defendi, Luigi Bettini
  • Patent number: 5818763
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of erasing an electrically programmable non-volatile memory device constructed as a multi-sector matrix memory and being of the type with an erase algorithm integrated into the device. The method comprises the following steps of: erasing some or all of the matrix sectors in parallel; subsequently reading and checking each erased sector; storing the address of a sector being checked when the issue of a check is unfavorable; carrying out a fresh parallel erasing step; and starting a new reading/checking step from the sector that has checked unfavorably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Micrelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Corrado Villa, Marco Defendi, Luigi Bettini
  • Patent number: 5793679
    Abstract: A voltage generator for electrically programmable non-volatile memory cells, constructed of a number of charge pump circuits having inputs controlled by a number of phase generators. The charge pump circuits are laid as pairs of first and second charge pump circuits. The first charge pump circuits are active when the second charge pump circuits are inactive, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio Tassan Caser, Marco Dellabora, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 5754476
    Abstract: A negative charge pump circuit having a plurality of charge pump stages. Each charge pump stage has an input node and an output node and includes a pass transistor and a first coupling capacitor. The pass transistor has a first terminal connected to the input node, a second terminal connected to the output node and a control terminal connected to an internal node of the charge pump stage. The first coupling capacitor has a first plate connected to said output node and a second plate connected to a respective clock signal. Negative voltage regulation means are provided for regulating a negative output voltage on an output node of the negative charge pump circuit to provide a fixed negative voltage value. The negative charge pump circuit includes at least one negative voltage limiting means electrically coupling said output node of the negative charge pump circuit with the internal node of the last charge pump stage of the negative charge pump circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Fabio Tassan Caser, Marco Dallabora, Marco Defendi
  • Patent number: 5559743
    Abstract: Redundancy circuitry layout for a semiconductor memory device comprises an array of programmable non-volatile memory elements for storing the addresses of detective bit lines and word lines which must be functionally replaced respectively by redundancy bit lines and word lines. The redundancy circuitry layout is divided into identical layout strips which are perpendicular to the array of memory elements and which each comprise first and a second strip sides located at opposite sides of the array of memory elements, the first strip side containing at least one programmable non-volatile memory register of a first plurality for the selection or redundancy bit lines and being crossed by a column address signal bus running parallel to the array or memory elements, the second strip side containing one programmable non-volatile memory register of a second plurality for the selection or redundancy word lines and being crossed by a row address signal bus running parallel to the array of memory elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luigi Pascucci, Marcello Carrera, Marco Defendi