IP Library Granted Patent US 10,304,519
Granted Patent B2
US 10,304,519 · App. 15/256,066 · Granted May 28, 2019

Apparatuses and methods for performing an exclusive or operation using sensing circuitry

Inventor: Troy A. Manning (Meridian, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C11/4091G11C7/065G11C7/1006G11C7/1012G11C11/4087G11C11/4093G11C11/4096G11C29/42
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,304,519
App. No.
15/256,066
Granted
May 28, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to determining an XOR value in memory. An example method can include performing a NAND operation on a data value stored in a first memory cell and a data value stored in a second memory cell. The method can include performing an OR operation on the data values stored in the first and second memory cells. The method can include performing an AND operation on the result of the NAND operation and a result of the OR operation without transferring data from the memory array via an input/output (I/O) line.

Claims (28)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of memory cells coupled to a sense line;

sensing circuitry comprising a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to the sense line, wherein the sense amplifier comprises a primary latch and the compute component comprises a secondary latch; and

control circuitry configured to use the sense amplifier and the compute component to perform an XOR operation on data stored in the array, wherein the XOR operation includes:

a first logical operation performed, using the primary latch and the secondary latch, on a data value stored in a first memory cell coupled to a first access line and a data value stored in a second memory cell coupled to a second access line;

a second logical operation performed, using the primary latch and the secondary latch, on the data values stored in the first and second memory cells; and

a third logical operation performed, using the primary latch and the secondary latch, on a resultant value of the first logical operation and a resultant value of the second logical operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the sensing circuitry to:

perform the first logical operation by performing a NAND operation;

perform the second logical operation by performing an OR operation; and

perform the third logical operation by performing an AND operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the sensing circuitry to perform the XOR on the data without transferring the data out of the array via an input/output line.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to provide control signals to the sensing circuitry to perform the XOR operation.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a host configured to provide instructions executed by the control circuitry configured to provide control signals to the sensing circuitry to perform the XOR operation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensing circuitry comprises the sense amplifier and the compute component coupled to a pair of complementary sense lines comprising the sense line and a complementary sense line.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to send a number of control signals to cause, in association with performing the first logical operation:

loading the second latch of the compute component with a first data value;

performing an AND operation on the first data value and a second data value by enabling the second access line and only one of a first pass transistor coupled to one of the pair of complementary sense lines and a second pass transistor couple to the other of the pair of complementary sense lines which results in a resultant value of the AND operation being stored in the compute component; and

inverting the resultant value of the AND operation stored in the compute component which results in the compute component storing a resultant value of the first logical operation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to send a number of control signals to cause, in association with performing the first logical operation, loading the compute component by enabling the second access line, the first pass transistor, and the second pass transistor.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to send a number of control signals to cause, in association with performing the third logical operation:

enabling an access transistor corresponding to a third memory cell; and

activating only one of a first pass transistor coupled to one of the pair of complementary sense lines and a second pass transistor couple to the other of the pair of complementary sense lines which results in a resultant value of the third logical operation being stored in the compute component.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to send a number of control signals to cause, in association with performing the second logical operation:

loading the compute component coupled to the sense line with the data value stored in the first memory cell; and

enabling an access transistor corresponding to the second memory cell and activate only one of a pass transistor coupled to the sense line and a pass transistor coupled to the complementary sense line which results in a resultant value of the second logical operation being stored in the compute component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to send a number of control signals to cause, in association with performing the third logical operation, copying a resultant value of the third logical operation from the compute component to a third memory cell coupled to a third access line by enabling an access transistor corresponding to the third memory cell while activating both of a first and a second pass transistor.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second access lines are different access lines.

Assignments (5)
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 050680/0268 →
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 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 041671/0902 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2016
From: MANNING, TROY A.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 039624/0990 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14715161 · May 18, 2015
Provisional Application 62008047 · Jun 5, 2014
Related Publication 20160372177A1 · Dec 22, 2016