Patents by Inventor Richard E. Fackenthal

Richard E. Fackenthal 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: 20200259497
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for section-based data protection in a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set memory sections each having memory cells configured to be selectively coupled with access lines of the respective memory section. A method of operating the memory device may include selecting at least one of the sections for a voltage adjustment operation based on a determined value of a timer, and performing the voltage adjustment operation on the selected section by activating each of a plurality of word lines of the selected section. The voltage adjustment operation may include applying an equal voltage to opposite terminals of the memory cells, which may allow built-up charge, such as leakage charge accumulating from access operations of the selected memory section, to dissipate from the memory cells of the selected section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Jahanshir Javanifard
  • Publication number: 20200174536
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells and, more particularly, a temperature update for a memory device are described. A memory array may be operated according to a timing cycle that includes a first interval for performing a first type of operation and a second interval for performing a second type of operation, where a duration of the first interval is greater than a duration of the second type of interval. A temperature related to a temperature of at least a portion of the memory array may be sampled during an interval of the second type, and the memory array may be reconfigured based at least in part on a sampled temperature. The first type of operation may then be performed on a reconfigured memory array during an interval of the first type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 10665285
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for section-based data protection in a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set memory sections each having memory cells configured to be selectively coupled with access lines of the respective memory section. A method of operating the memory device may include selecting at least one of the sections for a voltage adjustment operation based on a determined value of a timer, and performing the voltage adjustment operation on the selected section by activating each of a plurality of word lines of the selected section. The voltage adjustment operation may include applying an equal voltage to opposite terminals of the memory cells, which may allow built-up charge, such as leakage charge accumulating from access operations of the selected memory section, to dissipate from the memory cells of the selected section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Jahanshir Javanifard
  • Publication number: 20200159420
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10585597
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20200059252
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating memory cell(s) using an enhanced bit flipping scheme are described. An enhanced bit flipping scheme may include methods, systems, and devices for performing error correction of data bits in a codeword concurrently with the generation of a flip bit that indicates whether data bits in a corresponding codeword are to be flipped; for refraining from performing error correction of inversion bit(s) in the codeword; and for generating a high-reliability flip bit using multiple inversion bits. For instance, a flip bit that is even more reliable may be generated by determining whether a number of, a majority of, or all of the inversion bits indicate that the data bits are in an inverted state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20200058342
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for section-based data protection in a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set memory sections each having memory cells configured to be selectively coupled with access lines of the respective memory section. A method of operating the memory device may include selecting at least one of the sections for a voltage adjustment operation based on a determined value of a timer, and performing the voltage adjustment operation on the selected section by activating each of a plurality of word lines of the selected section. The voltage adjustment operation may include applying an equal voltage to opposite terminals of the memory cells, which may allow built-up charge, such as leakage charge accumulating from access operations of the selected memory section, to dissipate from the memory cells of the selected section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Jahanshir Javanifard
  • Publication number: 20200013478
    Abstract: Methods, systems, techniques, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. Groups of cells may be operated in different ways depending, for example, on a relationship between cell plates of the group of cells, pages of cells, and/or sections of cells. Cells may be selected in pairs or in larger multiples in order to accommodate an electric current relationship (such as a short) between two or more cells within a group, a page, and/or a section. When performing an access based on a smaller page size, a larger page size of cells may be selected to accommodate a short between plates within the smaller page, the larger page, and/or a section of memory that includes the smaller page or the larger page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Simon J. Lovett, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 10528099
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells and, more particularly, a temperature update for a memory device are described. A memory array may be operated according to a timing cycle that includes a first interval for performing a first type of operation and a second interval for performing a second type of operation, where a duration of the first interval is greater than a duration of the second type of interval. A temperature related to a temperature of at least a portion of the memory array may be sampled during an interval of the second type, and the memory array may be reconfigured based at least in part on a sampled temperature. The first type of operation may then be performed on a reconfigured memory array during an interval of the first type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20190392882
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to wear leveling for random access and ferroelectric memory are described. Non-volatile memory devices, e.g., ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) may utilize wear leveling to extend life time of the memory devices by avoiding reliability issues due to a limited cycling capability. A wear-leveling pool, or number of cells used for a wear-leveling application, may be expanded by softening or avoiding restrictions on a source page and a destination page within a same section of memory array. In addition, error correction code may be applied when moving data from the source page to the destination page to avoid duplicating errors present in the source page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190392883
