Particular Write Circuit Patents (Class 365/189.16)
-
Patent number: 10777244Abstract: An integrated circuit includes an array of write assist circuits electrically connected to a memory cell array. Each write assist circuit is configured to set an operating voltage of a corresponding memory cell. Each write assist circuit is configured to receive at least a first control signal, and generate an output signal at least in response to the first control signal. The output signal controlling the operating voltage of the corresponding memory cell. Each write assist circuit includes a programmable voltage tuner. The programmable voltage tuner includes a first P-type transistor and a second P-type transistor coupled to the first P-type transistor. A first terminal of the first P-type transistor is configured as a first input node to receive a first select control signal. A first terminal of the second P-type transistor is configured as a second input node to receive a second select control signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Chih-Chieh Chiu, Chia-En Huang, Fu-An Wu, I-Han Huang, Jung-Ping Yang
-
Patent number: 10777261Abstract: A data-processing device, such as a memory device, includes a signal generator configured to transmit an enable-signal, and a plurality of circuit elements arranged in an array of plurality of rows spaced along a direction, each of the plurality of the circuit elements configured to receive the enable-signal from the signal generator and to input and output data as a result of receiving the enable-signal. The device also includes an input/out (I/O) interface operatively connected to the plurality of circuit elements and located to propagate data from the I/O interface to the circuit elements in a first direction relative to the direction in which the rows are spaced and receive data propagated from the circuit elements to the I/O interface in a second direction relative to the first direction. The signal generator maintains the direction of enable-signal propagation relative to the direction of data propagation regardless of the direction of data propagation.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Hyunsung Hong
-
Patent number: 10755786Abstract: A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of strings each including a select transistor and a memory cell that can be set to any one of a plurality of different threshold voltages, a select gate line that is commonly connected to the select transistors of the plurality of strings, a plurality of bit lines that are individually connected to the plurality of strings, a word line that is commonly connected to the memory cells of the plurality of strings, and a control unit configured to execute a write sequence for repeatedly performing a plurality of loops each including a set of a program operation and a verify operation, and a voltage applied to the select gate line in the program operation of a last loop is lower than a voltage applied to the select gate line in the program operation of a first loop.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: Toshiba Memory CorporationInventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Yoshikazu Harada
-
Patent number: 10748622Abstract: Techniques are provided for predictively programming of non-volatile memory, which may reduce the number of verify operations. In one aspect, a programming circuit is configured to program memory cells to a verify low voltage and to program a set of the memory cells to target states. The set comprises memory cells having a threshold voltage between the verify low voltage and a verify high voltage. To program the set of the memory cells to the target states, the programming circuit is configured to apply two or more program pulses to memory cells in the set without verifying whether the memory cells have reached their respective target states, including: apply a first and second program enable voltages to the bit lines associated with the memory cells having different strengths.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2019Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Lei Lin, Zhuojie Li, Tai-Yuan Tseng, Henry Chin, Gerrit Jan Hemink
-
Patent number: 10720194Abstract: In a semiconductor memory device, a memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells. A write circuit includes a negative potential generating circuit that generates a potential lower than a lower power supply potential applied to the memory cells. When a write mask signal indicates an enabled state, the write circuit activates the negative potential generating circuit, and supplies the potential generated by the negative potential generating circuit to a bit line to be supplied with low data. On the other hand, when the write mask signal indicates a disabled state, the write circuit supplies no data to bit line pairs, and inactivates the negative potential generating circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.Inventor: Yoshinobu Yamagami
-
Patent number: 10691346Abstract: A read operation method of a nonvolatile memory includes selecting at least a first selection defence code from among a plurality of defence codes by using read voltage level determination information and read environment information, the read environment information including values respectively corresponding to a plurality of factors; determining a level of a read voltage for performing a read operation based on the first selection defence code; and performing the read operation by using the read voltage having the determined level.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Il-su Han
-
