IP Library Granted Patent US 10,354,030
Granted Patent B2
US 10,354,030 · App. 16/105,571 · Granted Jul 16, 2019

Apparatuses and methods for measuring an electrical characteristic of a model signal line and providing measurement information

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,354,030
App. No.
16/105,571
Granted
Jul 16, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for measuring an electrical characteristic of a model signal line and providing measurement information based at least in part on the measurement of the electrical characteristic. An example apparatus includes a signal line model including a model signal line configured to model electrical characteristics of a signal line. The apparatus further includes a measurement circuit coupled to the signal line model and configured to measure the electrical characteristic of the model signal line responsive to an input signal provided to the model signal line. The measurement circuit is further configured to provide measurement information based at least in part on the measurement to set a signal applied to the signal line.

Claims (27)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory array including a plurality of signal lines;

a signal line driver coupled to a signal line of the plurality of signal lines and configured to provide a voltage to the signal line of the plurality of signal lines; and

a signal line model measurement circuit coupled to the signal line driver, the signal line model measurement circuit configured to measure an electrical characteristic of a model signal line and provide measurement information to the signal line driver, the signal line driver configured to provide the voltage to the signal line of the plurality of signal lines based at least in part on the measurement information,

wherein the signal line driver includes:

a comparator circuit configured to compare a reference voltage and a feedback voltage and provide a control voltage having a magnitude based on the comparison;

a load circuit coupled to the comparator circuit and configured to provide an output signal having a magnitude based at least in part on the control voltage; and

a voltage divider circuit coupled to the load circuit and the comparator circuit, the voltage divider circuit including an adjustable resistance and configured to provide the feedback voltage based at least in part on the adjustable resistance, wherein the adjustable resistance is based at least in part on the measurement information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory array includes a three-dimensional NAND memory array.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of signal lines of the memory array include a plurality of word lines.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal line model measurement circuit includes a signal line model including a plurality of model signal lines.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the memory array includes a memory structure and the signal line model is configured similarly to the memory structure of the memory array.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the memory array includes a memory structure and the signal line model is configured differently than the memory structure of the memory array.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the signal line model measurement circuit includes a selection circuit configured to select one of the plurality of model signal lines for measurement.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the selection circuit is configured to select one of the plurality of mode signal lines for measurement based at least in part on a memory address of the memory array.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal line model measurement circuit includes a driver having an output impedance similar to the signal line driver.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal line driver is configured to provide a program pulse to the signal line of the plurality of signal lines having a pulse width based at least in part on the measurement information.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal line driver is configured to provide a program pulse to the signal line of the plurality of signal lines having voltage level based at least in part on the measurement information.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory array including a plurality of signal lines;

a signal line driver coupled to a signal line of the plurality of signal lines and configured to provide a voltage to the signal line of the plurality of signal lines;

a signal line model measurement circuit coupled to the signal line driver, the signal line model measurement circuit including a model signal line configured to model electrical characteristics of the signal line, the signal line model measurement circuit configured to provide measurement information to the signal line driver, the signal line driver configured to provide the voltage to the signal line of the plurality of signal lines based at least in part on the measurement information; and

a counter coupled to the measurement circuit and configured to count a number of clock cycles of a clock signal within a program pulse provided by the signal line driver.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

a coupling circuit coupled to the model signal line and further coupled to an input and output of the signal line model, the coupling circuit configured to couple the model signal line to the input and output.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

a coupling circuit configured to couple the model signal line to ground when the model signal line is not coupled to an input and output.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0835 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050719/0550 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047630/0756 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 10 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048102/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: TANZAWA, TORU
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046678/0013 →