Patents by Inventor Michael Shore

Michael Shore 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: 20210074357
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for memory including ferroelectric memory cells and dielectric memory cells are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first memory cell including first and second ferroelectric capacitors configured to store charges representing complementary logical values, a second memory cell including first and second dielectric capacitors configured to store charges representing complementary logical values, a first bit line selectably coupled to the first ferroelectric capacitor of the first memory cell and to the first dielectric capacitor of the second memory cell, a second bit line selectably coupled to the second ferroelectric capacitor of the first memory cell and to the second dielectric capacitor of the second memory cell, and a sense amplifier coupled to the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Michael A. Shore
  • Patent number: 10867675
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for memory including ferroelectric memory cells and dielectric memory cells are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first memory cell including first and second ferroelectric capacitors configured to store charges representing complementary logical values, a second memory cell including first and second dielectric capacitors configured to store charges representing complementary logical values, a first bit line selectably coupled to the first ferroelectric capacitor of the first memory cell and to the first dielectric capacitor of the second memory cell, a second bit line selectably coupled to the second ferroelectric capacitor of the first memory cell and to the second dielectric capacitor of the second memory cell, and a sense amplifier coupled to the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20200388325
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a refresh control circuit with multiple timing circuits. The timing circuits may be used to control steal rates, e.g., the rate of refresh time slots dedicated to healing victim word lines of row hammers. The timing circuits may be controlled to allow independent adjustment of the steal rates for different victim word lines. Thus, different victim word lines may be refreshed at different rates and the different rates may be independent of one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy B. Cowles, Jiyun Li, Beau D. Barry, Matthew D. Jenkinson, Nathaniel J. Meier, Michael A. Shore, Adam J. Grenzebach, Dennis G. Montierth
  • Patent number: 10854270
    Abstract: Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices in which redundancy match is disabled to permit activating more word lines in parallel during refresh operations to increase a refresh rate of memory cells in a memory array. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided, comprising a memory array including a plurality of word lines arranged in a plurality of memory banks. The memory device further comprises circuitry configured to (i) store a value indicating one or more addresses corresponding to word lines in the plurality of word lines, (ii) disable redundancy match, (iii) activate one or more first word lines in the memory array corresponding to the one or more addresses indicated by the value to refresh first data stored in the memory array, and (iv) update the value based at least in part on activating the one or more first word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Smith, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20200349995
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for managing access counts of wordlines of a memory. Repeated access to an aggressor wordline may cause increased data degradation in nearby victim wordlines of the memory. The access count of a given wordline may be stored in counter memory cells positioned along that wordline. When the wordline is accessed, the counter memory cells may be read out to refresh circuit, which may determine the access count based on the values stored in the counter memory cells. If the access count is below a threshold, the access count may be incremented and written back to the counter memory cells. If the access count is above the threshold, the refresh circuit may signal that the accessed wordline is an aggressor, and may reset the value of the access count before writing it back to the counter memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Shore, Jiyun Li
  • Publication number: 20200312384
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for compensation of sense amplifiers, for example, threshold voltage compensation, are disclosed. Prime memory sense amplifiers used for accessing prime memory and redundant memory sense amplifiers used for accessing redundant memory are concurrently compensated while determining whether a memory address is remapped from prime memory to redundant memory. Following the determination, sense amplifiers (e.g., prime memory sense amplifiers and/or redundant memory sense amplifiers) that are not used for accessing the memory corresponding to the memory address are precharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyatake, Michael A. Shore, Adam J. Grenzebach
  • Patent number: 10770127
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for managing access counts of wordlines of a memory. Repeated access to an aggressor wordline may cause increased data degradation in nearby victim wordlines of the memory. The access count of a given wordline may be stored in counter memory cells positioned along that wordline. When the wordline is accessed, the counter memory cells may be read out to refresh circuit, which may determine the access count based on the values stored in the counter memory cells. If the access count is below a threshold, the access count may be incremented and written back to the counter memory cells. If the access count is above the threshold, the refresh circuit may signal that the accessed wordline is an aggressor, and may reset the value of the access count before writing it back to the counter memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Shore, Jiyun Li