Patent number: 10529417Abstract: A storage device includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The controller is configured to generate coded data based on write data and an error correction code generated from the write data, determine whether or not to invert each bit of the coded data, based on a logical page position of the nonvolatile memory in which the write data are to be written and a value “0” or “1” of bits that are more populated in the coded data than bits having the other value of “1” and “0”, invert each bit of the coded data upon determining to invert, and write the non-inverted or inverted coded data into the logical page position of the nonvolatile memory. The logical page position is one of logical page positions including a lower page and an upper page.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATIONInventor: Shinichi Kanno
-
Patent number: 10446223Abstract: The reliability of a low-power SRAM device fabricated in a small process node can be improved by using an SRAM cell with circuitry that reduces or eliminates contention between pull-up and pull-down devices during write operations. In the first stage of a write operation, the node N that stores the SRAM cell's bit value may be decoupled from a power-supply rail (“Rail 1”) by deactivating one type of “pulling” device (e.g., the type of pulling device that can pull the voltage of node N toward the voltage of Rail 1). Using pulling device(s) of the opposite type, the voltage of node N may then be pulled toward the voltage of the other power-supply rail (“Rail 2”). In this manner, the new SRAM cell may reduce or eliminate contention between pull-up and pull-down devices at node N during the first stage of the write operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2018Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Inventor: Valerii Nebesnyi
-
Patent number: 10410694Abstract: Techniques related to a high bandwidth interface (HBI) for communication between multiple host devices on an interposer are described. In an example, the HBI repurposes a portion of the high bandwidth memory (HBM) interface, such as the physical layer. A computing system is provided. The computing system includes a first host device and at least a second host device. The first host device is a first die on an interposer and the second host device is a second die on the interposer. The first host device and the second host device are interconnected via at least one HBI. The HBI implements a layered protocol for communication between the first host device and the second host device. The layered protocol includes a physical layer protocol that is configured according to a HBM physical layer protocol.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Ygal Arbel, Sagheer Ahmad, Balakrishna Jayadev
-
Patent number: 10360949Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to storing a data value in a sensing circuitry element. An example method comprises sensing a first data value with a sense amplifier of a sensing circuitry element, moving a second data value from a first storage location of a compute component to a second storage location of the compute component, and storing, in the first storage location, a third data value resulting from a logical operation performed on the first data value and the second data value. The logical operation can be performed by logic circuitry of the sensing circuitry element.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2018Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Harish N. Venkata, Guy S. Perry
-
Patent number: 10276227Abstract: A method for verifying a write operation in a memory cell (e.g., a non-volatile memory cell) that includes performing a first read operation of the memory cell to measure a first current associated with the memory cell and comparing the measured first current associated with the memory cell to a first predetermined threshold current to determine whether the write operation changed the state of the memory cell. If the measured first current associated with the memory cell indicates the write operation did change the state of the memory cell the method further includes performing a second read operation of the memory cell to measure a second current associated with the memory cell and comparing the measured second current associated with the memory cell to a second predetermined threshold current to determine whether the write operation changed the state of the memory cell to the desired state or an intermediate state.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company LimitedInventors: Yu-Der Chih, Chien-Ye Lee, Jenn-Jou Wu, Yi-Chieh Chiu, Yi-Chun Shih, William J. Gallagher
-
Patent number: 10262717Abstract: The invention pertains to mitigation of row hammer attacks in DRAM integrated circuits. Apparatus and methods are disclosed for an embedded target row refresh (TRR) solution with modest overhead. In operation it is nearly transparent to the user. Except for enablement via the mode register and an increase in the average refresh rate on the order of half of one percent, no further user action is required. The stream of row addresses accompanying ACTIVE commands is monitored and filtered to only track addresses that occur at a dangerous rate and reject addresses that occur at less than a dangerous rate.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Invensas CorporationInventors: David Edward Fisch, William C. Plants
-
Patent number: 10147482Abstract: A memory device includes a bitcell array having a plurality of bitcells, a dummy wordline, a dummy row cell pulldown, and a write tracker coupling the dummy wordline to the dummy row cell pulldown. The write tracker is configured as a transmission gate during a read operation on the bitcell array, and is configured as having only one or more active nMOSFETs during a write operation on the bitcell array.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: ARM LimitedInventors: Jitendra Dasani, Vivek Nautiyal, Shri Sagar Dwivedi, Fakhruddin Ali Bohra
-
