IP Library Granted Patent US 12665045
Granted Patent B2
US 12665045 · App. 18/671,964 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Memory device

Inventor: Chun Shiah (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Etron Technology, Inc.
G11C29/56016G11C29/56004G11C2029/5602
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12665045
App. No.
18/671,964
Filed
May 22, 2024
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2824
USPC
365/201
Abstract

A memory device is provided. The memory device includes: a package substrate; a memory chip, with chip inputs/outputs (I/Os), and attached to the package substrate; and package terminals, disposed on the package substrate, and having: functional package terminals, connected to the chip I/Os; no-connect (NC) package terminals, arranged among the functional package terminals and not connected to any of the chip I/Os; and redesigned NC package terminals, as additional ones of the NC package terminals but connected to the chip I/Os, so as to be functioned as additional functional package terminals.

Claims (40)

1 . A memory device, comprising:

a package substrate;

a memory chip with chip inputs/outputs (I/Os), the memory chip being attached to the package substrate; and

package terminals disposed on the package substrate, wherein a total amount of the package terminals is in compliance with Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) memory standard, and the package terminals comprise:

functional terminals connected to the chip I/Os; and

a first no-connect (NC) terminal originally being designated not to connect the chip I/Os according to the JEDEC memory standard, but being redesigned to connect to a first I/O of the chip I/Os, wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is functioned as one additional functional terminal,

wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is configured for an additional data signal, an additional command signal or an additional address signal, which is different from data signals, command signals or address signals coupled to the functional terminals.

2 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the package terminals further comprise second NC terminals arranged among the functional package terminals and not connected to any of the chip I/Os.

3 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the functional terminals and the redesigned first NC terminal are connected to the first I/O of the chip I/Os.

4 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein none of the functional terminals is connected to the first I/O of the chip I/Os.

5 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the working voltage is supplied to a predetermined circuit of the memory chip through the redesigned first NC terminal and the first I/O of the chip I/Os, wherein the predetermined circuit is a sense amplifier, a decoder, or a refresh circuit.

6 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is coupled to the additional data signal, the additional command signal and/or the additional address signal, so as to be configured to enable a test operation or an additional operation to the memory chip.

7 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is coupled to the additional data signal to redefine a data bandwidth of the memory chip.

8 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is coupled to the additional command signal, so to be configured to perform a new command not defined by the JEDEC memory standard.

9 . The memory device according to claim 1 , wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is coupled to the additional address signal, so as to be configured to redefine a storage capacity of the memory chip.

10 . A memory device, comprising:

a package substrate;

a memory chip with chip inputs/outputs (I/Os), wherein the memory chip is attached to the package substrate; and

package terminals disposed on the package substrate, wherein a total amount of the package terminals is in compliance with Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) memory standard, and the package terminals comprise:

functional terminals connected to the chip I/Os; and

a first set of no-connect (NC) terminals originally being designated not to connect the chip I/Os according to the JEDEC memory standard, but being redesigned to connect to a first set I/Os of the chip I/Os,

wherein the redesigned first set of NC terminals are configured for additional data signals, additional command signals or additional address signals, which are different from data signals, command signals or address signals coupled to the functional terminals.

11 . The memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the package terminals further comprise a second set of NC terminals arranged among the functional package terminals and not connected to any of the chip I/Os.

12 . The memory device according to claim 10 , wherein each of the redesigned first set of NC terminals is connected to an external voltage source, the additional data signal, the additional command signal or the additional address signal.

13 . The memory device according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the redesigned first set of NC terminals is connected to the external voltage source, such that a working voltage is supplied to a predetermined circuit of the memory chip through the at least one of the redesigned first set of NC terminals, wherein the predetermined circuit is a sense amplifier, a decoder, or a refresh circuit.

14 . The memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the redesigned first set of NC terminals are coupled to the additional data signals, so as to be configured to receive a test pattern for the memory device.

15 . The memory device according to claim 10 , wherein the redesigned first set of NC terminals are coupled to the additional command signals, so as to be configured to perform new commands not defined by the JEDEC memory standard.

16 . A memory device, comprising:

a package substrate;

a memory chip with chip inputs/outputs (I/Os), the memory chip being attached to the package substrate; and

package terminals disposed on the package substrate, wherein a total amount of the package terminals is in compliance with Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) memory standard, and the package terminals comprise:

functional terminals connected to the chip I/Os; and

a first no-connect (NC) terminal originally being designated not to connect the chip I/Os according to the JEDEC memory standard, but being redesigned to couple to a thermal via or a thermal plate of the memory chip.

17 . A memory device, comprising:

a package substrate;

a memory chip with chip inputs/outputs (I/Os), the memory chip being attached to the package substrate; and

package terminals disposed on the package substrate, wherein a total amount of the package terminals is in compliance with Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) memory standard, and the package terminals comprise:

functional terminals connected to the chip I/Os; and

a first no-connect (NC) terminal originally being designated not to connect the chip I/Os according to the JEDEC memory standard, but being redesigned to connect to a first I/O of the chip I/Os, wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is functioned as one additional functional terminal,

wherein the redesigned first NC terminal is connected to an external voltage source, such that a working voltage is supplied to the memory chip through the redesigned first NC terminal and the first I/O of the chip I/Os.