  • Publication number: 20200251158
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for managing access counts of wordlines of a memory. Repeated access to an aggressor wordline may cause increased data degradation in nearby victim wordlines of the memory. The access count of a given wordline may be stored in counter memory cells positioned along that wordline. When the wordline is accessed, the counter memory cells may be read out to refresh circuit, which may determine the access count based on the values stored in the counter memory cells. If the access count is below a threshold, the access count may be incremented and written back to the counter memory cells. If the access count is above the threshold, the refresh circuit may signal that the accessed wordline is an aggressor, and may reset the value of the access count before writing it back to the counter memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Shore, Jiyun Li
  • Patent number: 10600472
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing an array reset mode. An example system includes at least one mode register configured to enable an array reset mode, a memory cell array including one or more sense amplifiers, and control logic. Each of the one or more sense amplifier may include at least a first terminal coupled to a first bit line and a second terminal coupled to a second bit line. The control logic may be coupled to the memory cell array, and in communication with the at least one mode register. The control logic may be configured to drive, in response to array reset mode being enabled, each of the first and second terminals of the sense amplifier to a bit-line precharge voltage that corresponds to a bit value to be written to respective memory cells associated with each of the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Huy T. Vo, Patrick Mullarkey, Jeffrey P. Wright, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20200066105
    Abstract: A method and system for micro-betting. One or more micro-bets can be electronically placed with respect to one or more micro-events associated with an event during a round of micro-betting. One or more wages with respect to the micro-bet(s) can be managed and controlled during the round of micro-betting. The wager(s) can be managed and controlled remote from electronically placing the micro-bet(s) during the round of micro-betting. Additionally, a portion of a profit can be automatically obtained with respect to the round of micro-bets in exchange for the aforementioned managing and controlling of the wager(s) with respect to the micro-bet(s) during the round of micro-betting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Shore, Alfonso Chan, Luis Ortiz, Kermit Lopez
  • Patent number: 10497420
    Abstract: Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices in which redundancy match is disabled to permit activating more word lines in parallel during refresh operations to increase a refresh rate of memory cells in a memory array. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided, comprising a memory array including a plurality of word lines arranged in a plurality of memory banks. The memory device further comprises circuitry configured to (i) store a value indicating one or more addresses corresponding to word lines in the plurality of word lines, (ii) disable redundancy match, (iii) activate one or more first word lines in the memory array corresponding to the one or more addresses indicated by the value to refresh first data stored in the memory array, and (iv) update the value based at least in part on activating the one or more first word lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott E. Smith, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20190348100
    Abstract: Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices in which redundancy match is disabled to permit activating more word lines in parallel during refresh operations to increase a refresh rate of memory cells in a memory array. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided, comprising a memory array including a plurality of word lines arranged in a plurality of memory banks. The memory device further comprises circuitry configured to (i) store a value indicating one or more addresses corresponding to word lines in the plurality of word lines, (ii) disable redundancy match, (iii) activate one or more first word lines in the memory array corresponding to the one or more addresses indicated by the value to refresh first data stored in the memory array, and (iv) update the value based at least in part on activating the one or more first word lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Scott E. Smith, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20190347904
    Abstract: A method and system for micro-betting. One or more micro-bets can be electronically placed with respect to one or more micro-events associated with an event during a round of micro-betting. One or more wages with respect to the micro-bet(s) can be managed and controlled during the round of micro-betting. The wager(s) can be managed and controlled remote from electronically placing the micro-bet(s) during the round of micro-betting. Additionally, a portion of a profit can be automatically obtained with respect to the round of micro-bets in exchange for the aforementioned managing and controlling of the wager(s) with respect to the micro-bet(s) during the round of micro-betting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Shore, Alfonso Chan, Luis Ortiz, Kermit Lopez
  • Publication number: 20190348102