Patent number: 10139850Abstract: A current mirror includes an input transistor and an output transistor, wherein the sources of the input and output transistor are connected to a supply voltage node. The gates of the input and output transistors are connected through a switch. A first current source is coupled to the input transistor to provide an input current. A copy transistor has a source connected to the supply node and a gate connected to the gate of the input transistor at a mirror node. A second current source is coupled to the copy transistor to provide a copy current. A source-follower transistor has its source connected to the mirror node and its gate connected to the drain of the copy transistor. Charge sharing at the mirror node occurs in response to actuation of the switch and the source-follower transistor is turned on in response thereto to discharge the mirror node.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventors: Marco Pasotti, Laura Capecchi, Riccardo Zurla
-
Patent number: 10121532Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to provide write access to a memory device. In an embodiment, a memory controller sends commands to a memory device which comprises multiple memory banks. The memory controller further sends a signal specifying that the commands include back-to-back write commands each to access the same memory bank. In response to the signal, the memory device buffers first data of a first write command, wherein the first data is buffered at least until the memory device receives second data of a second write command. Error correction information is calculated for a combination of the first data and second data, and the combination is written to the memory bank. In another embodiment, buffering of the first data and combining of the first data with the second data is performed, based on the signal from the memory controller, in lieu of read-modify-write processing of the first data.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
-
Patent number: 10108554Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses relating to sharing translation lookaside buffer entries are described. In one embodiment, a processor includes one or more cores to execute a plurality of threads, a translation lookaside buffer comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a virtual address to physical address translation and a plurality of bit positions, and each set bit of the plurality of bit positions in each entry indicating that the virtual address to physical address translation is valid for a respective thread of the plurality of threads, and a memory management circuit to clear all set bits for a thread by asserting a reset command to a respective reset port of the translation lookaside buffer for the thread, wherein the translation lookaside buffer comprises a separate reset port for each of the plurality of threads.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Chung-Lun Chan, Ramon Matas
-
Patent number: 10032507Abstract: Described is an apparatus comprising a plurality of memory arrays, local write assist logic units, and read/write local column multiplexers coupled together in a group such that area occupied by the local write assist logic units and the read/write local column multiplexers in the group is smaller than it would be when global write assist logic units and the read/write global column multiplexers are used. Described is a dual input level-shifter with integrated latch. Described is an apparatus which comprises: a write assist pulse generator operating on a first power supply; one or more pull-up devices coupled to the write assist pulse generator, the one or more pull-up devices operating on a second power supply different from the first power supply; and an output node to provide power supply to a memory cell.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Hieu T. Ngo, Daniel J. Cummings
-
Patent number: 9978445Abstract: A semiconductor storage device provided can increase a write margin and suppress increase of a chip area. The semiconductor storage device includes plural memory cells arranged in a matrix; plural bit-line pairs arranged corresponding to each column of the memory cells; a write driver circuit which transmits data to a bit-line pair of a selected column according to write data; and a write assist circuit which drives a bit line on a low potential side of the bit-line pair of a selected column to a negative voltage level. The write assist circuit includes first signal wiring; a first driver circuit which drives the first signal wiring according to a control signal; and second signal wiring which is coupled to the bit line on the low-potential side and generates a negative voltage by the driving of the first driver circuit, based on inter-wire coupling capacitance with the first signal wiring.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Toshiaki Sano, Ken Shibata, Shinji Tanaka, Makoto Yabuuchi, Noriaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 9966116Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to storing a data value in a sensing circuitry element. An example method comprises sensing a first data value with a sense amplifier of a sensing circuitry element, moving a second data value from a first storage location of a compute component to a second storage location of the compute component, and storing, in the first storage location, a third data value resulting from a logical operation performed on the first data value and the second data value. The logical operation can be performed by logic circuitry of the sensing circuitry element.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Harish N. Venkata, Guy S. Perry
-
Patent number: 9886080Abstract: A non-volatile memory system may include detection circuitry configured to detect that a host system is configured to initially communicate a clock signal and initialization command signals at a voltage level lower than its input/output driver circuit is configured to receive the signals. In response to the detection, the detection circuitry may switch a regulator circuit from a high voltage mode to a low voltage mode so that the input/output driver circuit is ready to receive the initialization commands at the lower voltage level.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Anil Kumar Thadi Suryaprakash, Krishnamurthy Dhakshinamurthy, Ajay Dhingra, Rampraveen Somasundaram, Narendhiran Chinnaanangur Ravimohan, Bhavin Odedara, Srikanth Bojja, Jayanth Thimmaiah
