Multiple Values (e.g., Analog) Patents (Class 365/185.03)
  • Patent number: 11366718
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory device including a plurality of cells associated with multiple pages and a controller. The controller selects a read bias set in response to a read address and modifies the read bias set to generate modified read bias set using one of a plurality of modification arrays. The controller performs a read operation on the select page using the modified read bias set. For a select read bias of the read bias set, the controller accumulates a fail bit count corresponding to a read operation using a select modified read bias of the modified read bias set into the plurality of accumulators using subtraction or addition. When an absolute value of a certain accumulator of the fail bit count is greater than a threshold, the controller shifts the select read bias in a correction direction by a specific magnitude corresponding to the accumulator sign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Teodor Vlasov
  • Patent number: 11355202
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory includes a first memory cell array including a plurality of first memory cells; and a second memory cell array including a plurality of second memory cells. Each of threshold voltages of the first memory cells and the second memory cells is set to any of a first threshold voltage, a second threshold voltage higher than the first threshold voltage, and a third threshold voltage higher than the second threshold voltage. Data of three or more bits including a first bit, a second bit, and a third bit is stored using a combination of a threshold voltage of the first memory cell and a threshold voltage of the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Hironori Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 11348645
    Abstract: A method for programming a B4 flash memory includes: floating a source of a P-channel flash memory device; separately applying voltages to a gate, a drain, and a bulk of the P-channel flash memory device, and injecting holes into the bulk, so that electrons are gathered in the drain to form primary electrons; separately applying voltages to the drain and the bulk, so that an electric field is formed between the drain and the bulk, where the holes accelerate downward under the action of the electric field and impact the bulk in the P-channel flash memory device to generate secondary electrons; and separately applying voltages to the gate and the bulk of the P-channel flash memory device, so that the secondary electrons form tertiary electrons under the action of the electric field in a vertical direction, where the tertiary electrons are superposed with the primary electrons to be injected into a floating gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: CHINA FLASH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hong Nie, Jingwei Chen
  • Patent number: 11341403
    Abstract: A synapse system of a neuromorphic device may include a pre-synaptic neuron; a pre-synaptic line extending from the pre-synaptic neuron in a first direction; a post-synaptic neuron; a post-synaptic line extending from the post-synaptic line in a second direction; a selecting controller; a selecting line extending from the selecting controller in a third direction; and a synapse electrically connected with the pre-synaptic line, the post-synaptic line, and the selecting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Hyung-Dong Lee
  • Patent number: 11342263
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a cell semiconductor pattern disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor dummy pattern is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor dummy pattern is co-planar with the cell semiconductor pattern. A first circuit is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the cell semiconductor pattern. A first interconnection structure is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the cell semiconductor pattern. A first dummy structure is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the cell semiconductor pattern. Part of the first dummy structure is co-planar with part of the first interconnection structure. A second dummy structure not overlapping the cell semiconductor pattern is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. Part of the second dummy structure is co-planar with part of the first interconnection structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jang-Gn Yun, Jaesun Yun, Joon-Sung Lim
  • Patent number: 11335407
    Abstract: A memory system to store multiple bits of data in a memory cell. A memory device coarsely programs a threshold voltage of the memory cell to a first level representative of a combination of bit values according to a mapping between bit value combinations and threshold levels. The threshold levels are partitioned into groups, each containing a subset of the threshold levels and having associated read voltages separating threshold levels in the subset. A group identification of a first group, among the groups, containing the first level is determined for the memory cell. The memory device applies read voltages of different groups, interleaved in an increasing order in a sequence, to read the memory cell when a read voltage applied is associated with the first group. The data bits read back from the memory cell are used to finely program the threshold voltage of the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Phong Sy Nguyen, James Fitzpatrick, Kishore Kumar Muchherla
  • Patent number: 11334144
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a memory chip and a controller coupled to the memory chip and configured to: instruct the memory chip to execute a write operation in one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode, a program voltage used in the second operation mode being determined on the basis of first information obtained in the first operation mode; manage a power consumption value of the second operation mode on the basis of the first information; and perform power throttling control on the basis of the managed power consumption value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Nosaka, Kouji Watanabe, Tomonori Tsuhata, Shingo Akita
