| Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120074923 | Fast Voltage Regulators For Charge Pumps - A digital multilevel memory system includes a charge pump and a voltage regulator for generating regulated high voltages for various memory operations. The charge pump may include a plurality of boost circuits to boost the output of the charge pump during a fast start up. Afterwards, the boost circuits are disabled to allow the charge pump to generate high voltages without boosting. The boost circuits may be successively enabled to boost the voltage. The boost circuits may be loadless. The voltage regulator may operate in an open loop and may include a resistive divider as a reference voltage for regulating the high voltage from the charge pump. The charge pump may include spread spectrum pump clocking to reduce electromagnetic inference for capacitor or inductor on-chip charge pumping. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120044774 | SENSE AMPLIFIER FOR LOW VOLTAGE HIGH SPEED SENSING - A memory system includes a sense amplifier for detecting content of data memory cells by comparison with a voltage stored in a reference cell. The sense amplifier may comprise a comparator, first and second load circuits, and a low impedance circuit. A first input of the comparator is coupled to the low impedance circuit and a reference voltage node. A second input of the comparator is coupled to a data voltage node. The first load circuit loads a reference cell coupled to the reference voltage node. The second load circuit loads a data cell coupled to the data voltage node. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20110169558 | CHARGE PUMP SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Digital multilevel memory systems and methods include a charge pump for generating regulated high voltages for various memory operations. The charge pump may include a plurality of pump stages. Aspects of exemplary systems may include charge pumps that performs orderly charging and discharging at low voltage operation conditions. Additional aspects may include features that enable state by state pumping, for example, circuitry that avoids cascaded short circuits among pump stages. Each pump stage may also include circuitry that discharges its nodes, such as via self-discharge through associated pump interconnection(s). Further aspects may also include features that: assist power-up in the various pump stages, double voltage, shift high voltage levels, provide anti-parallel circuit configurations, and/or enable buffering or precharging features, such as self-buffering and self-precharging circuitry. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110121863 | SENSE AMPLIFIER FOR LOW VOLTAGE HIGH SPEED SENSING - A memory system includes a sense amplifier for detecting content of data memory cells by comparison with a voltage stored in a reference cell. The sense amplifier may comprise a comparator, first and second load circuits, and a low impedance circuit. A first input of the comparator is coupled to the low impedance circuit and a reference voltage node. A second input of the comparator is coupled to a data voltage node. The first load circuit loads a reference cell coupled to the reference voltage node. The second load circuit loads a data cell coupled to the data voltage node. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110121799 | Fast Voltage Regulators For Charge Pumps - A digital multilevel memory system includes a charge pump and a voltage regulator for generating regulated high voltages for various memory operations. The charge pump may include a plurality of boost circuits to boost the output of the charge pump during a fast start up. Afterwards, the boost circuits are disabled to allow the charge pump to generate high voltages without boosting. The boost circuits may be successively enabled to boost the voltage. The boost circuits may be loadless. The voltage regulator may operate in an open loop and may include a resistive divider as a reference voltage for regulating the high voltage from the charge pump. The charge pump may include spread spectrum pump clocking to reduce electromagnetic inference for capacitor or inductor on-chip charge pumping. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110058425 | Integrated Flash Memory Systems And Methods For Load Compensation - Systems and methods are disclosed including features that compensate for variations in the magnitude of supply voltages used in memory arrays. According to some aspects, compensation circuits may provide a tunable current-limiting load for data columns, where the load can be tuned to dynamically compensate for variations in supply voltage. In certain aspects, a compensation circuit may employ an operational amplifier configured as a voltage follower. The voltage follower compensates for any variations in supply voltage, forcing a constant voltage drop across the load element(s), thus maintaining a constant load. Other circuits may also be included, such as precharge circuits, clamp circuits, buffer circuits, trimming circuit, and sense amplifier circuits with sensed body effect. System-On-Chip integrated system aspects may include a microcontroller, a mixed IP, and a flash memory system having functionality and blocks that interface and interoperate with each other for load compensation. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110022905 | Test Circuit and Method for Multilevel Cell Flash Memory - A test device and method may be used to detect voltage, current or signals of a digital multilevel memory cell system or to test operation or performance by applying inputted voltages, currents or signals to the memory cell system. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110018634 | Method and Apparatus for Systematic and Random Variation and Mismatch Compensation for Multilevel Flash Memory Operation - Method and means for random or systematic mismatch compensation for a memory sensing system are disclosed. A sense amplifier includes a bulk voltage source to set the bulk of the sensing transistor to be a voltage different than the voltage driving the sensing transistor. For an NMOS sensing transistor, a triple well is used with the variable bulk voltage. Differential sense amplifiers with various offset compensation are included. Intentional offset creation for useful purpose is also included. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110018624 | INTEGRATED POWER DETECTOR WITH TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION FOR FULLY-CLOSED LOOP CONTROL - An amplifier circuit comprises a detection power input circuit for receiving an RF signal, and a bias circuit that includes an output for generating a bias signal in response to a reference control voltage. The power detector further comprises a detection circuit for generating a power control voltage having a voltage characteristic that offsets temperature characteristics of the received RF signal. The amplifier circuit further comprises a power amplifier coupled to the bias circuit. The power amplifier includes a driver stage providing the RF signal. The detection circuit compensates temperature variation of the inputted detection voltage of the received RF signal. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20100322015 | Split Gate NAND Flash Memory Structure and Array, Method of Programming, Erasing and Reading Thereof, and Method of Manufacturing - A split gate NAND flash memory structure is formed on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The NAND structure comprises a first region of a second conductivity type in the substrate with a second region of the second conductivity type in the substrate, spaced apart from the first region. A continuous first channel region is defined between the first region and the second region. A plurality of floating gates are spaced apart from one another with each positioned over a separate portion of the channel region. A plurality of control gates are provided with each associated with and adjacent to a floating gate. Each control gate has two portions: a first portion over a portion of the channel region and a second portion over the associated floating gate and capacitively coupled thereto. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100254207 | Non-Volatile Memory Device with Plural Reference Cells, and Method of Setting the Reference Cells - A non-volatile memory device has an array of non-volatile memory cells, a first plurality of non-volatile memory reference cells, with each reference cell capable of being programmed to a reference level different from the other reference cells; and a second plurality of comparators. Each of the comparators is connectable to one of the first plurality of non-volatile memory reference cells and to one of a third plurality of memory cells from among the array of non-volatile memory cells. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100203654 | Method of Testing an Integrated Circuit Die, and an Integrated Circuit Die - In the present invention, a method of testing an unpackaged integrated circuit die is disclosed. The die has a plurality of first input/output pads. A serial electrical connection is fabricated in the die between all of the input/output pads of the die which are not of the first plurality (hereinafter: “second plurality”). The second plurality has a start input and an end output. The start input of the second plurality is connected to the output of one selected input buffer of the input pad of the first plurality and the end output of the second plurality is also connected to the input of one selected output pad of the first plurality. The second plurality of input/output pads are tested through selected input pad and selected output pad of the first plurality without electrical probes making contact during the wafer sort. The present invention also relates to an integrated circuit die so fabricated as to facilitate testing. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100202200 | Power Line Compensation for Flash Memory Sense Amplifiers - In one aspect, the invention concerns a memory system that compensates for power level variations in sense amplifiers for multilevel memory. For example, a compensation circuit can be employed to compensate for current or voltage variations in the power supplied to multilevel memory sense amplifiers. As another example, compensation can be accomplished by application of a bias voltage to the power supply. Another example is a sense amplifier configured with improved input common mode voltage range. Such sense amplifiers can be two-pair and three-pair sense amplifiers. Further examples of the invention include more simplified sense amplifier configurations, and sense amplifiers having reduced leakage current. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100188138 | Fast Start Charge Pump for Voltage Regulators - A digital multilevel memory system includes a charge pump and a voltage regulator for generating regulated high voltages for various memory operations. The charge pump may include a plurality of boost circuits to boost the output of the charge pump during a fast start up. Afterwards, the boost circuits are disabled to allow the charge pump to generate high voltages without boosting. The boost circuits may be successively enabled to boost the voltage. The boost circuits may be loadless. The voltage regulator may operate in an open loop and may include a resistive divider as a reference voltage for regulating the high voltage from the charge pump. The charge pump may include spread spectrum pump clocking to reduce electromagnetic inference for capacitor or inductor on-chip charge pumping. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100157687 | Method for Erasing a Flash Memory Cell or an Array of Such Cells Having Improved Erase Coupling Ratio - A flash memory cell is of the type having a substrate of a first conductivity type having a first region of a second conductivity type at a first end, and a second region of the second conductivity type at a second end, spaced apart from the first end, with a channel region between the first end and the second end. The flash memory cell has a plurality of stacked pairs of floating gates and control gates with the floating gates positioned over portions of the channel region and are insulated therefrom, and each control gate over a floating gate and insulated therefrom. The flash memory cell further has a plurality of erase gates over the channel region which are insulated therefrom, with an erase gate between each pair of stacked pair of floating gate and control gate. In a method of erasing the flash memory cell, a pulse of a first positive voltage is applied to alternating erase gates (“first alternating gates”). In addition, a ground voltage is applied to erase gates other than the first alternating gates (“second alternating gates”). In a second method to erase the flash memory cell, a pulse of a first positive voltage is applied to the first alternating gates and a negative voltage is applied to the second alternating gates and to all control gates. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100091567 | Test Circuit and Method for Multilevel Cell Flash Memory - A test device and method may be used to detect voltage, current or signals of a digital multilevel memory cell system or to test operation or performance by applying inputted voltages, currents or signals to the memory cell system. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100081270 | Method and Apparatus for Strapping Two Polysilicon Lines in a Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Device - A method and apparatus for partially strapping two polysilicon lines, each having a first end and second end, uses a metal line having a plurality of spaced apart metal segments with each metal segment partially strapping a different portion of a polysilicon line. The metal segments are arranged from the first end to the second end with the signals propagating from the second end to the first end. Where two metal segments are used, the segments have lengths of | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100067311 | Non-Volatile Memory Device Having High Speed Serial Interface - A non-volatile memory device comprises an interface circuit for receiving a plurality of signals. The plurality of signals provides multiplexed address and data and command signals in a serial format. An input buffer stores a plurality of the plurality of signals received in serial format and reconstitutes the address, data and command signals, and has an output. A command circuit receives the output of the input buffer and stores the command signals therefrom. An address circuit receives the output of the input buffer and stores the address signals therefrom. A data buffer circuit receives the output of the input buffer and stores the data signals therefrom. An array of non-volatile memory cells stores data from and provides data to the data buffer in response to address signals from the address decoder. A state machine is connected to the command circuit and controls the array of non-volatile memory cells. An output buffer receives data from the data buffer circuit and provides data to the interface circuit. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100067308 | Sub Volt Flash Memory System - Various circuits include MOS transistors that have a bulk voltage terminal for receiving a bulk voltage that is different from a supply voltage and ground. The bulk voltage may be selectively set so that some MOS transistors have a bulk voltage set to the supply voltage or ground and other MOS transistors have a bulk voltage that is different. The bulk voltage may be set to forward or reverse bias pn junctions in the MOS transistor. The various circuits include comparators, operational amplifiers, sensing circuits, decoding circuits and the other circuits. The circuits may be included in a memory system. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100054043 | Split Gate Non-Volatile Flash Memory Cell Having a Floating Gate, Control Gate, Select Gate and an Erase Gate with an Overhang Over the Floating Gate, Array and Method of Manufacturing - An improved split gate non-volatile memory cell is made in a substantially single crystalline substrate of a first conductivity type, having a first region of a second conductivity type, a second region of the second conductivity type, with a channel region between the first region and the second region in the substrate. The cell has a select gate above a portion of the channel region, a floating gate over another portion of the channel region, a control gate above the floating gate and an erase gate adjacent to the floating gate. The erase gate has an overhang extending over the floating gate. The ratio of the dimension of the overhang to the dimension of the vertical separation between the floating gate and the erase gate is between approximately 1.0 and 2.5, which improves erase efficiency. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100001765 | SENSE AMPLIFIER FOR LOW VOLTAGE HIGH SPEED SENSING - A memory system includes a sense amplifier for detecting content of data memory cells by comparison with a voltage stored in a reference cell. The sense amplifier may comprise a comparator, first and second load circuits, and a low impedance circuit. A first input of the comparator is coupled to the low impedance circuit and a reference voltage node. A second input of the comparator is coupled to a data voltage node. The first load circuit loads a reference cell coupled to the reference voltage node. The second load circuit loads a data cell coupled to the data voltage node. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20090323415 | FLASH MEMORY ARRAY SYSTEM INCLUDING A TOP GATE MEMORY CELL - A memory system includes memory cells arranged in sectors. A decoder corresponding to a sector disables memory cells having a defective top gate. The decoder may include a low voltage or high voltage latch for the disabling. A top gate handling algorithm is included. The memory system may include dynamic top gate coupling. A programming algorithm and waveforms with top gate handling is included. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20090303803 | Independent Bi-Directional Margin Control Per Level and Independently Expandable Reference Cell Levels for Voltage Mode Sensing - A memory system includes reference level generators that may provide programmable margins, and programmable verify voltage levels. The reference levels may be shifted within a range of voltages with varying differences between reference voltage levels and with different margins and verify levels. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090302830 | INTEGRATED POWER DETECTOR WITH TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION FOR FULLY-CLOSED LOOP CONTROL - An amplifier circuit comprises a detection power input circuit for receiving an RF signal, and a bias circuit that includes an output for generating a bias signal in response to a reference control voltage. The power detector further comprises a detection circuit for generating a power control voltage having a voltage characteristic that offsets temperature characteristics of the received RF signal. The amplifier circuit further comprises a power amplifier coupled to the bias circuit. The power amplifier includes a driver stage providing the RF signal. The detection circuit compensates temperature variation of the inputted detection voltage of the received RF signal. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090160411 | FAST VOLTAGE REGULATORS FOR CHARGE PUMPS - A digital multilevel memory system includes a charge pump and a voltage regulator for generating regulated high voltages for various memory operations. The charge pump may include a plurality of boost circuits to boost the output of the charge pump during a fast start up. Afterwards, the boost circuits are disabled to allow the charge pump to generate high voltages without boosting. The boost circuits may be successively enabled to boost the voltage. The boost circuits may be loadless. The voltage regulator may operate in an open loop and may include a resistive divider as a reference voltage for regulating the high voltage from the charge pump. The charge pump may include spread spectrum pump clocking to reduce electromagnetic inference for capacitor or inductor on-chip charge pumping. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090150588 | Hard Disk Drive Cache Memory and Playback Device - A NOR emulating device using a controller and NAND memories can be used in a computer system in placed of the main memory or in place of the BIOS NOR memory. Thus, the emulating device can function as a bootable memory. In addition, the device can act as a cache to the hard disk drive. Further, with the addition of an MP3 player controller into the device, the device can function as a stand alone audio playback device, even while the PC is turned off or is in a hibernating mode. Finally with the MP3 player controller, the device can access additional audio data stored on the hard drive, again with the PC in an off mode or a hibernating mode. Finally, the device can function to operate the disk drive, even while the PC is off or is in a hibernating mode, and control USB ports attached thereto. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090147579 | NON-VOLATILE MEMORY SYSTEMS AND METHODS INCLUDING PAGE READ AND/OR CONFIGURATION FEATURES - A high speed voltage mode sensing is provided for a digital multibit non-volatile memory integrated system. An embodiment has a local source follower stage followed by a high speed common source stage. Another embodiment has a local source follower stage followed by a high speed source follower stage. Another embodiment has a common source stage followed by a source follower. An auto zeroing scheme is used. A capacitor sensing scheme is used. Multilevel parallel operation is described. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090140814 | RF POWER AMPLIFIER - An RF power amplifier includes a plurality of amplifier cells. Each amplifier cell includes a bipolar transistor and a base circuit that comprises an RF coupling capacitor, a bias resistor, a base capacitor, and a base resistor. The base circuit transmits DC bias current and an RF signal to the base of the bipolar transistor to provide a selectable frequency response. The base circuit may be implemented using a structure of stacked capacitors. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090100307 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING NONVOLATILE MEMORY MANAGEMENT IN WIRELESS PHONES - The present invention is related to memory management, and in particular, to methods and systems for accessing and managing nonvolatile, such as in a wireless phone. A wireless phone memory controller is disclosed that, comprises a first interface circuit configured to be coupled to wireless phone nonvolatile memory, a second interface circuit configured to be coupled to wireless phone volatile memory, a first processor interface configured to be coupled to a first wireless phone processor, wherein the first processor interface is configured to provide the first processor with access to the wireless phone volatile memory, a second processor interface configured to be coupled to a second wireless phone processor, and a controller circuit configured to copy at least a portion of wireless phone nonvolatile memory data to the wireless phone volatile memory. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090096507 | Integrated Semiconductor Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Capacitor - An integrated MIS capacitor has two substantially identical MIS capacitors. A first capacitor comprises a first region of a first conductivity type adjacent to a channel region of the first conductivity type in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a second conductivity type. A gate electrode is insulated and spaced apart from the channel region of the first capacitor. The second capacitor is substantially identical to the first capacitor and is formed in the same semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the first region of the second capacitor and the gate electrode of the second capacitor is electrically connected to the first region of the first capacitor. In this manner, the capacitors are connected in an anti-parallel configuration. A capacitor which has high capacitance densities, low process complexity, ambipolar operation, low voltage and temperature coefficient, low external parasitic resistance and capacitance and good matching characteristics for use in analog designs that can be integrated with existing semiconductor processes results. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090091396 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CALIBRATION OF A TANK CIRCUIT IN A PHASE LOCK LOOP - A phase lock loop includes a calibration loop for calibrating a tank circuit for capacitance variation through process variations of manufacturing an integrated circuit including the phase lock loop. A capacitance profile for setting the frequency of the phase lock loop at a process corner, such as a typical process corner is stored in driver software or a host processor. At power up, or after an idle time, a calibration is performed at two frequencies. The capacitances of operating the phase lock loop at the two frequencies are determined and stored. During a frequency change, the capacitance of operating the phase lock loop is determined from the capacitance profile and stored capacitances. In one aspect, the capacitance of the phase lock loop is presumed to change linearly with frequency and the two stored capacitances are used to determine a difference capacitance at the selected frequency by linear interpolating between the two stored capacitances. The interpolated difference capacitance is added to the capacitance in the capacitance profile at the selected frequency to generate an operating capacitance. The capacitance of a tank circuit of the phase lock loop is set to the operating capacitance. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090073770 | Independent Bi-Directional Margin Control Per Level And Independently Expandable Reference Cell Levels For Flash Memory Sensing - A memory system includes reference level generators that may provide programmable margins, and programmable verify voltage levels. The reference levels may be shifted within a range of voltages with varying differences between reference voltage levels and with different margins and verify levels. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090067239 | FLASH MEMORY ARRAY SYSTEM INCLUDING A TOP GATE MEMORY CELL - A memory system includes memory cells arranged in sectors. A decoder corresponding to a sector disables memory cells having a defective top gate. The decoder may include a low voltage or high voltage latch for the disabling. A top gate handling algorithm is included. The memory system may include dynamic top gate coupling. A programming algorithm and waveforms with top gate handling is included. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090067235 | Test circuit and method for multilevel cell flash memory - A test device and method may be used to detect voltage, current or signals of a digital multilevel memory cell system or to test operation or performance by applying inputted voltages, currents or signals to the memory cell system. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090061547 | Landing Pad for Use As a Contact to a Conductive Spacer - A landing pad for use as a contact to a conductive spacer adjacent a structure in a semiconductor device comprises two islands, each of which is substantially rectangularly shaped and is spaced apart from one another and from the structure. Conductive spacers are adjacent to each island and overlapping each other and overlapping with the conductive spacer adjacent to the structure. The contact to the landing pad is on the conductive spacers adjacent to the islands and spaced apart from the structure. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090052248 | FLASH MEMORY ARRAY SYSTEM INCLUDING A TOP GATE MEMORY CELL - A memory system includes memory cells arranged in sectors. A decoder corresponding to a sector disables memory cells having a defective top gate. The decoder may include a low voltage or high voltage latch for the disabling. A top gate handling algorithm is included. The memory system may include dynamic top gate coupling. A programming algorithm and waveforms with top gate handling is included. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090023413 | Cross Coupled High Frequency Buffer - A local oscillator (LO) buffer circuit comprises first and second LO buffers arranged in a cross coupled configuration. The first LO buffer generates in-phase output signals in response to in-phase input signals, and quadrature output signals from the second LO buffer. The second LO buffer generates the quadrature output signals in response to quadrature input signals and the in-phase output signals. The LO buffers may include inductive loads. The LO buffers may include MOS transistors or bipolar junction transistors. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090016113 | NON-DIFFUSION JUNCTION SPLIT-GATE NONVOLATILE MEMORY CELLS AND ARRAYS, METHODS OF PROGRAMMING, ERASING, AND READING THEREOF, AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - Nonvolatile flash memory systems and methods are disclosed having a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, including non-diffused channel regions through which electron flow is induced by application of voltage to associated gate elements. A plurality of floating gates are spaced apart from one another and each insulated from the channel region. A plurality of control gates are spaced apart from one another and insulated from the channel region, with each control gate being located between a first floating gate and a second floating gate and capacitively coupled thereto to form a subcell. A plurality of spaced-apart assist gates are insulated from the channel region, with each assist gate being located between and insulated from adjacent subcells. The channel is formed of three regions, two beneath adjacent control gate elements as well as a third region between the first two and beneath an associated assist gate. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090016106 | SUB VOLT FLASH MEMORY SYSTEM - Various circuits include MOS transistors that have a bulk voltage terminal for receiving a bulk voltage that is different from a supply voltage and ground. The bulk voltage may be selectively set so that some MOS transistors have a bulk voltage set to the supply voltage or ground and other MOS transistors have a bulk voltage that is different. The bulk voltage may be set to forward or reverse bias pn junctions in the MOS transistor. The various circuits include comparators, operational amplifiers, sensing circuits, decoding circuits and the other circuits. The circuits may be included in a memory system. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090004807 | PASSIVE ELEMENTS, ARTICLES, PACKAGES, SEMICONDUCTOR COMPOSITES, AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING SAME - Systems and methods associated with semiconductor articles are disclosed, including forming a first layer of material on a substrate, etching trenches within regions defining a passive element in the first layer, forming metal regions on sidewalls of the trenches, and forming a region of dielectric or polymer material over or in the substrate. Moreover, an exemplary method may also include forming areas of metal regions on the sidewalls of the trenches such that planar strip portions of the areas form electrically conductive regions of the passive element(s) that are aligned substantially perpendicularly with respect to a primary plane of the substrate. Other exemplary embodiments may comprise various articles or methods including capacitive and/or inductive aspects, Titanium- and/or Tantalum-based resistive aspects, products, products by processes, packages and composites consistent with one or more aspects of the innovations set forth herein. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20080290931 | Charge pump systems and methods - Digital multilevel memory systems and methods include a charge pump for generating regulated high voltages for various memory operations. The charge pump may include a plurality of pump stages. Aspects of exemplary systems may include charge pumps that performs orderly charging and discharging at low voltage operation conditions. Additional aspects may include features that enable state by state pumping, for example, circuitry that avoids cascaded short circuits among pump stages. Each pump stage may also include circuitry that discharges its nodes, such as via self-discharge through associated pump interconnection(s). Further aspects may also include features that: assist power-up in the various pump stages, double voltage, shift high voltage levels, provide anti-parallel circuit configurations, and/or enable buffering or precharging features, such as self-buffering and self-precharging circuitry. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080278986 | High-Speed and Low-Power Differential Non-Volatile Content Addressable Memory Cell and Array - A differential non-volatile content addressable memory array has a differential non-volatile content addressable memory cell which uses a pair of non-volatile storage elements. Each of the non-volatile storage elements can be a split-gate floating gate transistor or a stack gate floating gate transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal, a channel therebetween and a floating gate over at least a portion of the channel to control the conduction of electrons in the channel, and a control gate. The floating gate storage transistor can be in one of two states: a first state, such as erase, in which current can flow between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a second state, such as programmed, in which substantially no current flows between the first terminal and the second terminal. A pair of differential compare data lines connects to the control gate of each of the pair of non-volatile floating gate transistors. A match line connects to the first terminal of each of the pair of non-volatile floating gate transistors to a first voltage. Finally, the second terminals of each storage element is connected to a second voltage, different from the first voltage. A current passing through the memory cell is indicative of a mis-match between the contents of the compare data lines and the contents of the storage elements. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080239834 | SENSE AMPLIFIER FOR LOW VOLTAGE HIGH SPEED SENSING - A memory system includes a sense amplifier for detecting content of data memory cells by comparison with a voltage stored in a reference cell. The sense amplifier may comprise a comparator, first and second load circuits, and a low impedance circuit. A first input of the comparator is coupled to the low impedance circuit and a reference voltage node. A second input of the comparator is coupled to a data voltage node. The first load circuit loads a reference cell coupled to the reference voltage node. The second load circuit loads a data cell coupled to the data voltage node. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080224774 | Method and Apparatus for Systematic and Random Variation and Mismatch Compensation for Multilevel Flash Memory Operation - Method and means for random or systematic mismatch compensation for a memory sensing system are disclosed. A sense amplifier includes a bulk voltage source to set the bulk of the sensing transistor to be a voltage different than the voltage driving the sensing transistor. For an NMOS sensing transistor, a triple well is used with the variable bulk voltage. Differential sense amplifiers with various offset compensation are included. Intentional offset creation for useful purpose is also included. | 09-18-2008 |