-
Patent number: 9870820Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for limiting current in threshold switching memories are disclosed. An example apparatus may include a plurality of first decoder circuits, a plurality of second decoder circuits, an array of memory cells, and a control circuit. Each memory cell of the array of memory cells may be cells coupled to a pair of first decoder circuits of the plurality of first decoder circuits, and further coupled to a pair of second decoder circuits of the plurality of second decoder circuits.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Fabio Pellizzer, Hari Giduturi, Mingdong Cui
-
Patent number: 9830993Abstract: A storage device includes a nonvolatile memory and a connector configured to connect the storage device to a host. The connector includes a detection terminal that provides a detection voltage to the host, a sensing resistor electrically connected to the detection terminal and having a resistance value that determines the level of the detection voltage, and a power supply terminal that receives a power supply voltage from the host, wherein the power supply voltage is selected by the host in response to the detection voltage.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jae-Phil Kong, Hwa-Seok Oh
-
Patent number: 9824662Abstract: The present disclosure provides a Thin Film Transistor Array Substrate and a Liquid Crystal Display apparatus thereof, and relates to the technical field of liquid crystal displaying. The Thin Film Transistor Array Substrate of the present disclosure includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines, wherein regions surrounded by the gate lines and the data lines are pixel regions, and wherein a high level common voltage line being used when signal on the data line is at a low level and a low level common voltage lines being used when signal on the data line is at a high level are also arranged in parallel to the gate lines in each of the pixel regions. With the Thin Film Transistor Array Substrate of the present disclosure, the Greenish phenomenon in the existing liquid crystal display apparatus may be effectively solved.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2013Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Chao Xu, Chunfang Zhang, Yan Wei, Heecheol Kim
-
Patent number: 9817591Abstract: A storage device communicating with a host includes a plurality of memory devices and a memory controller. Each of the memory devices includes at least one of a plurality of memory areas that have different storage reliability levels. The memory controller controls the memory devices such that data and required level data associated with a required reliability level of the data are stored in some or all of the memory areas. The data and the required level data are provided from the host. The data is stored in a memory area having a storage reliability level corresponding to the required reliability level from among the memory areas, according to a control of the memory controller.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jooyoung Hwang
-
Patent number: 9818461Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array; a memory cell array; a data receiver suitable for receiving a plurality of data sequentially inputted from an exterior, the plurality of data including previous data and current data; a data driving controller suitable for detecting the number of toggling values of the current data in comparison with the previous data and generating first to fourth driving control signals based on the number of toggling values; and a driver suitable for receiving input data through the data receiver and driving the input data or inverted input data to data transfer lines in response to the first to fourth driving control signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.Inventor: Yun-Gi Hong
-
Patent number: 9792998Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting program disturb and for programming/reading based on the detected program disturb are disclosed. Program disturb comprises unintentionally programming an unselected section of memory during the program operation of the selected section of memory. To reduce the effect of program disturb, the section of memory is analyzed in a predetermined state (such as the erase state) for program disturb. In response to identifying signs of program disturb, the voltages used to program the section of memory (such as the program verify levels for programming data into the cells of the section of memory) may be adjusted. Likewise, when reading data from the section of memory, the read voltages may be adjusted based on the adjusted voltages used for programming. In this way, using the adjusted programming and reading voltages, the effect of program disturb may be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLCInventors: Nian Niles Yang, Chris Yip, Grishma Shah
-
Patent number: 9786335Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing logical operations using sensing circuitry. An example apparatus comprises an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array. The sensing circuitry includes a sense amplifier coupled to a pair of complementary sense lines, and a compute component coupled to the sense amplifier. The compute component includes a dynamic latch. The sensing circuitry is configured to perform a logical operation and initially store the result in the sense amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Glen E. Hush, Troy A. Manning
-
Patent number: 9772777Abstract: A method and system is provided for improved access to flash memory devices. A system may include a control state module configured to receive memory access commands. The system may further include a plurality of operation sequencer modules configured to execute a pipeline schedule for the performance of the received memory access commands. The pipeline schedule may be configured to enable parallel execution of the memory access commands among a plurality of flash dies of the flash memory. Each of the operation sequencers is associated with one or more of the flash dies.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTEInventors: Michael A. Koets, Larry T. McDaniel, III, Miles R. Darnell