  • Patent number: 11328777
    Abstract: Methods of operating apparatus, as well as apparatus configured to perform such methods, include checking whether power loss to the apparatus during programming of user data to a grouping of memory cells of the apparatus is indicated, and, when power loss is indicated, checking feature settings of the apparatus to determine a location of the apparatus containing an address of the grouping of memory cells, and recovering the address of the grouping of memory cells from the determined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Qiang Tang, Theodore T. Pekny
  • Patent number: 11321167
    Abstract: A non-volatile storage system includes a memory controller connected to an integrated memory assembly. The integrated memory assembly includes a memory die comprising non-volatile memory cells and a control die bonded to the memory die. The memory controller provides data to the control die for storage on the memory die. Data is initially stored on the memory die as single bit per memory cell data to increase the performance of the programming process. Subsequently, the control die performs an adaptive folding process which comprises reading the single bit per memory cell data from the memory die, adaptively performing one of multiple decoding options, and programming the data back to the memory die as multiple bit per memory cell data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eran Sharon, Alex Bazarsky, Idan Alrod
  • Patent number: 11317742
    Abstract: A framed collectible for displaying a continuously-looping playback of a digital video file is provided, wherein a display panel is controlled by a display controller to play at least one video file in a continuous loop on the display panel only while an output signal from a magnet sensor indicates no proximity to a magnet proximal to the back side of the display panel. The display controller has a printed circuit board that incorporates at least one processor and at least one memory that contains at least one video file. The memory, which in an embodiment can be flash memory, is factory programmed and therefore the memory content cannot be changed by an end user. Packaging for storage and shipping of the framed collectible is also provided, which incorporates a magnet that is sensed by the magnet sensor to keep continuously-looping video playback switched off while the device is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Infinite Objects, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Saavedra, Kensuke Sembo, Nicholas Dangerfield, Alexander Chung, Ralph Bishop
  • Patent number: 11322210
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a semiconductor memory having a plurality of memory cells and a memory controller that controls the semiconductor memory to perform write and read operations and a read operation. The memory controller causes the semiconductor memory to execute a first write operation using a first voltage, detects, in a read operation, first memory cells among the plurality of memory cells that have a threshold voltage higher than a voltage value corresponding to data to be stored and sets a second voltage used for a second write operation after the first write operation based on a detection result of the first memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marie Takada, Masanobu Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 11322204
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes first and second memory cells, adjacent first and second word line connected to gates of the first and second memory cells, respectively, a word line driver for the first and second word lines, a bit line connected to the first and second memory cells, a sense amplifier circuit configured to detect data stored in the memory cells via the bit line and apply a voltage to the bit line, and a control circuit configured to control the word line driver and the sense amplifier circuit to execute a write operation. During a write operation performed on the first memory cell to increase a threshold voltage of the first memory cell to a target state, the control circuit changes the bit line voltage of the bit line according to a difference between the target state and a threshold voltage state of the second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Taira Shibuya
  • Patent number: 11315631
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) memory device includes a memory cell array, a first sense amplifier and a second sense amplifier. The memory cell array includes lower memory cells respectively arranged in regions where lower word lines intersect with bit lines and upper memory cells respectively arranged in regions where upper word lines intersect with the bit lines. The first sense amplifier is connected to a first lower word line and performs a data sensing operation on a first lower memory cell connected between a first bit line and the first lower word line. The second sense amplifier is connected to a first upper word line and performs a data sensing operation on a first upper memory cell connected between the first bit line and the first upper word line. The data sensing operations of the first and second sense amplifiers are performed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirano, Jinyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11315643
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a controller is configured to write four-bit data in each of memory cells, and read first data item from the memory cells through application of a first voltage to a word line. The controller is configured to read second data items by repeating a first operation of reading data including data of respective first bits of the memory cells through application of two voltages to the word line at different timings while changing the two voltages in each first operation from the two voltages in another first operation. The controller is configured to mask part of each of the second data items using the first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsukasa Tokutomi, Masanobu Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 11309019
