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: 20180261302
    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: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Charles L. Ingalls
  • Publication number: 20180137907
    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: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20180101204
    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: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 9941021
    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: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Charles L. Ingalls
  • Publication number: 20180090206
    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: December 4, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Simone Lombardo
  • Publication number: 20170365360
    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: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Charles L. Ingalls
  • Patent number: 9837151
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Simone Lombardo
  • Publication number: 20170263303
    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: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 9627051
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a first memory element and a first select component coupled to the first memory element, a second memory element and a second select component coupled to the second memory element, and an access line shared by the first and second select components. At least one of the embodiments can include a circuit to generate a signal indicating a state of the second memory element based on a first signal developed from a first signal path through the first memory element and a second signal developed from a second signal path through the second memory element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xinwei Guo, Richard E Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 9454427
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to avoiding a hard error in memory during write time by shifting data to be programmed to memory to mask the hard error. In one implementation, a method of programming data to a memory array includes obtaining error data corresponding to a selected memory cell, shifting a data pattern such that a value to be stored by the selected memory cell matches a value associated with a hard error, and programming the shifted data pattern to memory array such that the value programmed to the selected memory cell matches the value associated with the hard error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Aswin Thiruvengadam, Angelo Visconti, Mauro Bonanomi, Richard E. Fackenthal, William Melton
  • Publication number: 20160254051
    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 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Simone Lombardo
  • Patent number: 9336875
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Simone Lombardo
  • Publication number: 20160004595
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to avoiding a hard error in memory during write time by shifting data to be programmed to memory to mask the hard error. In one implementation, a method of programming data to a memory array includes obtaining error data corresponding to a selected memory cell, shifting a data pattern such that a value to be stored by the selected memory cell matches a value associated with a hard error, and programming the shifted data pattern to memory array such that the value programmed to the selected memory cell matches the value associated with the hard error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Aswin Thiruvengadam, Angelo Visconti, Mauro Bonanomi, Richard E. Fackenthal, William Melton
  • Patent number: 9176831
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to avoiding a hard error in memory during write time by shifting data to be programmed to memory to mask the hard error. In one implementation, a method of programming data to a memory array includes obtaining error data corresponding to a selected memory cell, shifting a data pattern such that a value to be stored by the selected memory cell matches a value associated with a hard error, and programming the shifted data pattern to memory array such that the value programmed to the selected memory cell matches the value associated with the hard error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aswin Thiruvengadam, Angelo Visconti, Mauro Bonanomi, Richard E. Fackenthal, William Melton
  • Publication number: 20150255154
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a first memory element and a first select component coupled to the first memory element, a second memory element and a second select component coupled to the second memory element, and an access line shared by the first and second select components. At least one of the embodiments can include a circuit to generate a signal indicating a state of the second memory element based on a first signal developed from a first signal path through the first memory element and a second signal developed from a second signal path through the second memory element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Xinwei Guo, Richard E. Fackenthal
  • Publication number: 20150170740
    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: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Simone Lombardo
  • Publication number: 20150149838
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to avoiding a hard error in memory during write time by shifting data to be programmed to memory to mask the hard error. In one implementation, a method of programming data to a memory array includes obtaining error data corresponding to a selected memory cell, shifting a data pattern such that a value to be stored by the selected memory cell matches a value associated with a hard error, and programming the shifted data pattern to memory array such that the value programmed to the selected memory cell matches the value associated with the hard error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Aswin Thiruvengadam, Angelo Visconti, Mauro Bonanomi, Richard E. Fackenthal, William Melton
  • Patent number: 9042154
    Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a first memory element and a first select component coupled to the first memory element, a second memory element and a second select component coupled to the second memory element, and an access line shared by the first and second select components. At least one of the embodiments can include a circuit to generate a signal indicating a state of the second memory element based on a first signal developed from a first signal path through the first memory element and a second signal developed from a second signal path through the second memory element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Xinwei Guo, Richard E Fackenthal
  • Patent number: 8977929
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to avoiding a hard error in memory during write time by shifting data to be programmed to memory to mask the hard error. In one implementation, a method of programming data to a memory array includes obtaining error data corresponding to a selected memory cell, shifting a data pattern such that a value to be stored by the selected memory cell matches a value associated with a hard error, and programming the shifted data pattern to memory array such that the value programmed to the selected memory cell matches the value associated with the hard error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Aswin Thiruvengadam, Angelo Visconti, Mauro Bonanomi, Richard E. Fackenthal, William Melton
  • Patent number: 8934291
    Abstract: A partition may be made up of two planes of memory cells in a phase change memory. These planes may be configured so that they are not adjacent to one another. In some embodiments, this may mean that the adjacent planes may share sensing circuits, reducing the overall size of the memory array. In addition, by using non-adjacent planes to make up a partition, the planes may be spaced in a way which reduces resistance of power conveying lines. This may mean that smaller sized lines may be used, further reducing the size of the overall array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Richard E. Fackenthal, Ferdinando Bedeschi, Meenatchi Jagasivamani, Enzo M. Donze