-
Patent number: 9772936Abstract: Methods for programming compressed data to a memory array, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such method, memory pages or blocks that are partially programmed with valid data are found. The data is collected from these partially programmed pages or blocks and the data is compressed. The compressed data is then programmed back to different locations in the memory array of the memory device.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2008Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Dean Klein
-
Patent number: 9767864Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to storing a data value in a sensing circuitry element. An example method comprises sensing a first data value with a sense amplifier of a sensing circuitry element, moving a second data value from a first storage location of a compute component to a second storage location of the compute component, and storing, in the first storage location, a third data value resulting from a logical operation performed on the first data value and the second data value. The logical operation can be performed by logic circuitry of the sensing circuitry element.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Daniel B. Penney, Harish N. Venkata, Guy S. Perry
-
Patent number: 9721665Abstract: A data writing method for writing data to a flash memory includes writing an initial value to the data storage area, determining whether or not the writing of the initial value is performed normally based on a write flag, writing data to the data storage area when the writing is performed normally, and erasing a block including the data storage area when the writing is not performed normally. An initial value is written to the data storage area before writing data, so that whether or not an error correction code storage area contains the initial value may be confirmed. An erase operation of the block is performed only when the error correction code storage area does not contain the initial value, so that the number of times of erasure of the block may be reduced and the life of the product may be increased.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Tetsuhiro Kodama
-
Patent number: 9704563Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms to provide write access to a memory device. In an embodiment, a memory controller sends commands to a memory device which comprises multiple memory banks. The memory controller further sends a signal specifying that the commands include back-to-back write commands each to access the same memory bank. In response to the signal, the memory device buffers first data of a first write command, wherein the first data is buffered at least until the memory device receives second data of a second write command. Error correction information is calculated for a combination of the first data and second data, and the combination is written to the memory bank. In another embodiment, buffering of the first data and combining of the first data with the second data is performed, based on the signal from the memory controller, in lieu of read-modify-write processing of the first data.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
-
Patent number: 9652305Abstract: A processor includes an execution unit to execute instructions and a scheduler unit to store a queue of instructions for execution by the execution unit. The scheduler unit includes a wake array including a plurality of source slots to store source identifiers for sources associated with the instructions, a picker to schedule a particular instruction for execution in the execution unit, broadcast a destination identifier associated with the particular instruction to a first subset of the source slots, and a delay element to receive the destination identifier broadcast by the picker and communicate a delayed version of the destination identifier to a second subset of the source slots different from the first subset.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Srikanth Arekapudi, Emil Talpes, Sahil Arora
-
Patent number: 9612954Abstract: Non-volatile memory array can be recovered after a power loss. In one example, pages of a memory array are scanned to find a first free page after the power loss. The first free page is marked as available, and the page marked as available is written to with the next write cycle.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2008Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Edgington, Hisham Chowdhury
-
Patent number: 9548106Abstract: A semiconductor storage device provided can increase a write margin and suppress increase of a chip area. The semiconductor storage device includes plural memory cells arranged in a matrix; plural bit-line pairs arranged corresponding to each column of the memory cells; a write driver circuit which transmits data to a bit-line pair of a selected column according to write data; and a write assist circuit which drives a bit line on a low potential side of the bit-line pair of a selected column to a negative voltage level. The write assist circuit includes first signal wiring; a first driver circuit which drives the first signal wiring according to a control signal; and second signal wiring which is coupled to the bit line on the low-potential side and generates a negative voltage by the driving of the first driver circuit, based on inter-wire coupling capacitance with the first signal wiring.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Toshiaki Sano, Ken Shibata, Shinji Tanaka, Makoto Yabuuchi, Noriaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 9536585Abstract: The present invention provides an improved SRAM memory cell based on a DICE structure, which comprises following structures: four inverter structures formed through arranging PMOS transistors and NMOS transistors in series, wherein the part between the drains of a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor serves as a storage node; each storage node controls the gate voltage of an NMOS transistor of the other inverter structure and of a PMOS transistor of another inverter structure; a transmission structure consisting of four NMOS transistors, whose source, gate and drain are respectively connected with a bit line/bit bar line, a word line and a storage node.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCESInventors: Mengxin Liu, Xin Liu, Fazhan Zhao, Zhengsheng Han
