Patents by Inventor Mark A. Helm

Mark A. Helm 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: 8902650
    Abstract: Devices and methods facilitate memory device operation in all bit line architecture memory devices. In at least one embodiment, memory cells comprising alternating rows are concurrently programmed by row and concurrently sensed by row at a first density whereas memory cells comprising different alternating rows are concurrently programmed by row and concurrently sensed by row at a second density. In at least one additional embodiment, memory cells comprising alternating tiers of memory cells are programmed and sensed by tier at a first density and memory cells comprising different alternating tiers of memory cells are programmed and sensed by tier at a second density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Goldman, Mark A. Helm, Jaydip B. Patel, Thomas F. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20140286092
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns memory kink checking. One embodiment includes selectively applying one of a plurality of voltages to a first data line according to a programming status of a first memory cell, wherein the first memory cell is coupled to the first data line and to a selected access line. An effect on a second data line is determined, due at least in part to the voltage applied to the first data line and a capacitive coupling between at least the first data line and the second data line, wherein the second data line is coupled to a second memory cell, the second memory cell is adjacent to the first memory cell, and the second memory cell is coupled to the selected access line. A kink correction is applied to the second data line, responsive to the determined effect, during a subsequent programming pulse applied to the second memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Uday Chandrasekhar, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 8804419
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns memory kink checking. One embodiment includes selectively applying one of a plurality of voltages to a first data line according to a programming status of a first memory cell, wherein the first memory cell is coupled to the first data line and to a selected access line. An effect on a second data line is determined, due at least in part to the voltage applied to the first data line and a capacitive coupling between at least the first data line and the second data line, wherein the second data line is coupled to a second memory cell, the second memory cell is adjacent to the first memory cell, and the second memory cell is coupled to the selected access line. A kink correction is applied to the second data line, responsive to the determined effect, during a subsequent programming pulse applied to the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Uday Chandrasekhar, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 8780626
    Abstract: Methods for sensing and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for sensing determines a threshold voltage of an n-bit memory cell that is adjacent to an m-bit memory cell to be sensed. A control gate of the m-bit memory cell to be sensed is biased with a sense voltage adjusted responsive to the determined threshold voltage of the n-bit memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yijie Zhao, Akira Goda, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20140189465
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and devices for data sensing. One such method includes performing a number of successive sense operations on a number of memory cells using a number of different sensing voltages, determining a quantity of the number memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations of the number of successive sense operations, and determining, based at least partially on the determined quantity of the number of memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations, whether to output hard data corresponding to one of the number of successive sense operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Patent number: 8711615
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns memory kink checking. One embodiment includes selectively applying one of a plurality of voltages to a first data line according to a programming status of a first memory cell, wherein the first memory cell is coupled to the first data line and to a selected access line. An effect on a second data line is determined, due at least in part to the voltage applied to the first data line and a capacitive coupling between at least the first data line and the second data line, wherein the second data line is coupled to a second memory cell, the second memory cell is adjacent to the first memory cell, and the second memory cell is coupled to the selected access line. A kink correction is applied to the second data line, responsive to the determined effect, during a subsequent programming pulse applied to the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Uday Chandrasekhar, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20140063937
    Abstract: Devices and methods facilitate memory device operation in all bit line architecture memory devices. In at least one embodiment, memory cells comprising alternating rows are concurrently programmed by row and concurrently sensed by row at a first density whereas memory cells comprising different alternating rows are concurrently programmed by row and concurrently sensed by row at a second density. In at least one additional embodiment, memory cells comprising alternating tiers of memory cells are programmed and sensed by tier at a first density and memory cells comprising different alternating tiers of memory cells are programmed and sensed by tier at a second density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Matthew Goldman, Mark A. Helm, Jaydip B. Patel, Thomas F. Ryan
  • Patent number: 8631288
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for data sensing in a memory system can include performing a number of successive sense operations on a number of memory cells using a number of different sensing voltages, determining a quantity of the number memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations of the number of successive sense operations, and determining, based at least partially on the determined quantity of the number of memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations, whether to output hard data corresponding to one of the number of successive sense operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Publication number: 20130322170
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns memory cell sensing. One or more methods include determining a data state of a first memory cell coupled to a first data line, determining a data state of a third memory cell coupled to a third data line, transferring determined data of at least one of the first and the third memory cells to a data line control unit corresponding to a second data line to which a second memory cell is coupled, the second data line being adjacent to the first data line and the third data line, and determining a data state of the second memory cell based, at least partially, on the transferred determined data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Goldman, Pranav Kalavade, Uday Chandrasekhar, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20130294156
    Abstract: This disclosure concerns memory kink checking. One embodiment includes selectively applying one of a plurality of voltages to a first data line according to a programming status of a first memory cell, wherein the first memory cell is coupled to the first data line and to a selected access line. An effect on a second data line is determined, due at least in part to the voltage applied to the first data line and a capacitive coupling between at least the first data line and the second data line, wherein the second data line is coupled to a second memory cell, the second memory cell is adjacent to the first memory cell, and the second memory cell is coupled to the selected access line. A kink correction is applied to the second data line, responsive to the determined effect, during a subsequent programming pulse applied to the second memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Uday Chandrasekhar, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 8565018
    Abstract: A method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Patent number: 8374028
    Abstract: Methods for sensing and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for sensing determines a threshold voltage of an n-bit memory cell that is adjacent to an m-bit memory cell to be sensed. A control gate of the m-bit memory cell to be sensed is biased with a sense voltage adjusted responsive to the determined threshold voltage of the n-bit memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yijie Zhao, Akira Goda, Mark A. Helm
  • Publication number: 20120240011
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods and devices for data sensing. One such method includes performing a number of successive sense operations on a number of memory cells using a number of different sensing voltages, determining a quantity of the number memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations of the number of successive sense operations, and determining, based at least partially on the determined quantity of the number of memory cells that change states between consecutive sense operations, whether to output hard data corresponding to one of the number of successive sense operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Publication number: 20120236640
    Abstract: A method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Publication number: 20120182797
    Abstract: Methods for sensing and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for sensing determines a threshold voltage of an n-bit memory cell that is adjacent to an m-bit memory cell to be sensed. A control gate of the m-bit memory cell to be sensed is biased with a sense voltage adjusted responsive to the determined threshold voltage of the n-bit memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Yijie Zhao, Akira Goda, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 8203876
    Abstract: Methods for programming and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Publication number: 20120117306
    Abstract: Memory devices, methods for programming sense flags, methods for sensing flags, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, the odd bit lines of a flag memory cell array are connected with a short circuit to a dynamic data cache. The even bit lines of the flag memory cell array are disconnected from the dynamic data cache. When an even page of a main memory cell array is read, the odd flag memory cells, comprising flag data, are read at the same time so that it can be determined whether the odd page of the main memory cell array has been programmed. If the flag data indicates that the odd page has not been programmed, threshold voltage windows can be adjusted to determine the states of the sensed even memory cell page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Shafqat Ahmed, Khaled Hasnat, Pranav Kalavade, Krishna Parat, Aaron Yip, Mark A. Helm, Andrew Bicksler
  • Publication number: 20110128782
    Abstract: Methods for programming and memory devices are disclosed. One such method for programming includes initially biasing a subset of a plurality of control gates of a string of memory cells with a negative voltage, wherein the subset is less than all of the plurality of control gates of the string. The control gate of a selected memory cell is subsequently biased with a programming voltage during a programming phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Alessandro Torsi, Carlo Musilli, Mark A. Helm, Doyle Rivers
  • Patent number: 7563679
    Abstract: A dielectric layer (e.g., an interpoly dielectric layer) is deposited over low and high voltage devices of a peripheral memory device. The dielectric behaves as an oxidation and wet oxide etch barrier. The dielectric prevents the devices from being stripped by a wet oxide etch that can result in the exposure of the silicon corners. The exposure of a silicon corner may increase thinning of a gate oxide at the field edge. This causes variability and unreliability in the device. The dielectric is not removed from a device until the device is ready for processing. That is, the dielectric remains on a device until the growing of a gate oxide on that device has begun. This reduces the exposure of the silicon corner. Hedges that result may be removed by exposing a trench in the field oxide at the hedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham R. Wolstenholme, Mark A. Helm
  • Patent number: 7358561
    Abstract: A NAND memory device has a source line connected to two or more columns of serially-connected floating-gate transistors. The source line includes a first conductive layer formed on a substrate and coupled to source select gates associated with the two or more columns of serially-connected floating-gate transistors. The source line also includes a second conductive layer formed on the first conductive layer, where the second layer has a greater electrical conductivity than the first conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Helm, Roger W. Lindsay