Patents by Inventor Thomas Nirschl

Thomas Nirschl 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: 10319460
    Abstract: A memory system having a flexible read reference is disclosed. The system includes a memory partition, a failcount component, and a controller. The memory partition includes a plurality of memory cells. The failcount component is configured to generate failcounts in response to read operations of the memory partition. The controller is configured to calibrate a reference value for the memory partition by utilizing the failcounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kern, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Nirschl
  • Patent number: 9569354
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system to emulate an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, and a method to emulate an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system to emulate an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory is provided, the system including a first memory section and a second memory section, wherein the first memory section comprises a plurality of storage locations configured to store data partitioned into a plurality of data segments and wherein the second memory section is configured to store information mapping a physical address of a data segment stored in the first memory section to a logical address of the data segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Kern, Thomas Nirschl, Jens Rosenbusch, Xiangting Bi, Edvin Paparisto
  • Patent number: 9389999
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for emulating an electrically erasable programmable read only memory in a non-volatile memory device, and a method of emulating an electrically erasable programmable read only memory in a non-volatile memory device. According to an embodiment, a system for emulating an electrically erasable programmable read only memory is provided, the system including a Flash memory, wherein the Flash memory is configurable into a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is adapted to store a first class of data and the second region is adapted to store a second, different class of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kern, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Edvin Paparisto, Thomas Nirschl
  • Patent number: 9356604
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has one or more logic gates and a control circuit. The control circuit has one or more control elements coupled to the logic gates. The control circuit controls the states of the one or more logic gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Berndt Gammel, Thomas Nirschl, Gerd Dirscherl, Philip Schlazer, Stefan Rueping
  • Patent number: 9343179
    Abstract: A system and method for performing three scans for testing an address decoder and word line drive circuits is disclosed. The first scan determines whether only one word line is selected. The second scan determines whether the word line rise time to a target voltage level is within a specified time. Finally, the third scan determines whether the correct word line was selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Kern, Thomas Liebermann
  • Patent number: 9240225
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sense amplifier architecture that facilitates fast and accurate read operations. The sense amplifier architecture includes a folded cascode amplifier for its first sense amplifier stage, and a pre-charge circuit to establish a pre-charge condition for a senseline and a reference senseline of the sense amplifier. The pre-charge circuit and the folded cascode amplifier each include one or more cascode transistors of the same size and which receive the same bias voltage on a gate thereof. This architecture provides fast and accurate read operations in a relatively small footprint, thereby providing a good blend of cost and performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: David Mueller, Thomas Nirschl
  • Patent number: 9219063
    Abstract: Integrated circuit arrangement comprising a field effect transistor, especially a tunnel field effect transistor. An explanation is given of, inter alia, tunnel field effect transistors having a thicker gate dielectric in comparison with other transistors on the same integrated circuit arrangement. As an alternative or in addition, said tunnel field effect transistors have gate regions at mutually remote sides of a channel forming region or an interface between the connection regions of the tunnel field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Juergen Holz, Ronald Kakoschke, Thomas Nirschl, Christian Pacha, Klaus Schruefer, Thomas Schulz, Doris Schmitt-Landsiedel
  • Patent number: 9153293
    Abstract: A method of operating an integrated circuit includes determining at least one characteristic of at least one memory cell and conducting an operation for the at least one memory cell, wherein based on the at least one characteristic determined a disturbance for at least one additional memory cell is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Jan Otterstedt, Alexander Duch
  • Patent number: 9123397
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of electronic components; a plurality of first access lines and second access lines, wherein each electronic component is coupled with at least one first access line and second access lines, the second access lines comprising at least two bit-lines; an access controller controlling access to at least one of the electronic components via the at least one first access line and the second access lines; and a first group of switches, wherein each switch comprises at least one control terminal and at least two controlled terminals. Each switch of the first group is connected to one of the at least two bit-lines via its control terminal and in a path between one first access line and a sense amplifier via its controlled terminals, and adjacent switches are connected via their control terminals to different bit-lines of the at least two bit-lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Philipp Hofter
  • Patent number: 9070439
    Abstract: One or more embodiments relate to an electronic device comprising a circuitry and a programmable resistive element. The programmable resistive element comprises a first and a second state, wherein the programmable resistive element is configured to allow switching from the second state into the first state in response to a signal comprising at least a predefined level. The circuitry is configured to provide signals up the predefined level, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide a switch signal to the programmable resistive element, wherein the switch signal causes switching from the first into the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Berndt Gammel, Thomas Nirschl, Gerd Dirscherl, Philip Schlazer
  • Publication number: 20150179270