-
Patent number: 9496028Abstract: Cell power supply lines are arranged for memory cell columns, and adjust impedances or voltage levels of the cell power supply lines according to the voltage levels of bit lines in the corresponding columns, respectively. In the data write operation, the cell power supply line is forced into a floating state according to the bit line potential on a selected column and has the voltage level changed, and a latching capability of a selected memory cell is reduced to write data fast. Even with a low power supply voltage, a static semiconductor memory device that can stably perform write and read of data is implemented.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2015Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Nii, Shigeki Obayashi, Hiroshi Makino, Koichiro Ishibashi, Hirofumi Shinohara
-
Patent number: 9489299Abstract: A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. Mapping circuitry is configured to apply a mapping to received data to generate mapped data to be stored into the memory. The mapping is configured to reduce an average number of state changes of storage elements per write operation and is independent of the states of the storage elements prior to the writing of the mapped data.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2013Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLCInventor: Menahem Lasser
-
Patent number: 9484117Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a compression test mode is provided. The semiconductor memory device comprises a memory unit, i test pads, a timing circuit, a compression circuit, and a signal distribution circuit. The memory unit comprises m memory banks divided into n activating groups, wherein each bank comprises a plurality of sensing amplifiers for sensing and amplifying data in bit lines. The timing circuit sequentially generates n control signals each for activating a plurality of sensing amplifiers in one of the n activating groups. The compression circuit compresses data sensed and amplified by the plurality of sensing amplifiers in each bank in a compression test mode. The signal distribution circuit distributes signals output from the compression circuit among the i data pads in rotation. The integer n and the integer i are adjustable.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2013Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignee: Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology Inc.Inventor: Jen-Shou Hsu
-
Patent number: 9455008Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a plurality of memory blocks divided into an even mat group and an odd mat group; and an active control block configured to activate any one group of the even mat group and the odd mat group at a first timing in response to a plurality of test signals, and activate the other group at a second timing.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: SK hynix Inc.Inventor: Don Hyun Choi
-
Patent number: 9418752Abstract: The inhibit voltage is a voltage applied to wordlines adjacent to a program wordline having a memory cell to write during the program operation. The inhibit voltage for a program operation can be ramped up during the program pulse. Instead of applying a constant high inhibit voltage that results in the initial boosted channel potential reducing drastically due to leakage, a system can start the inhibit voltage lower and ramp the inhibit voltage up during the program pulse. The ramping up can be a continuous ramp or in finite discrete steps during the program pulse. Such ramping of inhibit voltage can provide better tradeoff between program disturb and inhibit disturb.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Shantanu R Rajwade, Pranav Kalavade, Neal R Mielke, Krishna K Parat, Shyam Sunder Raghunathan
-
Patent number: 9396143Abstract: A local sorting module includes a set of storage elements storing binary vectors configured in a one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) array structure and separated by respective comparators configured to conditionally compare and sort the binary vectors. The comparators may perform a sort using a compare-and-flip or a compare-and-swap operation. Local sorting modules may be coupled with a global sorting module for enabling a tournament sort algorithm to output values stored in storage elements one at a time until all data is outputted in a predetermined sorting order.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Alper Buyuktosunoglu, Srivatsan Chellappa, Toshiaki Kirihata, Karthik V. Swaminathan
-
