Patents by Inventor Youn-cheul Kim

Youn-cheul Kim 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: 9142283
    Abstract: A circuit includes a first buffer configured to provide data on a signal line. The first buffer may be powered by a first power supply voltage. The circuit further includes a tri-state buffer coupled to receive the data provided on the signal line. The tri-state buffer may be powered by a second power supply voltage that has a magnitude greater than that of the first power supply voltage. During operation, the tri-state buffer may be activated for a predetermined period of time during which data is made available on the signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn Cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20150221392
    Abstract: Semiconductor systems are provided. The semiconductor system includes a boot-up operation circuit and a timing sensor. The boot-up operation circuit transmits control data stored in a fuse array portion to a first data latch unit and a second data latch unit. The timing sensor detects timings of internal control signals to generate a restart signal. The boot-up operation circuit re-transmits the control data to the first and second data latch units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn Cheul KIM
  • Publication number: 20150187408
    Abstract: A circuit includes a first buffer configured to provide data on a signal line. The first buffer may be powered by a first power supply voltage. The circuit further includes a tri-state buffer coupled to receive the data provided on the signal line. The tri-state buffer may be powered by a second power supply voltage that has a magnitude greater than that of the first power supply voltage. During operation, the tri-state buffer may be activated for a predetermined period of time during which data is made available on the signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn Cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20150187407
    Abstract: A circuit includes a plurality of buffers configured to provide data on a corresponding signal line. Each of the plurality of buffers may be coupled to a power supply voltage through a corresponding diode. A plurality of receiving circuits may be coupled to receive the data provided on a corresponding one of the plurality of signal lines. The plurality of receiving circuits may be directly powered by the power supply voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn Cheul KIM
  • Patent number: 8742809
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that vary one or more attributes or parameters of a closed-loop clock circuit as a function of a characteristic of its phase error. One example provides a delay-locked loop having a loop bandwidth that can be varied as a function of its phase error. In this specific example, current phase error is determined. This determination may be made directly, either by measuring phase error, or indirectly, by determining if phase error is within one or more ranges of values. Once the phase error is determined, the loop bandwidth can be set. In one example, the loop bandwidth is set by adjusting the depth, type, or depth and type of the delay-locked loop's loop filter. In this way, large phase errors can be reduced quickly by increasing loop bandwidth, while small phase errors can be used to decrease loop bandwidth, thereby improving jitter performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20130329513
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that vary one or more attributes or parameters of a closed-loop clock circuit as a function of a characteristic of its phase error. One example provides a delay-locked loop having a loop bandwidth that can be varied as a function of its phase error. In this specific example, current phase error is determined. This determination may be made directly, either by measuring phase error, or indirectly, by determining if phase error is within one or more ranges of values. Once the phase error is determined, the loop bandwidth can be set. In one example, the loop bandwidth is set by adjusting the depth, type, or depth and type of the delay-locked loop's loop filter. In this way, large phase errors can be reduced quickly by increasing loop bandwidth, while small phase errors can be used to decrease loop bandwidth, thereby improving jitter performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Patent number: 8531909
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that vary one or more attributes or parameters of a closed-loop clock circuit as a function of a characteristic of its operating frequency. One example provides a delay-locked loop having a loop bandwidth that can be varied as a function of its operating frequency. In this specific example, operating frequency is determined. This determination may be made directly, either by measuring operating frequency, or indirectly, by taking a measurement or reading, such as by reading a value for column address select latency. Once the operating frequency is determined, the loop bandwidth can be set. In one example, the loop bandwidth is set by adjusting the depth of the delay-locked loop's loop filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Patent number: 8513991
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that vary one or more attributes or parameters of a closed-loop clock circuit as a function of a characteristic of its phase error. One example provides a delay-locked loop having a loop bandwidth that can be varied as a function of its phase error. In this specific example, current phase error is determined. This determination may be made directly, either by measuring phase error, or indirectly, by determining if phase error is within one or more ranges of values. Once the phase error is determined, the loop bandwidth can be set. In one example, the loop bandwidth is set by adjusting the depth, type, or depth and type of the delay-locked loop's loop filter. In this way, large phase errors can be reduced quickly by increasing loop bandwidth, while small phase errors can be used to decrease loop bandwidth, thereby improving jitter performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20110309866
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that vary one or more attributes or parameters of a closed-loop clock circuit as a function of a characteristic of its phase error. One example provides a delay-locked loop having a loop bandwidth that can be varied as a function of its phase error. In this specific example, current phase error is determined. This determination may be made directly, either by measuring phase error, or indirectly, by determining if phase error is within one or more ranges of values. Once the phase error is determined, the loop bandwidth can be set. In one example, the loop bandwidth is set by adjusting the depth, type, or depth and type of the delay-locked loop's loop filter. In this way, large phase errors can be reduced quickly by increasing loop bandwidth, while small phase errors can be used to decrease loop bandwidth, thereby improving jitter performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20110310682
    Abstract: Circuits, methods, and apparatus that vary one or more attributes or parameters of a closed-loop clock circuit as a function of a characteristic of its operating frequency. One example provides a delay-locked loop having a loop bandwidth that can be varied as a function of its operating frequency. In this specific example, operating frequency is determined. This determination may be made directly, either by measuring operating frequency, or indirectly, by taking a measurement or reading, such as by reading a value for column address select latency. Once the operating frequency is determined, the loop bandwidth can be set. In one example, the loop bandwidth is set by adjusting the depth of the delay-locked loop's loop filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Patent number: 8046665