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to system and methods including a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements wherein sets of least two nonvolatile memory elements each share one select element for selecting one of the nonvolatile memory elements of a particular one of the sets of nonvolatile memory elements for a read operation or a program operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Kern, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Nirschl
  • Publication number: 20150170762
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for performing a word line address scan in a semiconductor memory. More specifically, the disclosure provides a system and method for performing three scans for testing address decoder and word line drive circuits. The first scan determines whether only one word line is selected. The second scan determines whether the word line rise time to a target voltage level is within a specified time. Finally, the third scan determines whether the correct word line was selected. The present disclosure may realize all three scans or a combination of the three scans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Kern, Thomas Liebermann
  • Patent number: 9025391
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement, having a plurality of electronic components; a plurality of first access lines and second access lines, wherein each electronic component is coupled with at least one first access line and at least one second access line; an access controller configured to control an access to at least one electronic component of the plurality of electronic components via the at least one first access line and the at least one second access line; a bias circuit configured to provide a defined potential to at least one of the first access lines, wherein the bias circuit is configured, during an access to an electronic component via one selected first access line of the plurality of first access lines, to provide the defined potential to one or two first access lines of the plurality of first access lines, wherein the one or two first access lines are arranged adjacent to the selected first access line, and, wherein during the access to the electronic component, the potentials of the first access lines of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Christoph Roll, Philipp Hofter
  • Publication number: 20150052387
    Abstract: A memory system having a flexible read reference is disclosed. The system includes a memory partition, a failcount component, and a controller. The memory partition includes a plurality of memory cells. The failcount component is configured to generate failcounts in response to read operations of the memory partition. The controller is configured to calibrate a reference value for the memory partition by utilizing the failcounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kern, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Nirschl
  • Publication number: 20150049560
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of electronic components; a plurality of first access lines and second access lines, wherein each electronic component is coupled with at least one first access line and second access lines, the second access lines comprising at least two bit-lines; an access controller controlling access to at least one of the electronic components via the at least one first access line and the second access lines; and a first group of switches, wherein each switch comprises at least one control terminal and at least two controlled terminals. Each switch of the first group is connected to one of the at least two bit-lines via its control terminal and in a path between one first access line and a sense amplifier via its controlled terminals, and adjacent switches are connected via their control terminals to different bit-lines of the at least two bit-lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Philipp Hofter
  • Publication number: 20150039805
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system to emulate an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, and a method to emulate an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system to emulate an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory is provided, the system including a first memory section and a second memory section, wherein the first memory section comprises a plurality of storage locations configured to store data partitioned into a plurality of data segments and wherein the second memory section is configured to store information mapping a physical address of a data segment stored in the first memory section to a logical address of the data segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Kern, Thomas Nirschl, Jens Rosenbusch, Xiangting Bi, Edvin Paparisto
  • Publication number: 20140241055
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to memory devices and methods for firmly programming at least a portion of a plurality of electronically programmable and erasable nonvolatile memory cells in a processing of the nonvolatile memory devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Kern, Thomas Nirschl, Jens Rosenbusch
  • Publication number: 20140198583
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to system and methods including a plurality of nonvolatile memory elements wherein sets of least two nonvolatile memory elements each share one select element for selecting one of the nonvolatile memory elements of a particular one of the sets of nonvolatile memory elements for a read operation or a program operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Kern, Jens Rosenbusch, Ulrich Backhausen, Thomas Nirschl
  • Publication number: 20140153348
    Abstract: A method of operating an integrated circuit includes determining at least one characteristic of at least one memory cell and conducting an operation for the at least one memory cell, wherein based on the at least one characteristic determined a disturbance for at least one additional memory cell is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Thomas Nirschl, Jan Otterstedt, Alexander Duch
  • Patent number: 8743630
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sense amplifier architecture that facilitates fast and accurate read operations. The sense amplifier architecture includes a folded cascode amplifier for its first sense amplifier stage, and a pre-charge circuit to establish a pre-charge condition for a senseline and a reference senseline of the sense amplifier. The pre-charge circuit and the folded cascode amplifier each include one or more cascode transistors of the same size and which receive the same bias voltage on a gate thereof. This architecture provides fast and accurate read operations in a relatively small footprint, thereby providing a good blend of cost and performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: David Mueller, Thomas Nirschl