Spansion Patent Applications

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RESISTING NON-INVASIVE ATTACKS

Granted: September 22, 2016
Application Number: 20160277184
A device and method for resisting, non-invasive attacks are disclosed herein. The device includes a random number generator that generates a random number, and a multiplier that multiplies first data and second data in a unit of a bit length determined based on the random number.

TEMPERATURE DETECTION CIRCUIT AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT CIRCUIT

Granted: May 26, 2016
Application Number: 20160146675
A temperature detection circuit and a temperature measurement circuit capable of detecting and measuring temperatures precisely are disclosed. The temperature detection circuit includes n temperature detectors (n is an integer of 2 or more), each of the temperature detectors being configured to output a detection signal of high level when a temperature of an object reaches a first value, and a temperature determination part configured to determine whether or not the temperature of the…

PROTECTING CIRCUIT AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

Granted: May 12, 2016
Application Number: 20160134103
A protecting circuit includes: a discharge switch configured to connect to a first terminal and a second terminal; a trigger circuit comprising load devices configured to be connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, each of the load devices being configured to consume power; and a shunt circuit comprising, between the trigger circuit and the first terminal or the second terminal, at least one shunt pathway configured to be capable of bypassing at least one…

CHARGE-TRAPPING MEMORY DEVICE

Granted: May 5, 2016
Application Number: 20160126250
A structure and method for providing improved and reliable charge trapping memory device are disclosed herein. A charge trapping field effect transistor (FET) comprising a semiconductor substrate, a doped region in the semiconductor substrate, and a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate and a method of fabricating the same are also discussed. The doped region comprises a first lateral dimension along a first direction. The gate structure comprises a charge trapping dielectric…

Simultaneous Programming of Many Bits in Flash Memory

Granted: April 21, 2016
Application Number: 20160111166
A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of memory cells; a plurality of local bit lines connected to respective memory cells of the plurality of memory cells; and a first amplifier. The first amplifier receives read data from each local bit line of the plurality of local bit lines and determines a transition speed of an output level of the first amplifier in response to receiving a combination of at least two pieces of read data. The first amplifier transfers, based on the…

OVERLAID ERASE BLOCK MAPPING

Granted: April 21, 2016
Application Number: 20160110282
An overlaid erase block (EB) mapping scheme for a flash memory provides efficient wear-leveling and reduces mount operation latency. The overlaid EB mapping scheme maps a first type of EB onto one of a plurality of physical erase blocks, in a corresponding portion of the flash memory. The first type of EB includes a plurality of pointers. The overlaid EB mapping scheme also maps each of second and third types of EBs onto one of the physical EBs that is not mapped to the first type of EB.…

SYSTEM-ON-CHIP VERIFICATION

Granted: April 14, 2016
Application Number: 20160103723
Disclosed herein are method, system and computer program product embodiments for improving the verification process of a system on chip (SoC). An embodiment operates by employing an active interconnect (AIC) between a processing subsystem (e.g., a central processing unit or CPU) and a plurality of peripherals, wherein the processing subsystem is linked to a plurality of applications via a plurality of drivers, and implementing a common set of software codes by at least one of the…

INTEGRATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY CELLS AND LOGIC CELLS

Granted: February 18, 2016
Application Number: 20160049416
A polysilicon gate electrode is formed in a memory cell area, and a dummy polysilicon gate electrode is formed in a logic cell area of a silicon substrate. The dummy polysilicon gate electrode is removed and a gate insulation film and a metal gate electrode having a recess portion are formed. Further, contact holes are formed on source regions and drain regions of the memory cell area and the logic cell area. The recess portion of the metal gate electrode and the contact holes are filled…

CONTROL APPARATUS, BUCK-BOOST POWER SUPPLY AND CONTROL METHOD

Granted: February 4, 2016
Application Number: 20160036332
A control apparatus, a buck-boost power supply, and a control method that can control an output part comprising two primary switches which are N-type transistors without changing the switching frequency are provided. A control apparatus for a buck-boost power supply comprises: a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal generator configured to generate a PWM signal having a pulse whose pulse width is based on an output voltage; a mode pulse signal generator configured to generate a mode pulse…

CRYSTAL OSCILLATION CIRCUIT

Granted: February 4, 2016
Application Number: 20160036383
A crystal oscillation circuit is provided with a crystal oscillator, an inverter unit coupled in parallel with the crystal oscillator and including a plurality of inverters, a current supply unit that supplies current to at least a first inverter of the plurality of inverters a signal converter that supplies current to at least a last inverter of the plurality of inverters and outputs a voltage to an external circuit, and a current controller that makes the current supply unit provide…

DETECTING THE DRIFT OF THE DATA VALID WINDOW IN A TRANSACTION

Granted: January 28, 2016
Application Number: 20160026593
Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments for detecting the drift of the data valid window in a transaction. An embodiment operates by configuring a data capture range comprising data capture points, measuring values of a signal at the data capture points, and detecting the drift of the data valid window based on the values at the data capture points.

