IP Library Granted Patent US 9,378,822
Granted Patent B2
US 9,378,822 · App. 14/280,606 · Granted Jun 28, 2016

Method for programming selected memory cells in nonvolatile memory device and nonvolatile memory device thereof

Inventor: Chung-Shan Kuo (New Taipei, TW)
Assignee: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
G11C16/10G11C13/0069G11C16/08G11C16/3418G11C16/3427G11C2013/0092
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,378,822
App. No.
14/280,606
Granted
Jun 28, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for programming memory cells of a selected word line has steps of: providing a first word line programming signal being at plurality of voltage levels in different programming slots of a current programming operation to the memory cells of the selected word line, wherein the first word line programming signal is a ramping voltage signal; and providing a second line programming signal being at plurality of voltage levels in different programming slots of a next programming operation to the memory cells of the selected word line, wherein the second word line programming signal is another one ramping voltage signal; wherein the highest voltage levels of the first and second word line programming signals are identical to each other, and a number of the voltage levels of the first word line programming signal is larger than that of the second word line programming signal.

Claims (24)

1. A method for programming memory cells of a selected word line associated with a nonvolatile memory device, comprising:

providing a first word line programming signal being at plurality of voltage levels in different programming slots of a current programming operation to the memory cells of the selected word line, wherein the first word line programming signal is a ramping voltage signal; and

providing a second word line programming signal being at plurality of voltage levels in different programming slots of a next programming operation to the memory cells of the selected word line, wherein the second word line programming signal is another one ramping voltage signal;

wherein a highest voltage level of the first word line programming signal is the same as that of the second word line programming signal, and a number of the voltage levels of the first word line programming signal is larger than that of the second word line programming signal.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the memory cells of the selected word line in different bit line groups are simultaneously programmed in the current and next programming operations.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein one of the different bit line groups comprises 16 bit lines, and another one of the different bit line groups comprises another 16 bit lines.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the memory cells of the selected word line in different bit line groups are separately programmed in the current programming operation and simultaneously programmed in the next programming operation.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein one of the different bit line groups comprises 16 bit lines, and another one of the different bit line groups comprises another 16 bit lines.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the memory cells of the selected word line in different bit line groups are separately programmed in the current and next programming operations.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein one of the different bit line groups comprises 16 bit lines, and another one of the different bit line groups comprises another 16 bit lines.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein before the memory cells of the selected word line are programmed, the word line programming signal changes to a first specific level; after the memory cells of the selected word line are programmed, the word line programming signal decreases to a second specific level.

9. An nonvolatile memory device, comprising:

a memory array, comprising a plurality of memory cells; and

a bit line decoder and a word line decoder, electrically connected to the memory array;

a first high voltage generator, electrically connected to the word line decoder, the first high voltage generator provides a first word line programming signal being at plurality of voltage levels in different programming slots of a current programming operation to the memory cells of the selected word line, wherein the first word line programming signal is a ramping voltage signal; and then the first high voltage generator provides a second word line programming signal being at plurality of voltage levels in different programming slots of a next programming operation to the memory cells of the selected word line, wherein the second word line programming signal is another one ramping voltage signal; and

a second high voltage generator, electrically connected to the bit line decoder, outputting a bit line programming voltage, and the bit line decoder outputs the bit line programming voltage as at least of bit line signals;

wherein a highest voltage level of the first word line programming signal is the same as that of the second word line programming signal, and a number of the voltage levels of the first word line programming signal is larger than that of the second word line programming signal.

10. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 9 , wherein the memory cells of the selected word line in different bit line groups are simultaneously programmed in the current and next programming operations.

11. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 10 , wherein one of the different bit line groups comprises 16 bit lines, and another one of the different bit line groups comprises another 16 bit lines.

12. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 9 , wherein according to the bit line address signal received by the bit line decoder, the memory cells of the selected word line in different bit line groups are separately programmed in the current programming operation and simultaneously programmed in the next programming operation.

13. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 12 , wherein one of the different bit line groups comprises 16 bit lines, and another one of the different bit line groups comprises another 16 bit lines.

14. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 9 , wherein according to the bit line address signal received by the bit line decoder, the memory cells of the selected word line in different bit line groups are separately programmed in the current and next programming operations.

15. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 14 , wherein one of the different bit line groups comprises 16 bit lines, and another one of the different bit line groups comprises another 16 bit lines.

16. The nonvolatile memory device according to claim 9 , wherein before the memory cells of the selected word line are programmed, the word line programming signal changes to a first specific level; after the memory cells of the selected word line are programmed, the word line programming signal decreases to a second specific level.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2025
From: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MICROELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 071703/0241 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2014
From: KUO, CHUNG-SHAN
To: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 032919/0073 →
Continuity (1)
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