Integrated Silicon Solution Patent Grants

Magnetic field transducer mounting methods for MTJ device testers

Granted: November 2, 2021
Patent Number: 11162981
A magnetic field transducer mounting apparatus can include a first mount configured to fixedly couple to a side surface of a wafer test fixture magnet, and a second and third mount configured to adjustably position a magnetic field transducer in a predetermined location proximate a face of the wafer test fixture magnet.

Error cache segmentation for power reduction

Granted: October 19, 2021
Patent Number: 11151042
A memory device for storing data comprises a memory bank comprising a plurality of addressable memory cells, wherein the memory bank is divided into a plurality of segments. The memory device also comprises a cache memory operable for storing a second plurality of data words, wherein each data word of the second plurality of data words is either awaiting write verification associated with the memory bank or is to be re-written into the memory bank. Also, the cache memory is divided into…

Internal latch circuit and method for generating latch signal thereof

Granted: September 7, 2021
Patent Number: 11115006
An internal latch circuit having a plurality of low initial value D flip-flops, a plurality of high initial value D flip-flops, an internal latch signal generating circuit and a NAND gate, and a method for generating latch signal thereof is provided. First, an input delay signal in response to a clock signal is generated. Then, a first internal input signal, a first reverse internal input signal, a second internal input signal, and a second reverse internal input signal are generated by…

Repetition scheme for flexible bandwidth utilization

Granted: July 27, 2021
Patent Number: 11075716
A network device implements a repetition scheme to generate a repetition-encoded forward error correction (FEC) codeword for a FEC codeword. The repetition-encoded FEC codeword includes a set of N offset-shifted bit sequences. In some embodiments, each bit sequence is formed by M replicas of the FEC codeword and an offset is applied to shift the bit sequence where the offset is different for each bit sequence. The set of N offset-shifted bit sequences are allocated into N orthogonal…

Non-volatile memory with source line resistance compensation

Granted: April 20, 2021
Patent Number: 10984872
A non-volatile memory device determines the bit-line location of a memory cell selected for memory operation relative to a nearest source line, generates a modified bit-line bias voltage based on the bit-line location and applies the modified bit-line bias voltage to the selected memory cell. In some embodiments, the memory cell is selected to be programmed. In this manner, the non-volatile memory device compensates for source line resistance at the memory cells.

Wide range output driver circuit for semiconductor device

Granted: February 2, 2021
Patent Number: 10911044
An output circuit receives a data signal biased within a first voltage range associated with a first power supply voltage and generates an output signal on an output node biased within a second voltage range in response to the data signal, the second voltage range is associated with a second power supply voltage greater than the first power supply voltage. The output circuit generates pull-up and pull-down signals that are within the first voltage range in response to the data signal.…

Clocked commands timing adjustments method in synchronous semiconductor integrated circuits

Granted: November 10, 2020
Patent Number: 10832747
A method in a clocked integrated circuit receiving an input clock signal having a clock frequency and a command signal for accessing a memory element in the clocked integrated circuit. The method detects the input clock signal having a clock frequency above or below a frequency threshold. The method generates a clock detect output signal having a first logical state in response to the clock frequency being below the frequency threshold and generates the clock detect output signal having…

PVT-independent fixed delay circuit

Granted: November 3, 2020
Patent Number: 10826473
A PVT-independent fixed delay circuit includes a circuit structure that has a current generator and a multi-level inverter-based time delay unit. The inverter-based time delay unit has at least two NMOS transistors M5, M6, and at least two PMOS transistors M7, M8. The current generator has a circuit structure including at least two NMOS transistors M1, M2, at least two PMOS transistors M3, M4 and a resistor RS.

Repetition scheme for flexible bandwidth utilization

Granted: March 10, 2020
Patent Number: 10587365
A network device implements a repetition scheme to generate a repetition-encoded FEC codeword for a FEC codeword. The repetition-encoded FEC codeword includes a set of bit sequences concatenated together. The set of bit sequences corresponds to a set of OFDM symbols. In some embodiments, each bit sequence is formed by M replicas of the FEC codeword and an offset is applied to shift the bit sequence where the offset is different for each bit sequence. In one embodiment, a right cyclic…

Domain establishment, registration and resignation via a push button mechanism

Granted: October 8, 2019
Patent Number: 10439674
A network node includes a pushbutton to provide a button-press event and a pairer to receive the button-press event while not being in a secure domain. In response to the button-press, the pairer alternates between acting as an endpoint node and acting as a temporary domain master, until pairing is completed. In an alternative embodiment, the node includes a multi-pairer to receive the button press event and, in response, to open a pairing window, to become a domain master of a secure…

Embedded transconductance test circuit and method for flash memory cells

Granted: October 1, 2019
Patent Number: 10431321
A transconductance test method implemented in a flash memory device detects memory cells with low transconductance and provides an output identifying memory cells, if any, having been classified as having a low transconductance (low gm). In some embodiments, the transconductance test method implements multi-step testing using a pair of gate bias levels for each test step. Accurate detection of memory cells with low transconductance can be realized.

