Patents by Inventor Richard K. Dodge

Richard K. Dodge 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: 11989228
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for multi-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of a plurality of possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, turning off a current to the memory cell upon determining the memory cell snaps back, and applying a number of additional voltage pulses to the memory cell after turning off the current to the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Hernan A. Castro, Richard K Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Publication number: 20240120006
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for three-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of three possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining whether the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, and applying an additional voltage pulse to the memory cell based on the determination of whether the memory cell snaps back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Hernan A. Castro, Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Patent number: 11942183
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for adaptive write operations for a memory device are described. In an example, the described techniques may include identifying a quantity of access operations performed on a memory array, modifying one or more parameters for a write operation based on the identified quantity of access operations, and writing logic states to the memory array by performing the write operation according to the one or more modified parameters. In some examples, the memory array may include memory cells associated with a configurable material element, such as a chalcogenide material, that stores a logic state based on a material property of the material element. In some examples, the described techniques may at least partially compensate for a change in memory material properties due to aging or other degradation or changes over time (e.g., due to accumulated access operations).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mattia Boniardi, Richard K. Dodge, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Mattia Robustelli, Mario Allegra
  • Patent number: 11869588
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for three-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of three possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining whether the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, and applying an additional voltage pulse to the memory cell based on the determination of whether the memory cell snaps back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hernan A Castro, Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Patent number: 11769538
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus includes a memory array in a first region and decode circuitry in a second region separate from a semiconductor. The decode circuitry is coupled to an access line in the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K. Dodge, Timothy C. Langtry
  • Patent number: 11705199
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for programming memory cells using asymmetric current pulses. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of self-selecting memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a self-selecting memory cell of the memory by applying a first current pulse or a second current pulse to the self-selecting memory cell, wherein the first current pulse is applied for a longer amount of time than the second current pulse and the first current pulse has a lower amplitude than the second current pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mattia Robustelli, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Richard K. Dodge
  • Publication number: 20220246210
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for three-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of three possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining whether the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, and applying an additional voltage pulse to the memory cell based on the determination of whether the memory cell snaps back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Hernan A. Castro, Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Patent number: 11315633
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for three-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of three possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining whether the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, and applying an additional voltage pulse to the memory cell based on the determination of whether the memory cell snaps back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hernan A. Castro, Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Publication number: 20220122664
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for programming memory cells using asymmetric current pulses. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of self-selecting memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a self-selecting memory cell of the memory by applying a first current pulse or a second current pulse to the self-selecting memory cell, wherein the first current pulse is applied for a longer amount of time than the second current pulse and the first current pulse has a lower amplitude than the second current pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Mattia Robustelli, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Richard K. Dodge
  • Publication number: 20220108732
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for adaptive write operations for a memory device are described. In an example, the described techniques may include identifying a quantity of access operations performed on a memory array, modifying one or more parameters for a write operation based on the identified quantity of access operations, and writing logic states to the memory array by performing the write operation according to the one or more modified parameters. In some examples, the memory array may include memory cells associated with a configurable material element, such as a chalcogenide material, that stores a logic state based on a material property of the material element. In some examples, the described techniques may at least partially compensate for a change in memory material properties due to aging or other degradation or changes over time (e.g., due to accumulated access operations).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Mattia Boniardi, Richard K. Dodge, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Mattia Robustelli, Mario Allegra
  • Publication number: 20220101899
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus includes a memory array in a first region and decode circuitry in a second region separate from a semiconductor. The decode circuitry is coupled to an access line in the memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Richard K. Dodge, Timothy C. Langtry
  • Publication number: 20220075817
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for multi-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of a plurality of possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, turning off a current to the memory cell upon determining the memory cell snaps back, and applying a number of additional voltage pulses to the memory cell after turning off the current to the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Hernan A. Castro, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Patent number: 11217308
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for programming memory cells using asymmetric current pulses. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of self-selecting memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a self-selecting memory cell of the memory by applying a first current pulse or a second current pulse to the self-selecting memory cell, wherein the first current pulse is applied for a longer amount of time than the second current pulse and the first current pulse has a lower amplitude than the second current pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology
    Inventors: Mattia Robustelli, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Richard K. Dodge
  • Patent number: 11205465
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus includes a memory array in a first region and decode circuitry in a second region separate from a semiconductor. The decode circuitry is coupled to an access line in the memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard K. Dodge, Timothy C. Langtry
  • Patent number: 11177009
    Abstract: The present provision includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for multi-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of a plurality of possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, turning off a current to the memory cell upon determining the memory cell snaps back, and applying a number of additional voltage pulses to the memory cell after turning off the current to the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Hernan A. Castro, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Patent number: 11158358
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for adaptive write operations for a memory device are described. In an example, the described techniques may include identifying a quantity of access operations performed on a memory array, modifying one or more parameters for a write operation based on the identified quantity of access operations, and writing logic states to the memory array by performing the write operation according to the one or more modified parameters. In some examples, the memory array may include memory cells associated with a configurable material element, such as a chalcogenide material, that stores a logic state based on a material property of the material element. In some examples, the described techniques may at least partially compensate for a change in memory material properties due to aging or other degradation or changes over time (e.g., due to accumulated access operations).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mattia Boniardi, Richard K. Dodge, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Mattia Robustelli, Mario Allegra
  • Publication number: 20210202018
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for multi-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of a plurality of possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, turning off a current to the memory cell upon determining the memory cell snaps back, and applying a number of additional voltage pulses to the memory cell after turning off the current to the memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Hernan A. Castro, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Publication number: 20210201995
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for three-state programming of memory cells. An embodiment includes a memory having a plurality of memory cells, and circuitry configured to program a memory cell of the plurality of memory cells to one of three possible data states by applying a voltage pulse to the memory cell, determining whether the memory cell snaps back in response to the applied voltage pulse, and applying an additional voltage pulse to the memory cell based on the determination of whether the memory cell snaps back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Hernan A. Castro, Jeremy M. Hirst, Shanky K. Jain, Richard K. Dodge, William A. Melton
  • Publication number: 20210027813
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for adaptive write operations for a memory device are described. In an example, the described techniques may include identifying a quantity of access operations performed on a memory array, modifying one or more parameters for a write operation based on the identified quantity of access operations, and writing logic states to the memory array by performing the write operation according to the one or more modified parameters. In some examples, the memory array may include memory cells associated with a configurable material element, such as a chalcogenide material, that stores a logic state based on a material property of the material element. In some examples, the described techniques may at least partially compensate for a change in memory material properties due to aging or other degradation or changes over time (e.g., due to accumulated access operations).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Mattia Boniardi, Richard K. Dodge, Innocenzo Tortorelli, Mattia Robustelli, Mario Allegra
  • Publication number: 20200090715
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus includes a memory array in a first region and decode circuitry in a second region separate from a semiconductor. The decode circuitry is coupled to an access line in the memory array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Richard K. Dodge, Timothy C. Langtry