Patent number: 9349438Abstract: A semiconductor storage device provided can increase a write margin and suppress increase of a chip area. The semiconductor storage device includes plural memory cells arranged in a matrix; plural bit-line pairs arranged corresponding to each column of the memory cells; a write driver circuit which transmits data to a bit-line pair of a selected column according to write data; and a write assist circuit which drives a bit line on a low potential side of the bit-line pair of a selected column to a negative voltage level. The write assist circuit includes first signal wiring; a first driver circuit which drives the first signal wiring according to a control signal; and second signal wiring which is coupled to the bit line on the low-potential side and generates a negative voltage by the driving of the first driver circuit, based on inter-wire coupling capacitance with the first signal wiring.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2015Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Toshiaki Sano, Ken Shibata, Shinji Tanaka, Makoto Yabuuchi, Noriaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 9336867Abstract: An integrated circuit phase change memory can be pre-coded by inducing a first resistance state in some cells and the memory, and a second resistance state and some other cells in the memory to represent a data set. The integrated circuit phase change memory is mounted on a substrate after coding the data set. After mounting the integrated circuit phase change memory, the data set is read by sensing the first and second resistance states, and changing cells in the first resistance state to a third resistance state and changing cells in the second resistance state to a fourth resistance state. The first and second resistance states maintain a sensing margin after solder bonding or other thermal cycling process. The third and fourth resistance states are characterized by the ability to cause a transition using higher speed and lower power, suitable for a mission function of a circuit.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Hsiang-Lan Lung, Ming-Hsiu Lee, Yen-Hao Shih, Tien-Yen Wang, Chao-I Wu
-
Patent number: 9323231Abstract: A semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device includes a high-voltage supply circuit suitable for supplying a high voltage; a discharge circuit suitable for discharging the high voltage; and an auxiliary-voltage supply circuit suitable for supplying a first auxiliary voltage, which varies according to an operation state of the high-voltage supply circuit, to a reference node of the discharge circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2014Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.Inventor: Yeonghun Lee
-
Patent number: 9286949Abstract: A semiconductor memory includes a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of bit line pairs which are disposed corresponding to respective columns of the memory cell array, and a sense amplifiers which are disposed in plurality corresponding to the plurality of bit line pairs for amplifying a potential difference between the bit line pair, in which the sense amplifier has precharging transistors each having a diffusion layer and precharging the bit line pair, and switching transistors having a diffusion layer formed integrally with the diffusion layer of the precharging transistors for selectively connecting the plurality of bit line pairs to a common bus line.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2014Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
-
Patent number: 9245601Abstract: A system and device are provided for implementing memory arrays using high-density latch cells. The device includes an array of cells arranged into columns and rows. Each cell comprises a latch cell that includes a transmission gate, a pair of inverters, and an output buffer. Each row of latch cells is connected to at least one common node for addressing the row of latch cells, and each column of latch cells is connected to a particular bit of an input signal and a particular bit of an output signal. A register file may be implemented using one or more arrays of the high-density latch cells to replace any or all of the banks of SRAM cells typically used to implement the register file.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: Mahmut Ersin Sinangil, John W. Poulton, Brucek Kurdo Khailany, John H. Edmondson
-
Patent number: 9230666Abstract: Some embodiments include apparatus, systems, and methods that operate to apply a first value of a drain select gate voltage during a first portion of a programming time period associated with programming a plurality of memory cells, and to apply a second value of the drain select gate voltage different from the first value during a second, subsequent portion of the programming time period. The drain select gate voltage may be changed between groups of programming pulses in a single programming cycle. The first and second portions may be determined according to the number of applied programming pulses, the number of memory cells that have been completely programmed, and/or other conditions. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Akira Goda, Pranav Kalavade, Doyle Rivers
-
Patent number: 9229639Abstract: A data storage device includes a write protection data structure that includes a first set of entries corresponding to a first set of ranges of memory addresses. A first indication stored in an entry, in the first set of entries, corresponds to an absence of write-protected data between a lowest address of the range of addresses corresponding to the entry and a highest address of a memory. A second indication stored in the entry corresponds to write-protected data within the range of addresses. The data storage device also includes a write protection map that includes a second set of entries corresponding to a second set of ranges of the memory addresses. The device is configured to locate, in the write protection data structure, an entry corresponding to a range of memory addresses.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventor: Tal Rostoker
-
Patent number: 9208846Abstract: The invention provides a multibit magnetic memory structure comprising a stack of two or more magnetic plaquettes, each of which has at least three distinct magnetic states. The invention provides for a new type of vertical memory where each layer encodes information in two degrees of freedom, which has the potential to increase the theoretical storage capacity by factor 4n. The information is read, through the resonant frequency of the stack or through a combination of the resonant frequency and resistance.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2013Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: The Provost, Fellows, Foundation Scholars, & The Other Members of Board—Trinity College DublinInventors: Remy Lassalle-Balier, Michael Coey