BOOTING AN APPLICATION FROM MULTIPLE MEMORIES

Granted: December 31, 2015
Application Number: 20150378882
Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments for booting an application from multiple memories. An embodiment operates by executing in place from a first memory a first portion of the application, loading a second portion of the application from a second memory, and executing the second portion of the application.

Methods, Circuits, Devices and Systems for Integrated Circuit Voltage Level Shifting

Granted: November 26, 2015
Application Number: 20150341034
Disclosed is an integrated circuit voltage level shifter including: a first set of pull-up transistors to selectively pull an output voltage towards a high voltage source level based on an input; a second set of pull-down transistors adapted to selectively pull the output voltage towards a lower voltage source level based on the input and a third set of transistors to limit current flow through the second set of pull-down transistors and to mitigate snapback of the second set of…

Methods, Circuits, Devices and Systems for Comparing Signals

Granted: November 26, 2015
Application Number: 20150341023
Disclosed is a method of comparing two or more signals which may include: for each of the two or more signals, charging to a fixed voltage a compensation capacitor associated with a sense path of the signal, discharging each of the charged capacitors to a threshold voltage of a transistor in its respective sense path and integrating a discharge current from each capacitor with the signal sensed on the respective sense path.

METHODS, CIRCUITS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR SENSING AN NVM CELL

Granted: November 26, 2015
Application Number: 20150340098
Disclosed is a non-volatile memory (NVM) device including an array of NVM cells segmented into at least a first sector and a second sector and at least one sensing circuit to sense a state of a target NVM cell in the first sector using a reference current of the second sector received from at least a dynamic reference cell.

TILTED IMPLANT FOR POLY RESISTORS

Granted: November 19, 2015
Application Number: 20150333188
A semiconductor device having a substrate, a dielectric layer, a polycrystalline silicon (“poly”) resistor, a drain, and a source is disclosed. After implantation, the poly resistor may have a lateral doping profile with two peaks, one near each edge of the poly resistor, and a trough near the middle of the poly resistor. Such a doping profile can allow the poly resistor to have a resistance that is insensitive to small variations in critical dimension of the poly resistor. The…

Buried Trench Isolation in Integrated Circuits

Granted: September 17, 2015
Application Number: 20150262838
A system and method for providing electrical isolation between closely spaced devices in a high density integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed herein. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising a substrate, a first device, a second device, and a buried trench in the substrate and a method of fabricating the same are also discussed. The buried trench is positioned between first and second devices and may be filled with dielectric material. Alternatively, the buried trench contains air. A method…

Method to Improve Charge Trap Flash Memory Top Oxide Quality

Granted: September 10, 2015
Application Number: 20150255480
A semiconductor processing method to provide a high quality top oxide layer in charged-trapping NAND and NOR flash memory. The top oxide layer of NAND and NOR flash memory determines array device performance and reliability. The method described overcomes the corner thinning issue and the poor top oxide quality that results from the traditional oxidation approach of using pre-deposited silicon-rich nitride.

Memory Access Bases on Erase Cycle Time

Granted: September 10, 2015
Application Number: 20150253988
Disclosed herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments for improving a read margin in non-volatile semiconductor memory device. An embodiment includes measuring an erase-time of a memory block in a memory device and associating an indicator from the plurality Of indicators for the memory block. The indicator is saved and later retrieved during a read operation.

MEMORY SUBSYSTEM WITH WRAPPED-TO-CONTINUOUS READ

Granted: August 27, 2015
Application Number: 20150242129
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for accessing data of a memory. A method embodiment operates by receiving one or more requests for data stored across at least a first memory area and a second memory area of a memory. The method continues with performing, by at least one processor, a wrapped read of data within a first memory area of the memory. The method then performs, by the at least one processor, a continuous read of data within a second…