    Abstract: Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices in which redundancy match is disabled to permit activating more word lines in parallel during refresh operations to increase a refresh rate of memory cells in a memory array. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided, comprising a memory array including a plurality of word lines arranged in a plurality of memory banks. The memory device further comprises circuitry configured to (i) store a value indicating one or more addresses corresponding to word lines in the plurality of word lines, (ii) disable redundancy match, (iii) activate one or more first word lines in the memory array corresponding to the one or more addresses indicated by the value to refresh first data stored in the memory array, and (iv) update the value based at least in part on activating the one or more first word lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Scott E. Smith, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20190019553
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for memory including ferroelectric memory cells and dielectric memory cells are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first memory cell including first and second ferroelectric capacitors configured to store charges representing complementary logical values, a second memory cell including first and second dielectric capacitors configured to store charges representing complementary logical values, a first bit line selectably coupled to the first ferroelectric capacitor of the first memory cell and to the first dielectric capacitor of the second memory cell, a second bit line selectably coupled to the second ferroelectric capacitor of the first memory cell and to the second dielectric capacitor of the second memory cell, and a sense amplifier coupled to the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20180358084
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing an array rest mode. An example system includes at least one mode register configured to enable an array reset mode, a memory cell array including one or more sense amplifiers, and control logic. Each of the one or more sense amplifier may include at least a first terminal coupled to a first bit line and a second terminal coupled to a second bit line. The control logic may be coupled to the memory cell array, and in communication with the at least one mode register. The control logic may be configured to drive, in response to array reset mode being enabled, each of the first and second terminals of the sense amplifier to a bit-line precharge voltage that corresponds to a bit value to be written to respective memory cells associated with each of the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, HUY T. VO, PATRICK MULLARKEY, JEFFREY P. WRIGHT, MICHAEL A. SHORE
  • Patent number: 10127971
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing an array rest mode. An example system includes at least one mode register configured to enable an array reset mode, a memory cell array including one or more sense amplifiers, and control logic. Each of the one or more sense amplifier may include at least a first terminal coupled to a first bit line and a second terminal coupled to a second bit line. The control logic may be coupled to the memory cell array, and in communication with the at least one mode register. The control logic may be configured to drive, in response to array reset mode being enabled, each of the first and second terminals of the sense amplifier to a bit-line precharge voltage that corresponds to a bit value to be written to respective memory cells associated with each of the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Huy T. Vo, Patrick Mullarkey, Jeffrey P. Wright, Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20180315466
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing an array rest mode. An example system includes at least one mode register configured to enable an array reset mode, a memory cell array including one or more sense amplifiers, and control logic. Each of the one or more sense amplifier may include at least a first terminal coupled to a first bit line and a second terminal coupled to a second bit line. The control logic may be coupled to the memory cell array, and in communication with the at least one mode register. The control logic may be configured to drive, in response to array reset mode being enabled, each of the first and second terminals of the sense amplifier to a bit-line precharge voltage that corresponds to a bit value to be written to respective memory cells associated with each of the first and second bit lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott J. Derner, Huy T. Vo, Patrick Mullarkey, Jeffrey P. Wright, Michael A. Shore
  • Patent number: 9672939
    Abstract: Testing systems and methods, as well as memory devices using such testing systems and methods, may facilitate testing of memory devices using a read-modify-write test procedure. One such testing system receives a signal indicative of at least some of a plurality of bits of data read from an address differing from each other, and then masks subsequent write operations at the same address. Therefore, any address at which the bits of read data do not all have the same value may be considered to be faulty. Failure data from the test can therefore be stored in the same array of memory cells that is being tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Shore
  • Publication number: 20150082106
    Abstract: Testing systems and methods, as well as memory devices using such testing systems and methods, may facilitate testing of memory devices using a read-modify-write test procedure. One such testing system receives a signal indicative of at least some of a plurality of bits of data read from an address differing from each other, and then masks subsequent write operations at the same address. Therefore, any address at which the bits of read data do not all have the same value may be considered to be faulty. Failure data from the test can therefore be stored in the same array of memory cells that is being tested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Michael A. Shore