Patents by Inventor Scott Derner

Scott Derner 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: 10796743
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Publication number: 20190147932
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Patent number: 10153024
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Publication number: 20180158501
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Patent number: 9934839
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Publication number: 20180005680
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Publication number: 20170294220
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Patent number: 9786348
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for operating a ferroelectric memory cell or cells are described. A ferroelectric memory cell may be used to store a logic state. The capacitance of a digit line of the ferroelectric memory cell may be dynamically increased prior to, and during a portion of, a read operation used to determine a stored logic state of the cell. The capacitance may be increased by leveraging intrinsic capacitance of digit lines of the array—e.g., by shorting one digit line to another digit line. Increasing the capacitance of the digit line may increase the signal on the digit line that is sensed during the read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Kawamura, Charles Ingalls, Scott Derner
  • Patent number: 9087604
    Abstract: A pre-charging method applied in DRAM which includes steps of: enabling wordlines in an active array and an reference array; disabling the wordlines in the active array; equilibrating digital lines in the active array and the reference array to half of a power supply voltage; storing the half of the power supply voltage in reference cells of the reference array; disabling the wordlines in the reference array; pre-charging the digital lines in the active array and the reference array to the power supply voltage; and enabling the wordlines in the active array and the reference array at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Charles Ingalls, Howard Kirsch, Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 7366946
    Abstract: Redundancy in a read only memory (ROM) embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is accomplished by programming redundancy elements such as antifuses or registers with ROM data which is read instead of erroneous data. Multiple identical arrays of ROM bits can also be used for redundancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Casey Kurth, Phillip G. Wald
  • Publication number: 20070263470
    Abstract: Techniques for reducing gate induced drain leakage (GIDL) in memory devices utilizing negative wordline architectures. More specifically, a method and apparatus are provided to determine whether any of the word lines in a section of a memory array are active. If any one of the plurality of word lines is active, each of the inactive word lines in the section are coupled to a negative voltage level. If none of the plurality of word lines is active, each of the plurality of word lines is coupled to ground to reduce GIDL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Venkatraghavan Bringivijayaraghavan, Abhay Dixit, Scot Graham, Stephen Porter, Ethan Williford
  • Publication number: 20070168783
    Abstract: Redundancy in a read only memory (ROM) embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is accomplished by programming redundancy elements such as antifuses or registers with ROM data which is read instead of erroneous data. Multiple identical arrays of ROM bits can also be used for redundancy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Casey Kurth, Phillip Wald
  • Patent number: 7218547
    Abstract: A ROM embedded DRAM provides ROM cells that can be electrically programmed to a data state using DRAM capacitor memory cells. Numerous techniques for reading the memory cells are provided if a single state memory is desired. For example, bias techniques allow un-programmed ROM cells to be read accurately. In one embodiment, the memory includes program circuitry to short capacitor plates together by breaking down an intermediate dielectric layer using anti-fuse programming techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Casey Kurth, Scott Derner, Phillip G. Wald
  • Patent number: 7174477
    Abstract: Redundancy in a read only memory (ROM) embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is accomplished by programming redundancy elements such as antifuses or registers with ROM data which is read instead of erroneous data. Multiple identical arrays of ROM bits can also be used for redundancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Casey Kurth, Phillip G. Wald
  • Publication number: 20060256630
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for reducing the current in a memory device. Peripheral device control signals are translated to the wordline off voltage level, such as a negative wordline voltage. The translated signals prevent the peripheral devices from conducting current in the wordline off mode, even if a wordline-to-digitline short should occur. The control signals may include a column select signal for a column select device and an active pull-up signal for a sense amplifier, among others. Additionally, an equalization circuit having high and low resistance components is provided for the memory device. The equalization circuit limits current, even if a wordline-to-digitline short occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Stephen Porter, Scot Graham, Ethan Williford, Kevin Duesman
  • Patent number: 7099212
    Abstract: A ROM embedded DRAM provides ROM cells that can be programmed to a single state. The ROM cells include capacitors having a storage node. The storage node is processed to have a substantially high substrate leakage. The ROM cells, therefore, are hard programmed to a logic zero state. Bias techniques can be used to read un-programmed ROM cells accurately. As described, sense amplifier circuitry can be offset in one embodiment to default to the un-programmed state. In another embodiment, bias circuitry is coupled to bit lines to favor the un-programmed state. A differential pre-charge operation can also be used in another embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Casey Kurth, Scott Derner, Phillip G. Wald
  • Publication number: 20060094167
    Abstract: A ROM embedded DRAM provides ROM cells that can be programmed to a single state. The ROM cells include capacitors having a storage node. The storage node is processed to have a substantially high substrate leakage. The ROM cells, therefore, are hard programmed to a logic zero state. Bias techniques can be used to read un-programmed ROM cells accurately. As described, sense amplifier circuitry can be offset in one embodiment to default to the un-programmed state. In another embodiment, bias circuitry is coupled to bit lines to favor the un-programmed state. A differential pre-charge operation can also be used in another embodiment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Casey Kurth, Scott Derner, Phillip Wald
  • Patent number: 7012006
    Abstract: A ROM embedded DRAM provides ROM cells that can be programmed to a single state. The ROM cells include capacitors having a storage node. The storage node is processed to have a substantially high substrate leakage. The ROM cells, therefore, are hard programmed to a logic zero state. Bias techniques can be used to read un-programmed ROM cells accurately. As described, sense amplifier circuitry can be offset in one embodiment to default to the un-programmed state. In another embodiment, bias circuitry is coupled to bit lines to favor the un-programmed state. A differential pre-charge operation can also be used in another embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Casey Kurth, Scott Derner, Phillip G. Wald
  • Publication number: 20060041822
    Abstract: Error correction through the use of on memory encoded error correction circuitry or parity checking circuitry allow for error correction in a read only memory (ROM) embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Scott Derner, Casey Kurth, Phillip Wald
  • Patent number: 7001816
    Abstract: A ROM embedded DRAM provides ROM cells that can be programmed to a single state. The ROM cells include capacitors having a storage node. The storage node is processed to have a substantially high substrate leakage. The ROM cells, therefore, are hard programmed to a logic zero state. Bias techniques can be used to read un-programmed ROM cells accurately. As described, sense amplifier circuitry can be offset in one embodiment to default to the un-programmed state. In another embodiment, bias circuitry is coupled to bit lines to favor the un-programmed state. A differential pre-charge operation can also be used in another embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Casey Kurth, Scott Derner, Phillip G. Wald