    Abstract: A memory device having a plurality sections of memory cells, such as ferroelectric memory cells (hybrid RAM (HRAM) cells) may provide for concurrent access to memory cells within independent sections of the memory device. A first memory cell may be activated, and it may be determined that a second memory cell is independent of the first memory cell. If the second memory cell is independent of the first memory cell, the second memory cell may be activated prior to the conclusion of operations at the first memory cell. Latching hardware at memory sections may latch addresses at the memory sections in order to allow a new address to be provided to a different section to access the second memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20190339866
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to on demand memory page size are described. A memory system may employ a protocol that supports on demand variable memory page sizes. A memory system may include one or more non-volatile memory devices that may each include a local memory controller configured to support variable memory page size operation. The memory system may include a system memory controller that interfaces between the non-volatile memory devices and a processor. The system memory controller may, for instance, use a protocol that facilitates on demand memory page size where a determination of a particular page size to use in an operation may be based on characteristics of memory commands and data involved in the memory command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Duane R. Mills, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20190332281
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Patent number: 10431281
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for section-based data protection in a memory device are described. In one example, a memory device may include a set memory sections each having memory cells configured to be selectively coupled with access lines of the respective memory section. A method of operating the memory device may include selecting at least one of the sections for a voltage adjustment operation based on a determined value of a timer, and performing the voltage adjustment operation on the selected section by activating each of a plurality of word lines of the selected section. The voltage adjustment operation may include applying an equal voltage to opposite terminals of the memory cells, which may allow built-up charge, such as leakage charge accumulating from access operations of the selected memory section, to dissipate from the memory cells of the selected section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Daniele Vimercati, Jahanshir Javanifard
  • Patent number: 10416903
    Abstract: In an example, a portion of a memory array may be selected to be wear leveled based on how often the portion is or is to be accessed. The portion may be wear leveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Duane R. Mills
  • Publication number: 20190279714
    Abstract: Memory systems and memory programming methods are described. In one arrangement, a memory system includes a memory cell configured to have a plurality of different memory states, an access circuit coupled with the memory cell and configured to provide a first signal to a memory element of the memory cell to program the memory cell from a first memory state to a second memory state, and a current source coupled with the memory cell and configured to generate a second signal which is provided to the memory element of the memory cell after the first signal to complete programming of the memory cell from the first memory state to the second memory state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Simone Lombardo
  • Patent number: 10403388
    Abstract: Methods, systems, techniques, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. Groups of cells may be operated in different ways depending, for example, on a relationship between cell plates of the group of cells. Cells may be selected in pairs in order to accommodate an electric current relationship, such as a short, between cells that make up the pair. Cells may be arranged in cell plate groups, and a pair of cells may include a first cell plate from one cell plate group and a second cell plate from the same cell plate group or from another, adjacent cell plate group. So a pair of cell plates may include cell plates from different cell plate groups. The first and second cell plates may be selected as a pair or a group based at least in part on the electric current relationship between the cell plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Charles L. Ingalls
  • Patent number: 10403389
    Abstract: Methods, systems, techniques, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. Groups of cells may be operated in different ways depending, for example, on a relationship between cell plates of the group of cells, pages of cells, and/or sections of cells. Cells may be selected in pairs or in larger multiples in order to accommodate an electric current relationship (such as a short) between two or more cells within a group, a page, and/or a section. When performing an access based on a smaller page size, a larger page size of cells may be selected to accommodate a short between plates within the smaller page, the larger page, and/or a section of memory that includes the smaller page or the larger page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon J. Lovett, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 10394456
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to on demand memory page size are described. A memory system may employ a protocol that supports on demand variable memory page sizes. A memory system may include one or more non-volatile memory devices that may each include a local memory controller configured to support variable memory page size operation. The memory system may include a system memory controller that interfaces between the non-volatile memory devices and a processor. The system memory controller may, for instance, use a protocol that facilitates on demand memory page size where a determination of a particular page size to use in an operation may be based on characteristics of memory commands and data involved in the memory command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane R. Mills, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 10388352
    Abstract: A memory device having a plurality sections of memory cells, such as ferroelectric memory cells may provide for concurrent access to memory cells within independent sections of the memory device. A first memory cell may be activated, and it may be determined that a second memory cell is independent of the first memory cell. If the second memory cell is independent of the first memory cell, the second memory cell may be activated prior to the conclusion of operations at the first memory cell. Latching hardware at memory sections may latch addresses at the memory sections in order to allow a new address to be provided to a different section to access the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal