IP Library Granted Patent US 10,522,212
Granted Patent B2
US 10,522,212 · App. 15/552,748 · Granted Dec 31, 2019

Apparatuses and methods for shift decisions

Inventor: Glen E. Hush (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C11/4093G11C7/1006G11C11/4076G11C11/4091G11C11/4087
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 10,522,212
App. No.
15/552,748
Granted
Dec 31, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for shift decisions. An example apparatus includes a memory device. The memory device includes an array of memory cells and sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines. The sensing circuitry includes a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line and configured to implement logical operations and a decision component configured to implement a shift of data based on a determined functionality of a memory cell in the array.

Claims (90)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller coupled to a memory device, wherein the memory device comprises:

an array of memory cells;

sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines, wherein the sensing circuitry includes:

a sense amplifier coupled to a sense line;

a compute component coupled to the sense amplifier; and

a decision component configured to decide a shift of data based on a determined functionality of a memory cell in an adjacent block of a plurality of sense lines; and

shift circuitry configured to selectively execute a shift of a data value from a memory cell coupled to a first sense line to a memory cell coupled to a second sense line according to the shift decision.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the decision component is coupled to at least one of an adjacent sense amplifier and compute component of a plurality of sense amplifiers and coupled compute components in the adjacent block of the plurality of sense lines.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises an indicator component coupled to the decision component to input the determined functionality as either a normal functionality of all memory cells or a defective functionality of the memory cell in the adjacent block.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the controller is configured to direct input of an indicator value to an indicator component;

the indicator value indicates either a normal functionality of all memory cells or a defective functionality of the memory cell in the adjacent block; and

the indicator value is stored by the indicator component for input to the decision component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the decision component is configured to direct a skip of the adjacent block of the plurality of sense lines to a non-adjacent block of a plurality of sense lines based on the determined functionality; and

the determined functionality indicates a defective functionality of the memory cell in the adjacent block.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the shift circuitry is configured to execute the skip of the adjacent block of the plurality of sense lines to the non-adjacent block of the plurality of sense lines during a data shift operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the shift circuitry is configured to execute a data shift of one block for sense lines in a row section in a direction of the skip to the non-adjacent block.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array is configured to have a supplementary block of a plurality of sense lines for memory cells in a row of memory cells.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the row is configured to have a plurality of supplementary blocks; and

the plurality of supplementary blocks are provided at a fixed spacing relative to a plurality of blocks coupled to the plurality of sense lines.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the row is configured to have a supplementary block at one end of each row section.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the array is configured to have the decision component and a coupled indicator component inserted between a plurality of sense amplifiers and coupled compute components in different blocks of the plurality of sense lines; and

the decision components and the coupled indicator components are inserted at a fixed frequency relative to the plurality of sense amplifiers and coupled compute components.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the decision component comprises:

a two-to-two semiconductor crossbar switch;

wherein the two-to-two semiconductor crossbar switch is configured to determine a particular block to shift data to relative to the adjacent block having a defective functionality of the memory cell.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the two-to-two semiconductor crossbar switch is configured to determine the particular block to which the data is shifted based on control signals issued by the controller to shift the data in the row of memory cells in a particular direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the two-to-two semiconductor crossbar switch is configured as logic circuitry to implement a logical data shift.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the two-to-two semiconductor crossbar switch is configured as having a plurality of transistors to implement the shift of the data.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory device further comprises:

a first sensing component stripe for a first subarray and a second sensing component stripe for a second subarray; wherein:

each sensing component stripe includes a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to each corresponding column of memory cells in the first and second subarrays; and

each sensing component stripe also includes the decision component and a coupled indicator component inserted at a fixed frequency relative to the plurality of sense amplifiers and coupled compute components.

17. A method for operating a memory device, comprising:

accessing a memory device comprising an indicator value that indicates a predetermined functionality of a memory cell;

deciding, in response to the predetermined functionality of the memory cell indicated by the indicator value, whether to shift data to either an adjacent block of a plurality of sense lines or to a non-adjacent block of a plurality of sense lines in the memory device; and

shifting the data in response to the deciding such that the data is moved to a decided one of the adjacent block and the non-adjacent block.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

configuring an indicator component to store the indicator value of the predetermined functionality to indicate either a normal functionality of all memory cells or a defective functionality of the memory cell in the adjacent block; and

inputting the indicator value to the decision component to decide the shift based on the indicator value.

19. A method for operating a memory device, comprising:

receiving control signals from a controller coupled to the memory device to shift data in a row of memory cells;

wherein the memory device comprises:

a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line for each of a respective plurality of columns of memory cells;

the plurality of columns partitioned into blocks;

a supplementary block of the plurality of columns of memory cells at a fixed spacing in the respective plurality of columns; and

a column including a decision component coupled to an indicator component adjacent each block of the plurality of columns of memory cells; and

wherein the method further comprises:

sending an indicator value, as directed by the controller, for storage by the indicator component.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

outputting the stored indicator value by the indicator component for input to transistors;

wherein the transistors determine a shift that either enables an adjacent block to be used or the adjacent block to be skipped during a data shift operation.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

configuring shift circuitry to execute a data shift of one block on sense lines in a row section in a direction of a skip to a non-adjacent block; and

wherein the data shift of one block is executed on sense lines further downstream from the non-adjacent block to retain the data in the sense lines in an original sequence of the sense lines.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

configuring shift circuitry to execute a data shift of one block on sense lines further downstream from a skipped block;

wherein the data shift of one block is executed to retain the data in shifted sense lines in same positions of memory cells as in memory cells of original sense lines.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises configuring the supplementary block at one end of each row section to accommodate a data shift of one block to retain the data in the sense lines in the original sequence of the sense lines.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells;

sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines, the sensing circuitry including:

a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line and configured to implement logical operations; and

a decision component configured to determine whether to shift data based on a determined functionality of a memory cell in the array; and

shift circuitry configured to shift a data value based on the determined functionality from a memory cell coupled to a first sense line to a memory cell coupled to a second sense line.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells; and

sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines, the sensing circuitry including:

a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line and configured to implement logical operations; and

a decision component configured to implement a shift of data based on a determined functionality of a memory cell in the array; wherein:

the sense amplifier includes a primary latch and the compute component includes a secondary latch; and

the primary and secondary latches are configured to shift a data value from a memory cell coupled to a first sense line to a memory cell coupled to a second sense line.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells; and

sensing circuitry coupled to the array via a plurality of sense lines, the sensing circuitry including:

a sense amplifier and a compute component coupled to a sense line and configured to implement logical operations; and

a decision component configured to implement a shift of data based on a determined functionality of a memory cell in the array;

wherein the decision component is configured to decide the shift of the data based on input of an indicator of the determined functionality of the memory cell in a plurality of sense lines in an adjacent block of sense lines.

27. A method for operating a memory device, comprising:

accessing a memory device comprising an indicator value that indicates a predetermined functionality of a memory cell;

configuring an indicator component to store the indicator value of the predetermined functionality to indicate either a normal functionality of all memory cells or a defective functionality of the memory cell in the adjacent block;

inputting the indicator value to a decision component configured to decide the shift based on the indicator value; and

deciding, by the decision component, whether to shift data to either an adjacent block of a plurality of sense lines or to a non-adjacent block of a plurality of sense lines in the memory device.

Assignments (7)
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 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050709/0838 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046597/0333 →
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. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044653/0333 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 6 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044348/0253 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2017
From: HUSH, GLEN E.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 043358/0741 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62130713 · Mar 10, 2015
Related Publication 20180075899A1 · Mar 15, 2018