IP Library Granted Patent US 7,763,496
Granted Patent B2
US 7,763,496 · App. 11/708,579 · Granted Jul 27, 2010

Stacked semiconductor memory device and control method thereof

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,763,496
App. No.
11/708,579
Granted
Jul 27, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A stacked semiconductor memory device includes an interface chip and a plurality of core chips, in which the interface chip and the plurality of core chips are stacked. The core chips are mutually connected by a plurality of data through electrodes. The core chips each include a plurality of memory arrays. In response to an access request, the plurality of memory arrays corresponding to a predetermined data through electrode are activated, and the plurality of activated memory arrays and the predetermined data through electrode are sequentially connected. Thereby, even though it requires approximately ten-odd ns for transferring the first data, similarly to the conventional case, it is possible to transfer the subsequent data at high speed determined by the reaction rate (1 to 2 ns) of the through electrode. As a result, it becomes possible to increase a bandwidth while suppressing the number of through electrodes.

Claims (17)

1. A method of controlling a stacked semiconductor memory device in which a plurality of core chips each having a plurality of memory arrays are stacked and the plurality of core chips are mutually connected by a plurality of data through electrodes, comprising:

a first step for activating, in response to an access request, the plurality of memory arrays corresponding to a predetermined data through electrode; and

a second step for sequentially connecting the activated memory arrays and the predetermined data through electrode.

2. The method of controlling a stacked semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at the first step, a plurality of memory arrays included in the same core chip are activated.

3. The method of controlling a stacked semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at the first step, a plurality of memory arrays included in different core chips are activated.

4. The method of controlling a stacked semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein at the first step, a plurality of memory arrays included in different core chips are activated.

5. The method of controlling a stacked semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein while data is successively transferred at the second step, a parity of the data is transferred via another data through electrode different from the predetermined data through electrode.

6. A method of controlling a semiconductor memory device in which a plurality of core chips each having a plurality of memory arrays are stacked and the plurality of core chips are mutually connected by a plurality of data through electrodes including first and second data through electrodes, comprising:

a first step for successively transferring a series of data via the first data through electrode; and

a second step for transferring, while the data is successively transferred at the first step, a parity of the data via the second data through electrode.

7. A method for a memory device including a plurality of memory chips each including a plurality of memory arrays and a through electrode, the memory chips being stacked with each other such that the through electrode of a lower one of the memory chips is connected to the through electrode of an upper one of the memory chips, the through electrodes of the memory chips being thereby electrically connected to each other to form a common electrode, the method comprising:

activating selected ones of the memory arrays of the memory chips; and

forming an electrical path between the common electrode and each of the selected ones of the memory arrays in sequence to perform a sequential data transfer between the common electrode and the selected ones of the memory arrays.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the selected ones of the memory arrays include at least one of the memory arrays of each of the memory chips.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the selected ones of the memory arrays include at least two of the memory arrays of at least one of the memory chips.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein each of the memory chips further includes a plurality of switches each coupled between the through electrode and an associated one of the memory arrays, and the forming the electrical path is performed by turning the switches between the through electrode and the selected one of the memory arrays on in sequence.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each of the switches is controlled to be turned ON and OFF in response to an associate one of the activation signals and an associated one of the selection signals supplied thereto.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2014
From: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 032645/0422 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2007
From: IKEDA, HIROAKI; SHIBATA, KAYOKO
To: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC.
Reel/Frame 019017/0922 →