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory core block, a data patch unit, a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) generating unit, and/or a serializer. The data patch unit may be configured to patch parallel data read from the memory core block in response to a first read pulse. The CRC generating unit may be configured to generate the CRC code based on the parallel data in response to a second read pulse, the second read pulse delayed by a period of time from if the first read pulse is generated. The serializer may be configured to convert the parallel data to serial data in response to the first read pulse, and/or arrange the CRC code in a order for a number of bits of the serial data to generate a systematic code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hoe-ju Chung, Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Patent number: 7675791
    Abstract: A synchronous memory device, which includes a read command buffer, a replica circuit, and a latency circuit. The read command buffer provides a read signal in response to a read command. The replica circuit provides a transfer signal whose time difference with respect to the feedback clock signal is substantially identical to a period that it takes a read command buffer to provide the read signal. The latency circuit receives the read signal, and provides a latency signal having a difference of a predetermined time corresponding to CAS latency with respect to the read signal in response to the transfer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youn-cheul Kim
  • Patent number: 7633785
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor memory device and a method of generating a chip enable signal thereof. The device includes a plurality of memory chips and an interface chip that are stacked. Each of the memory chips includes a control signal setting unit, which sets input signals applied to first and second input nodes as less significant 2-bit control signals of n-bit control signals, performs a logic AND operation on the less significant 2-bit control signals to generate AND operated signals, performs a logic XOR operation on each of the AND operated signals and each bit signal of more significant n?2-bit input signals applied to third to n-th input nodes to set the n?2-bit control signals, outputs the signal applied to the second input node through a first output node, inverts the signal applied to the first input node to output the inverted signal through a second output node, and outputs the more significant n?2-bit input signals through third through n-th output nodes, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Doo-Gon Kim, Youn-Cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20090244998
    Abstract: A synchronous memory device, which includes a read command buffer, a replica circuit, and a latency circuit. The read command buffer provides a read signal in response to a read command. The replica circuit provides a transfer signal whose time difference with respect to the feedback clock signal is substantially identical to a period that it takes a read command buffer to provide the read signal. The latency circuit receives the read signal, and provides a latency signal having a difference of a predetermined time corresponding to CAS latency with respect to the read signal in response to the transfer signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Youn-cheul Kim
  • Patent number: 7554878
    Abstract: A synchronous memory device, which includes a read command buffer, a replica circuit, and a latency circuit. The read command buffer provides a read signal in response to a read command. The replica circuit provides a transfer signal whose time difference with respect to the feedback clock signal is substantially identical to a period that it takes a read command buffer to provide the read signal. The latency circuit receives the read signal, and provides a latency signal having a difference of a predetermined time corresponding to CAS latency with respect to the read signal in response to the transfer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youn-cheul Kim
  • Publication number: 20090083479
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device used in a multiprocessor system is configured to perform a partial refresh operation based on the state of an access port instead of performing a refresh operation per memory bank via a bank address. The multiprocessor system includes a plurality of processors and the memory device includes a memory cell array and a plurality of ports correspondingly connected to the plurality of processors. The memory cell array includes a plurality of memory areas having predetermined memory capacity. Each of the plurality of memory areas is assigned to at least one of the plurality of ports. Each of the plurality of memory areas is accessed by any one of at least one corresponding processors through a corresponding port. A refresh controller is disposed between the plurality of ports and the plurality of memory areas and is configured to refresh at least one memory area assigned to a port connected to a processor which is in a predetermined operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-Wook LEE, Youn-Cheul KIM
  • Publication number: 20090015291
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor memory device and a method of generating a chip enable signal thereof. The device includes a plurality of memory chips and an interface chip that are stacked. Each of the memory chips includes a control signal setting unit, which sets input signals applied to first and second input nodes as less significant 2-bit control signals of n-bit control signals, performs a logic AND operation on the less significant 2-bit control signals to generate AND operated signals, performs a logic XOR operation on each of the AND operated signals and each bit signal of more significant n?2-bit input signals applied to third to n-th input nodes to set the n?2-bit control signals, outputs the signal applied to the second input node through a first output node, inverts the signal applied to the first input node to output the inverted signal through a second output node, and outputs the more significant n?2-bit input signals through third through n-th output nodes, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Doo-Gon KIM, Youn-Cheul KIM
  • Publication number: 20080263287
    Abstract: A communication system includes a first processor, a second processor, and a multi-port memory device. The multi-port memory device generates a first internal clock signal having a first frequency and a second internal clock signal having a second frequency based on an external clock signal. The multi-port memory device communicates with the first processor in a parallel interface mode synchronously with the first internal clock signal. In addition, the multi-port memory device communicates with the second processor in a serial interface mode synchronously with the second internal clock signal. Therefore, the multi-port memory device applied to the communication system may reduce a number of pins and costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul KIM
  • Patent number: 7441167
    Abstract: Each memory chip of a memory module tests a total of N data bits from X memory blocks for efficient testing and outputs N/X data bits from one of the memory blocks. A memory module includes a plurality of memory chips and a plurality of comparison units. Each comparison unit is disposed within a respective memory chip for testing a plurality of data bits from a plurality of memory blocks. In addition, each comparison unit outputs data bits from one of the memory blocks within the respective memory chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youn-Cheul Kim, Hee-Joo Choi, Kae-Won Ha, Joon-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 7433263
    Abstract: A multi-port semiconductor device and method thereof are provided. In an example, the multi-port memory device may include a clock generating unit receiving an external clock signal having a given frequency and a given phase, the clock generating unit generating a plurality of local clock signals by adjusting at least one of the given frequency and given phrase of the received external clock signal such that at least one of the plurality of local clock signals have at least one of a different frequency and a different phase as compared to the given frequency and given phrase, respectively, of the received external clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youn-Cheul Kim