    Abstract: A memory cell array is configured to have a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of the memory cells being connected to a word line and a bit line and being capable of storing n values (n is a natural number equal to or larger than 3). A control circuit controls the potentials of the word line and bit line according to input data and writes data into a memory cell. The control circuit writes data into the memory cell to a k-valued threshold voltage (k<=n) in a write operation, precharges the bit line once, and then changes the potential of the word line an i number of times to verify whether the memory cell has reached an i-valued (i<=k) threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Shibata, Tomoharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11309042
    Abstract: A method and device for programming a non-volatile memory cell, where the non-volatile memory cell includes a first gate. The non-volatile memory cell is programmed to an initial program state that corresponds to meeting or exceeding a target threshold voltage for the first gate of the non-volatile memory cell. The target threshold voltage corresponds to a target read current. The non-volatile memory cell is read in a first read operation using a read voltage applied to the first gate of the non-volatile memory cell that is less than the target threshold voltage to generate a first read current. The non-volatile memory cell is subjected to additional programming in response to determining that the first read current is greater than the target read current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Storage Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Viktor Markov, Alexander Kotov
  • Patent number: 11302403
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, according to one approach, is for calibrating read voltages associated with a block of memory having more than one word-line therein. The computer-implemented method includes: for each of the word-lines in the block: calculating an absolute shift value for a reference read voltage associated with the given word-line. A relative shift value is also determined for each of the remaining read voltages associated with the given word-line, and the relative shift values are determined with respect to the reference read voltage. Moreover, each of the read voltages associated with the given word-line are adjusted using the absolute shift value and each of the respective relative shift values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis, Nikolas Ioannou, Roman Alexander Pletka, Radu Ioan Stoica, Sasa Tomic, Timothy Fisher, Aaron Daniel Fry
  • Patent number: 11302398
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first well of the first conductivity type which is formed in a substrate. a second well of a second conductivity type which is formed in the first well. The plurality of memory cells, the plurality of first bit line select transistors, and the plurality of second bit line select transistors are formed in the second well, and the plurality of first bit line select transistors and the plurality of second bit line select transistors are arranged on a side of the sense amplifier with respect to the plurality of memory cells of the plurality of bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: KIOXIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuaki Isobe, Noboru Shibata, Toshiki Hisada
  • Patent number: 11301168
    Abstract: A storage system and method for user-defined data archiving are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises: receiving a write command from a host; determining whether the storage system received an indicator from the host indicating that data of the write command is archive data; in response to determining that the storage system received the indicator, storing the data in the multi-level memory cells; and in response to determining that the storage system did not receive the indicator, storing the data in the single-level memory cells. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Laxmi Bhoopali, Ramanathan Muthiah, Kshitij Gupta, Niraj Srimal
  • Patent number: 11295819
    Abstract: A controller utilizes dual sense bin balancing (DSBB) to adjust a read level between memory states of an array of NAND flash memory cells. One or more iterations of DSBB may be performed to provide a read level. Each iteration of the DSBB includes performing a first sense read, performing a second sense read, determining a read error, and adjusting the initial read level. The first sense read is performed at a first offset of an initial read level of memory cells. The second sense read is performed at a second offset of the initial read level of memory cells. A read error is determined from the first sense read and the second sense read. The read level is adjusted by the read error. A read of the randomized data pattern is conducted with the adjusted read level of a last iteration of the DSBB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jonas Goode, Richard Galbraith, Henry Yip, Idan Alrod, Eran Sharon
  • Patent number: 11288009
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to read sample offset most probable bit operation associated with a memory component. A processing device performs a first read, a second read, and a third read of data from the memory component using a center value corresponding to a read threshold voltage value, a negative offset value, and a positive offset value, respectively. The processing device performs a most probable bit operation on the first set of data, the second set of data, and the third set of data to generate a most probable bit sequence corresponding to the data associated with the memory component. The processing device can store or output the generated most probable bit sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Sheperek, Bruce A. Liikanen
  • Patent number: 11289173
    Abstract: A program method of a nonvolatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each storing at least two bits of data, includes performing a first program operation based on a plurality of program voltages having a first pulse width to program first page data into selected memory cells connected to a selected word line among the plurality of memory cells; and performing a second program operation based on a plurality of program voltages having a second pulse width different from the first pulse width to program second page data into the selected memory cells in which the first page data is programmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Boh-Chang Kim
  • Patent number: 11282580
    Abstract: A memory controller includes, in one embodiment, a memory interface and a controller circuit. The memory interface is configured to interface with a memory having a plurality of wordlines. The controller circuit is configured to program, with foggy-fine programming, a first portion of the plurality of wordlines to store first program data, program, with the foggy-fine programming, one or more wordlines of the plurality of wordlines in a non-fine state, the one or more wordlines neighboring the first portion, and program, with the foggy-fine programming, a second portion of the plurality of wordlines to store second program data, the second portion neighboring the one or more wordlines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mayank Gupta, Phani Raghavendra Yasasvi Gangavarapu, Arun Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11276461
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for programming multi-level memory cells are described. After a first pass, an offset in the form of one or more offset pulses, may be applied to MLCs that are in a state of a higher level. The offset may be applied before or during a first part of a second pass. The offset may move the signals of the cells before the cells are finally programmed so as to avoid potential overlaps between the unprogrammed cells and cells that are programmed to the lower half of the final levels during the second pass. The offset cells may then be further moved to the other levels in the higher half of the final levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Cariello, Jonathan W. Oh, Fulvio Rori
  • Patent number: 11270765
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, three bits stored in one memory cell of a nonvolatile memory correspond to three pages. In first page writing, a threshold voltage becomes within a first or second region base on a bit value. In second page writing, if being within the first region, it becomes within the first or fourth region; and if being within the second region, it becomes within the second or third region. In the third page writing, if being within the first region, it becomes within the first or sixth region; if being within the second region, it becomes within the second or seventh region; being within the third region, it becomes within the third or eighth region; and if being within the fourth region, it becomes within the fourth or fifth region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tokumasa Hara, Noboru Shibata
  • Patent number: 11264092
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory includes a cell array, a current supply circuit, a path selecting circuit and a judging circuit. The cell array includes plural multi-level memory cells in an m×n array. The cell array is connected with m word lines and n lines. The current supply circuit provides one of plural reference currents according to a current control value. The path selecting circuit is connected with the current supply circuit and the n bit lines. The judging circuit is connected with the path selecting circuit, and generates n output data. A first path selector of the path selecting circuit is connected with a path selecting circuit and a first bit line. A first judging device of the judging circuit is connected with the first path selector and generates a first output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: EMEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Chia-Fu Chang, Wei-Ming Ku, Hung-Yi Liao
  • Patent number: 11265502
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a latch circuit that holds a digital signal of pixel data, the digital signal having 1 bit; a driver circuit that outputs the digital signal held in the latch circuit to a read bit line pair; a sense amplifier connected to the read bit line pair; and a selector circuit that selects whether the digital signal output from the sense amplifier is to be output in normal form or in inverted form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Norihiko Sumitani, Yosuke Higashi
  • Patent number: 11257547
    Abstract: Provided is an operation method for a memory device, the operation method comprising: performing an erase operation; performing a verify-read operation on a memory cell to generate a cell current, the memory cell including a first transistor and a second transistor; checking whether the cell current is lower than a first cell current threshold; when the cell current is not lower than the first cell current threshold, increasing a memory gate voltage until the cell current is lower than the first cell current threshold, wherein the memory gate voltage is applied to the first transistor; fixing the memory gate voltage and increasing a drain voltage; checking whether the cell current is lower than a second cell current threshold; and if the cell current is not lower than the second cell current threshold, increasing the drain voltage until the cell current is lower than the second cell current threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tzu-Hsuan Hsu, Po-Kai Hsu, Teng-Hao Yeh, Hang-Ting Lue
  • Patent number: 11256567
    Abstract: An apparatus includes memory cells programmed to one of a plurality of data states, wherein the memory cells are configured such that the plurality of data states comprise an error-prone data state. Sense circuitry of the apparatus is configured to sense first memory cells programmed to the error-prone data state, determine a bit encoding for the first memory cells, sense other memory cells programmed to other data states, and determine a bit encoding for the other memory cells. A communication circuit of the apparatus is configured to communicate the bit encoding for the other memory cells, the bit encoding for the first memory cells, and an indication that the first memory cells are programmed to the error-prone data state, in response to a single read command from a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Mostafa El Gamal, James Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 11257546
    Abstract: A memory sub-system configured to execute a read command of a first type using a combine process to read soft bit data and hard bit data from memory cells. For example, a memory device is to: measure signal and noise characteristics of memory cells for the read command; calculate, based on the characteristics, an optimized voltage and two adjacent voltages that have offsets of a same amount from the optimized voltage; read the memory cells for hard bit data using the optimized voltage and for soft bit data using the two adjacent voltages; and transmit, to the processing device, a response including the hard bit data. The soft bit data can be selectively transmitted based on a classification determined from the characteristics. When a read command of a second type is executed, soft bit data is not read; and/or the signal and noise characteristics are not measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James Fitzpatrick, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy, Patrick Robert Khayat, AbdelHakim S. Alhussien
  • Patent number: 11257836
    Abstract: A memory device comprises a stack of patterned conductor layers, at least a plurality of the layers comprising conductive strips including strips continuous with a pad and other strips isolated from the pad. An array of vertical pillars extends through the stack of patterned conductor layers, wherein memory cells are disposed at cross-points between the vertical pillars and patterned conductor layers. The array has an array boundary proximal to the pad. A first set of isolation blocks extends through the plurality of patterned conductor layers separating the strips continuous with the pad from the other strips isolated from the pad. A second set of isolation blocks inside the array boundary extends through the plurality of patterned conductor layers isolating the other strips from the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Wei Hu, Teng-Hao Yeh, Yu-Wei Jiang
  • Patent number: 11256425
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for accessing a flash memory module, wherein the flash memory module comprises at least one flash memory chip, each flash memory chip comprises a plurality of blocks, each block comprises a plurality of pages, and the method includes the steps of: sending a read command to the flash memory module to ask for data on at least one memory unit; receiving multi-bit information of a plurality of memory cells of the at least one memory unit from the flash memory module; and analyzing the multi-bit information of the plurality of memory cells to obtain a threshold voltage distribution of the plurality of memory cells for determining a decoding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 11250906
    Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to compensate for the radiation tolerance of a semiconductor memory. An apparatus (10) for compensating for radiation tolerance comprises: a voltage value acquisition unit (11) that acquires a data retention voltage value that is a maximum voltage value at which data is inverted when a power supply voltage of a semiconductor memory having a latch circuit is lowered; a correction value determination unit (12) that determines a voltage correction value on the basis of a difference between the data retention voltage value and a reference voltage value; and a voltage adjustment unit (13) that adjusts at least one among the power supply voltage and a substrate bias voltage by using the voltage correction value. The reference voltage value is set to be equal to or lower than the data retention voltage value that satisfies a required radiation tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Mori, Masaki Kusano, Daisuke Matsuura, Daisuke Kobayashi, Kazuyuki Hirose, Osamu Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11244729
    Abstract: A memory device to search for a voltage optimized to read a group of memory cells. In response to a read command, the memory device measures first signal and noise characteristics of the memory cells by reading the memory cells at first test voltages. Based on the first signal and noise characteristics, the memory device may determine that the optimized read voltage is outside of a range of the first test voltages. In response, the memory device determines, based on the first signal and noise characteristics, an estimate of the optimized read voltage, and measures second signal and noise characteristics by reading at second test voltages configured around the estimate. The optimized read voltage can be computed based at least in part on the second signal and noise characteristics. The memory device retrieves data from the memory cells using the optimized read voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Robert Khayat, James Fitzpatrick, AbdelHakim S. Alhussien, Sivagnanam Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 11244739
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses with counter-based reading are described. In a memory device, a memory cells of a codeword are accessed and respective voltages are generated. A reference voltage is generated and a logic state of each memory cell is determined based on the reference voltage and the respective generated cell voltage. The reference voltage is modified until a count of memory cells determined to be in a predefined logic state with respect to the last modified reference voltage value meets a criterium. In some embodiments the criterium may be an exact match between the memory cells count and an expected number of memory cells in the predefined logic state. In other embodiments, an error correction (ECC) algorithm may be applied while the difference between the count of cells in the predefined logic state and the expected number of cells in that state does not exceed a detection or correction power of the ECC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Umberto Di Vincenzo, Riccardo Muzzetto, Ferdinando Bedeschi
  • Patent number: 11243711
    Abstract: A data storage device stores data in non-volatile memory. In one approach, a method includes: storing software in a compressed format in a first mode (e.g., an SLC mode) in a non-volatile memory; exposing, while the software is stored in the first mode, the non-volatile memory to a temperature greater than a predetermined threshold; determining that the temperature of the non-volatile memory has fallen below the predetermined threshold; and in response to determining that the temperature of the non-volatile memory has fallen below the predetermined threshold: decompressing the stored software, and storing the decompressed software in a second mode (e.g., TLC mode) in the non-volatile memory. The second mode has a storage density higher than the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Junichi Sato
  • Patent number: 11244734
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation is provided. The apparatus includes memory cells coupled to a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to perform a first programming stage including iteratively programming each of the memory cells to first program states and verifying that the memory cells have a threshold voltage above one of a plurality of first verify voltages corresponding to the first program states. The first programming stage ends before all of the memory cells are verified thereby leaving a fraction of the memory cells below the one of the plurality of first verify voltages. The control circuit also performs a second programming stage including iteratively programming each of the memory cells to second program states and verifying that at least a predetermined number of the memory cells have the threshold voltage above one of a plurality of second verify voltages corresponding to the second program states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ashish Baraskar, Henry Chin, Ching-Huang Lu
  • Patent number: 11237767
    Abstract: A memory system, a memory controller and an operating method are disclosed. By inputting a read command to the memory device, starting to input data for a write command when the write command is input to the memory device while the memory device performs a read sensing operation for the read command, and inputting, to the memory device, data for the write command when input of the write command is started, it is possible to enhance the write performance of the memory system when the memory system executes a write operation after a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: SeungGu Ji
  • Patent number: 11238931
    Abstract: A method of operating a semiconductor device includes applying a first voltage to a first source select line coupled to first source select transistors of memory strings included in an unselected memory block, among memory blocks, floating the first source select line after the first voltage is applied thereto, applying a second voltage having a lower voltage level than the first voltage to a second source select line coupled to second source select transistors of the memory strings included in the unselected memory block, applying a precharge voltage to a common source line, and applying a program voltage to a word line coupled to selected memory cells of memory strings included in a selected memory block, among the memory blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Hee Youl Lee
  • Patent number: 11238939
    Abstract: Disclosed in some examples are systems, methods, memory devices, and machine readable mediums for a fast secure data destruction for NAND memory devices that renders data in a memory cell unreadable. Instead of going through all the erase phases, the memory device may remove sensitive data by performing only the pre-programming phase of the erase process. Thus, the NAND doesn't perform the second and third phases of the erase process. This is much faster and results in data that cannot be reconstructed. In some examples, because the erase pulse is not actually applied and because this is simply a programming operation, data may be rendered unreadable at a per-page level rather than a per-block level as in traditional erases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ting Luo, Kulachet Tanpairoj, Harish Reddy Singidi, Jianmin Huang, Preston Allen Thomson, Sebastien Andre Jean
  • Patent number: 11238933
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a verify circuit, in a peripheral circuit region, controlling a verify operation by controlling a word line voltage applied to at least one unselected word line not to be programmed and a bit line voltage applied to a bit line connected differently from a voltage applied in a read operation. The at least one unselected word line includes a first word line located directly above a selected word line to be programmed and a second word line located directly below the selected word line. The verify circuit applies a word line voltage to the first word line and applies the same word line voltage to the second word line in the verify operation. The word line voltage has a different voltage level than a read voltage applied to the first word line and the second word line in a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sung-Min Joe
  • Patent number: 11231997
    Abstract: A storage system and method for balanced quad-level cell (QLC) coding with margin for an internal data load (IDL) read are provided. In one example, an MLC-Fine programming approach uses a balanced 3-4-4-4 coding, where the data is encoded by assigning a unique binary sequence per state. The IDL read is supported by using a unique 3-4-4-4 coding that provides at least a three-state gap between the MLC states, while using the same ECC redundancy per page. This allows for a reduced write buffer by supporting the IDL read and provides a balanced bit error rate (BER) due to the balanced mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Sharon
  • Patent number: 11231995
