Patents by Inventor Thomas Röhr

Thomas Röhr 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: 11495273
    Abstract: A write circuit for writing to a plurality of memory cells of a non-volatile data memory, including a buffer memory forming a single memory element which is configured to buffer a first data value before storing said value in the plurality of non-volatile memory cells of the non-volatile data memory. The write circuit also includes a first write line, by means of which the buffer memory is connected to a first memory cell of the plurality of memory cells, and a second write line, which is different from the first write line and by means of which the buffer memory is connected to a second memory cell of the plurality of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Roehr, Volker Pissors
  • Publication number: 20210272610
    Abstract: A write circuit for writing to a plurality of memory cells of a non-volatile data memory, including a buffer memory forming a single memory element which is configured to buffer a first data value before storing said value in the plurality of non-volatile memory cells of the non-volatile data memory. The write circuit also includes a first write line, by means of which the buffer memory is connected to a first memory cell of the plurality of memory cells, and a second write line, which is different from the first write line and by means of which the buffer memory is connected to a second memory cell of the plurality of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Roehr, Volker Pissors
  • Patent number: 7737428
    Abstract: The invention relates to a memory component having memory cells based on an active solid electrolyte material which can be changed in terms of its resistance value. The active solid electrolyte material is embedded between a bottom and top electrode, can be switched between an on state with a low resistance and an off state with a high resistance by comparison therewith by application of a suitable electric field between said electrodes. A resistance material is embedded in parallel with the solid electrolyte material between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Qimonda AG
    Inventors: Ralf Symanczyk, Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7715226
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including circuitry configured to perform erase and write functions. One embodiment includes a programmable metallization memory cell, a conductive line connected to a first node of the memory cell, and a bitline connected to a second node of the memory cell. The memory device also includes circuitry configured to perform a write operation by applying a first voltage to the conductive line and a second voltage to the bitline, perform an erase operation by applying the second voltage to the conductive line and the first voltage to the bitline, and apply a voltage midway between the first voltage and the second voltage to the conductive line when the write operation and the erase operation are not being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Qimonda AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7561460
    Abstract: Provided is a resistive memory arrangement having a cell array structured in rows and columns and having resistive memory cells connected to a drive element for driving. Each drive element is jointly connected to n cell resistors forming a memory cell, the cell resistors being CBRAM resistance elements, in particular, and also to a writing, reading and erasing method for a resistive memory arrangement realized with CBRAM resistance elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Corvin Liaw, Thomas Roehr, Michael Kund
  • Patent number: 7499349
    Abstract: A memory circuit comprising a memory cell which has a resistance memory element and is connected between a ground terminal and a capacitor has a reference memory cell with a reference resistor which is connected between the ground terminal and a reference capacitor, in which case, during the reading operation of the memory cell, the memory cell and the reference memory cell are switched on in order to charge or discharge the capacitor and the reference capacitor, and an evaluation device evaluates the difference between the electrical potentials of the capacitor and the reference capacitor at a predetermined instant after the switching-on of the memory cell and the reference memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7495945
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory cell for storage of a data item in an integrated circuit, comprising a resistive memory element which may have different conductance states depending on the stored data item, a memory unit for passing the stored data item to an integrated circuit, a read unit which can be activated in order to pass a data item on for storage in the memory unit as a function of the conductance state of the memory element, a control unit in order to activate the read unit so that the data item to be passed on is stored in the memory unit, and in order to deactivate the read unit after storage of the data item in the memory unit, such that the memory element is isolated from the memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7423281
    Abstract: The micro electronic device comprises a substrate with a surface and a plurality of storage elements in serial connection formed at the surface of the substrate, a plurality of transistors, each transistor being connected parallel to one of the plurality of storage elements. Each storage element comprises a storing material between a first electrode and a second electrode. A storing material provides at least two different storing states with different electrical properties. The first electrode comprises a first material and the second electrode comprises a second material different from the first material. The plurality of storage elements is oriented parallel to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Röhr
  • Patent number: 7414257
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a switching device to be irreversibly switched from an electrically isolating off-state into an electrically conducting on-state for use in a configurable interconnect, comprising two separate electrodes, at least one of which being a reactive metal electrode, and a solid state electrolyte arranged between said electrodes and being capable of electrolyte isolating said electrodes to define said off-state, said electrodes and said solid state electrolyte forming a redox-system having a mini-mum voltage (“turn-on voltage”) to start a redox reaction, the redox reaction resulting in the generation of metal ions to be released into said solid state electrolyte, the metal ions being reduced to increase a metal concentration within said solid state electrolyte, wherein an increase of said metal concentration results in a conductive metallic connection bridging the electrodes to define the on-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas D. Happ, Thomas Roehr
  • Publication number: 20080123400
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including circuitry configured to perform erase and write functions. One embodiment includes a programmable metallization memory cell, a conductive line connected to a first node of the memory cell, and a bitline connected to a second node of the memory cell. The memory device also includes circuitry configured to perform a write operation by applying a first voltage to the conductive line and a second voltage to the bitline, perform an erase operation by applying the second voltage to the conductive line and the first voltage to the bitline, and apply a voltage midway between the first voltage and the second voltage to the conductive line when the write operation and the erase operation are not being performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7372716