Secured chip enable with chip disable

Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number: 10331575
A memory device incorporates a chip enable protection circuit implementing a secured chip enable method providing a passcode protected enable scheme with secure chip disable for the memory device. The passcode can be programmed at manufacturing or programmed by the user. Memory device access is enabled by receiving the correct passcode and memory device access is denied when the wrong passcode is entered. Furthermore, the secured chip enable method implements secure chip disable where…

Clocked commands timing adjustments method in synchronous semiconductor integrated circuits

Granted: March 19, 2019
Patent Number: 10236042
A method in a clocked integrated circuit receiving an input clock signal having a clock frequency and a command signal for accessing a memory element in the clocked integrated circuit. The method detects the input clock signal having a clock frequency above or below a frequency threshold. The method generates a clock detect output signal having a first logical state in response to the clock frequency being below the frequency threshold and generates the clock detect output signal having…

Memory device read training method

Granted: March 12, 2019
Patent Number: 10229743
A memory device implements a memory read training method using a dedicated read command to retrieve training data from a register for performing memory read training while the memory device remains operating in the normal operation mode. Subsequent to the memory read training, the memory device may then receive the normal read command to read data from the memory cell array or the normal write command to write data to the memory cell array. In this manner, memory read training is…

Method for forming flash memory unit

Granted: January 1, 2019
Patent Number: 10170597
A method for forming flash memory units is provided. After a logic gate in a select gate PMOS transistor area is separated from a logic gate in a control gate PMOS transistor area, P-type impurities implanted into the logic gate in the select gate PMOS transistor area are diffused into an N-type floating gate polysilicon layer to convert the N-type floating gate into a P-type floating gate by a subsequent high temperature heating process, so that it is possible to successfully form a…

Calibration circuit for on-chip drive and on-die termination

Granted: October 16, 2018
Patent Number: 10103731
Calibration circuits and methods to set an on-chip impedance to match a target impedance where the reference voltage does not equal one-half of the positive power supply voltage Vddq are described. In particular, calibration circuits and methods are provided to enable accurate impedance matching at a reference voltage Vref of K*Vddq, where K is a number between 0 and 1. In some embodiments, a calibration circuit for impedance matching at a reference voltage of K*Vddq uses a ratioed…

Clocked commands timing adjustments in synchronous semiconductor integrated circuits

Granted: September 4, 2018
Patent Number: 10068626
A clock timing adjust circuit is incorporated in a clocked integrated circuit to detect an input clock frequency and to adjust the timing latency of an internal control signal for accessing a memory element in the clocked integrated circuit. The clock timing adjust circuit introduces an adjustable timing latency to an internal control signal derived from the command signal. The clock timing adjust circuit operates to adjust the timing latency of the control signal to cause clock based…

Method for operating flash memory

Granted: June 26, 2018
Patent Number: 10008267
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices and discloses a method for operating a flash memory. When a read operation is performed on a flash memory unit, a potential of a first control line connected to gates of select gate PMOS transistors located in a same row is switched from a positive supply voltage to 0V. Since it is not required to switch the potential from a positive voltage to a negative voltage, the power consumption of the pump circuit is significantly reduced.…

Power supply transient reduction method for multiple LED channel systems

Granted: May 8, 2018
Patent Number: 9967932
An LED controller for a multiple LED channel system using PWM method for LED dimming function incorporates a digital dimming control circuit to generate the PWM signals for driving the LED channels to spread out or cancel out the power supply transients generated by the LED transient current during PWM modulation for dimming operation. The digital dimming control circuit implements a power supply transient reduction method whereby the active period of the PWM signals for some of the LED…

Serial bus event notification in a memory device

Granted: February 27, 2018
Patent Number: 9904596
A memory device incorporates a serial data bus coupled to a serial bus control circuit to provide access to error correction event notification information and error correction function configuration information. In some embodiments, the serial bus control circuit is in communication with a set of registers storing error correction event information and error correction function configuration information. The serial data bus enables access to the error correction control functions and to…