IP Library Granted Patent US 11,586,898
Granted Patent B2
US 11,586,898 · App. 16/360,733 · Granted Feb 21, 2023

Precision programming circuit for analog neural memory in deep learning artificial neural network

Inventors: Hieu Van Tran (San Jose, CA); Thuan Vu (San Jose, CA); Stephen Trinh (San Jose, CA); Stanley Hong (San Jose, CA); Anh Ly (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
G06N3/0635G06F12/0811G06N3/08G11C11/4063G11C11/54G11C16/0408G11C16/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,586,898
App. No.
16/360,733
Granted
Feb 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various embodiments of high voltage generation circuits, high voltage operational amplifiers, adaptive high voltage supplies, adjustable high voltage incrementor, adjustable reference supplies, and reference circuits are disclosed. These circuits optionally can be used for programming a non-volatile memory cell in an analog neural memory to store one of many possible values.

Claims (23)

1. An adjustable programming circuit for generating one of a plurality of different voltages to program a non-volatile memory cell to store one of a plurality of different voltages on a floating gate of the non-volatile memory cell for a neural network, comprising:

an operational amplifier comprising a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal receiving a reference voltage;

a first resistor coupled to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier;

a second resistor coupled to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier and the output terminal of the operational amplifier;

wherein one of the first resistor and the second resistor is a variable resistor;

wherein the output terminal outputs a programming voltage that varies in response to a setting of the variable resistor to generate one of a plurality of different voltages.

2. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first resistor is the variable resistor.

3. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second resistor is the variable resistor.

4. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first resistor is the variable resistor operating in a low voltage domain.

5. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second resistor is the variable resistor operating in a high voltage domain.

6. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein a high voltage supply for the operational amplifier is adaptable basing on the operational amplifier output voltage.

7. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory cell is a stacked-gate memory cell.

8. The adjustable programming circuit of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory cell is a split-gate memory cell.

9. A method comprising:

generating, by an adjustable programming circuit, one of a plurality of different voltages, the adjustable programming circuit comprising: (i) an operational amplifier comprising a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, the first input terminal receiving a reference voltage, (ii) a first resistor coupled to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier, and (iii) a second resistor coupled to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier and the output terminal of the operational amplifier, wherein one of the first resistor and the second resistor is a variable resistor, wherein the output terminal outputs a programming voltage that varies in response to a setting of the variable resistor to generate the one of a plurality of different voltages; and

programming a non-volatile memory cell using the one of a plurality of different voltages to store one of a plurality of different voltages on a floating gate of the non-volatile memory cell for a neural network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first resistor is the variable resistor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second resistor is the variable resistor.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first resistor is the variable resistor operating in a low voltage domain.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second resistor is the variable resistor operating in a high voltage domain.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a high voltage supply for the operational amplifier is adaptable basing on the operational amplifier output voltage.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the non-volatile memory cell is a stacked-gate memory cell.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the non-volatile memory cell is a split-gate memory cell.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2019
From: TRAN, HIEU VAN; VU, THUAN; TRINH, STEPHEN; HONG, STANLEY; LY, ANH
To: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 049523/0043 →