    Abstract: A first data stored at a first portion of a memory cell and a second data stored at a second portion of the memory cell are identified. A first error rate associated with first data stored at the first portion of the memory cell is determined. The first error rate is adjusted to exceed a second error rate associated with the second data stored at the second portion of the memory cell. A determination is made as to whether the first error rate exceeds a threshold. The second data stored at the second portion of the memory cell is provided for use in an error correction operation by a controller associated with the memory cell in response to determining that the first error rate exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mustafa N. Kaynak, Larry J. Koudele, Michael Sheperek, Patrick R. Khayat, Sampath K. Ratnam
  • Patent number: 11227662
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory includes memory cells, a word line and bit lines of the memory cells, sense amplifiers connected to the bit lines, respectively, and a controller. Each sense amplifier includes first, second, and third transistors. The third transistor has one end connected to each of the first and second transistors, and the other end connected to a corresponding bit line. During a read operation, at a first time of a first period during which the controller applies a first read voltage to the word line, the controller applies a first voltage higher than ground voltage to the first transistor, and a second voltage to the second transistor. Also, at the first time, a first sense amplifier applies a voltage to a first bit line through its first and third transistors, and a second sense amplifier applies a voltage to a second bit line through its second and third transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Yanagidaira, Mario Sako
  • Patent number: 11222700
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes: a memory device including a memory cell transistor; and a controller configured to make first data inaccessible from an outside of the memory system without erasing the first data, and increase a threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor, before determining to write data into the memory cell transistor. The controller is further configured to decrease, after determining to write second data into the memory cell transistor, the threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor to bring the memory cell transistor into an erase state; and write, after bringing the memory cell transistor into the erase state, the second data into the memory cell transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11217311
    Abstract: A memory device includes a memory cell region including a first metal pad, a peripheral circuit region including a second metal pad and vertically connected to the memory cell region by the first and second metal pads, a memory cell array in the memory cell region including cell strings including memory cells, word lines respectively connected to the memory cells, bit lines connected to one side of the cell strings, and a ground selection line connected to the cell strings, a control logic in the peripheral circuit region including a precharge control circuit for controlling precharge on partial cell strings among the cell strings and controlling a plurality of data program steps on the memory cells, and a row decoder in the peripheral circuit region for activating at least some of the word lines in response to a control of the control logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Min Joe, Kang-Bin Lee
  • Patent number: 11217319
    Abstract: A memory controller optimizes read threshold values for a memory device using multi-dimensional search. The controller performs a read operation on cells using a pair of default read threshold values on a multi-dimensional plane. When the read operation has failed, the controller determines program states of cells and a pair of next read threshold values based on the program states and performs an additional read operation using the next read threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Fan Zhang, Aman Bhatia, Xuanxuan Lu, Meysam Asadi, Haobo Wang
  • Patent number: 11211129
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for nonconsecutive sensing of multilevel memory cells include methods of sensing a unit of information from a multilevel memory cell (MLC) using a sensing signal. The unit of information can correspond to a page of information. The MLC can store a plurality of units of information corresponding to a plurality of pages of information. The sensing signal can change from a first sensing magnitude to a second sensing magnitude and from the second sensing magnitude to a third sensing magnitude. The second sensing magnitude can be nonconsecutive from the first sensing magnitude and/or the third sensing magnitude can be nonconsecutive from the second sensing magnitude with respect to a plurality of sensing magnitudes corresponding to a plurality of charge storage states of the MLC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jun Xu
  • Patent number: 11211126
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed, such as an apparatus that includes a string of charge storage devices associated with a pillar (e.g., of semiconductor material), a source gate device, and a source select device coupled between the source gate device and the string. Additional apparatus and methods are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Goda, Shafqat Ahmed, Khaled Hasnat, Krishna K. Parat
  • Patent number: 11205472
    Abstract: Provided herein is a memory device and a method of operating the same. The memory device may include a string having a plurality of memory cells in which data is stored, and a page buffer coupled to the string through a bit line and configured to precharge the bit line, or sense voltage or current of the bit line. The page buffer may include a first switch configured to transfer the voltage of the bit line to a common sensing node in response to a page buffer sensing signal, a second switch configured to transfer a supply voltage to the common sensing node in response to a common sensing signal, and a third switch configured to couple the common sensing node to a latch in response to a sensing signal and adjust voltage of the common sensing node depending on a voltage level of the sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Hyung Jin Choi