    Abstract: A memory cell arrangement has a plurality of memory cells of the CBRAM type and a programming apparatus, the memory cells being arranged along bit lines and each bit line having a programming apparatus. The invention provides for the programming apparatus to comprise a charge storage device and a switchable charging apparatus. The inventive method for programming memory cells of the CBRAM type is carried out in such a manner that, a given quantity of an electrical charge is stored in a charge storage device, and the stored quantity of electrical charge is transferred to the memory cell to be programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Roehr, Ralf Symanczyk, Michael Kund
  • Patent number: 7355898
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reading from a memory arrangement, in particular, for reading from a CBRAM or another memory arrangement based on resistively switching memory cells includes charging a bit line to a voltage value, discharging the bit line by a cell resistance, and subsequently assessing a resulting voltage difference in a measuring device, in particular, a differential sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7327603
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for programming a programmable metallization cell (PMC) memory cell are provided. A memory device includes a programmable metallization memory cell, a plate line connected to a first node of the memory cell, and a bitline connected to a second node of the memory cell. The memory device also includes circuitry configured to perform a write operation by applying a first voltage to the plate line and a second voltage to the bitline, perform an erase operation by applying the second voltage to the plate line and the first voltage to the bitline, and apply a voltage midway between the first voltage and the second voltage to the plate line when the write operation and the erase operation are not being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7289350
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic device comprising a memory cell with a resistive storage element having a first terminal and a second terminal. The resistive storage element can be switched between a first storage state with a first conductivity and a second storage state with a second conductivity. An access switch is coupled to the first terminal of the resistive storage element and to a node for connecting the first terminal of the resistive storage element to the node in an access state of the memory cell and for insulating the first terminal of the resistive storage element from the node in an idle state of the memory cell. A protecting switch is connected to the resistive storage element. The protecting switch, in the idle state of the memory cell, reduces the voltage across the resistive storage element produced by electromagnetic interference and, in the access state of the memory cell, enables the reading and the writing of the storage states of the resistive storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Publication number: 20070211515
    Abstract: Provided is a resistive memory arrangement having a cell array structured in rows and columns and having resistive memory cells connected to a drive element for driving. Each drive element is jointly connected to n cell resistors forming a memory cell, the cell resistors being CBRAM resistance elements, in particular, and also to a writing, reading and erasing method for a resistive memory arrangement realized with CBRAM resistance elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Corvin Liaw, Thomas Roehr, Michael Kund
  • Patent number: 7257013
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for writing data into a memory cell of a conductive bridging random access memory and to a memory circuit comprising memory cells with programmable metallization cells, particularly a CBRAM memory circuit. The embodiments of the prevent invention provide a method and a memory circuit for holding adjacently arranged bit lines at writing voltages during a writing operation of a selected memory cell to reduce voltage crosstalk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7254073
    Abstract: A memory device including an array of resistive memory cells, which are arranged in columns and rows, and wherein each resistive memory cell each is connected to a word line, to a bit line, and to a reference electrode. The word lines are assigned to the rows and the bit lines are assigned to the columns. The resistive state of the resistive memory cells corresponds to a logical state thereof, and the memory device further comprises an evaluation device, which is coupled to the bit lines, for evaluating the resistive state of at least one of the resistive memory cells during a reading operation. The respective resistive memory cell is selected by addressing the word line to which the resistive memory cell is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Röhr
  • Patent number: 7251152
    Abstract: In a memory circuit having memory cells which are connected in series between a ground line PL and a bit line BL and in each case have a resistance memory element said element having a bipolar switching behavior having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and a drive transistor connected in parallel with the resistance memory element, the drive transistors of the memory cells in each case are connected to a word line in order to switch the drive transistor on and off in such a way that a current path is formed via the associated drive transistor in a non-activated state of a memory cell and a current path is formed via the associated resistance memory element in an activated state of a memory cell, a first changeover switch being arranged at one end and a second changeover switch at other ends of the series of memory cells in order alternately to produce a connection between the series-connected memory cells and the ground line and the bit line in a manner dependent on an applied address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Publication number: 20070147102
    Abstract: A memory circuit comprising a memory cell which has a resistance memory element and is connected between a ground terminal and a capacitance has a reference memory cell with a reference resistance which is connected between the ground terminal and a reference capacitance, in which case, during the reading operation of the memory cell, the memory cell and the reference memory cell are switched on in order to charge or discharge the capacitance and the reference capacitance, and an evaluation device evaluates the difference between the electrical potentials of the capacitance and the reference capacitance at a predetermined instant after the switching-on of the memory cell and the reference memory cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas Roehr
  • Patent number: 7215568
    Abstract: Provided is a resistive memory arrangement having a cell array structured in rows and columns and having resistive memory cells connected to a drive element for driving. Each drive element is jointly connected to n cell resistors forming a memory cell, the cell resistors being CBRAM resistance elements, in particular, and also to a writing, reading and erasing method for a resistive memory arrangement realized with CBRAM resistance elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Corvin Liaw, Thomas Roehr, Michael Kund