IP Library Granted Patent US 11,404,109
Granted Patent B2
US 11,404,109 · App. 16/840,874 · Granted Aug 2, 2022

Logical operations using memory cells

Inventors: Troy A. Manning (Meridian, ID); Glen E. Hush (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C11/4091G11C7/1006G11C11/4097H03K19/0948H03K19/20G11C8/16G11C11/405
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,404,109
App. No.
16/840,874
Granted
Aug 2, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to logical operations using memory cells. An example apparatus comprises a first memory cell controlled to invert a data value stored therein and a second memory cell controlled to invert a data value stored therein. The apparatus may further include a controller coupled to the first memory cell and the second memory cell. The controller may be configured to cause performance of a logical operation between the data value stored in the first memory cell and the data value stored in the second memory cell.

Claims (44)

1. A method, comprising:

performing a K-input logical operation by:

charging, to a first voltage, a read digit line coupled to K three transistor (3t) memory cells associated with a memory device, wherein each one of the K 3T memory cells stores a data value corresponding to a respective one of the K-inputs;

activating read word lines corresponding to the K memory cells;

while at least one of the read word lines corresponding to the K memory cells is activated, enabling a sense amplifier coupled to the read digit line, wherein subsequent to enabling the sense amplifier, a result of the K-input logical operation resides in the sense amplifier, and wherein a controller is configured to cause the sense amplifier to:

sense a particular logic value responsive to one or more of the K memory cells storing a first data value;

sense a different logic value responsive to all of the K memory cells storing a second data value that is different than the first data value; and

write a result of the K-input logical operation or a complement of the result of the K-input logical operation to a number of memory cells coupled to a write digit line of the memory device based on enabling a first transistor coupled to the sense amplifier or enabling a second transistor coupled to the sense amplifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method includes activating the read word lines corresponding to the memory cells simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the K memory cells are nondestructive read memory cells such that the activating the read word lines and enabling the sense amplifier does not destroy the data values stored in the K memory cells.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the K-input logical operation is a K-input logical NOR operation.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of three transistor (3T) memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the array of 3T memory cells, the controller configured to cause:

performance of a K-input logical operation by:

charging, to a first voltage, a read digit line coupled to K memory cells, wherein each one of the K memory cells stores a data value corresponding to a respective one of the K-inputs;

activating read word lines corresponding to the K memory cells;

while at least one of the read word lines corresponding to the K memory cells is activated, enabling a sense amplifier coupled to the read digit line, wherein subsequent to enabling the sense amplifier, a result of the K-input logical operation resides in the sense amplifier, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the sense amplifier to:

sense a particular logic value responsive to one or more of the K memory cells storing a first data value;

sense a different logic value responsive to all of the K memory cells storing a second data value that is different than the first data value; and

enable a first transistor coupled to the sense amplifier to write a result of the K-input logical operation to memory cells coupled to respective memory cells of a first write row line and enable a second transistor coupled to the sense amplifier to write a complement of the result of the K-input logical operation to respective memory cells of a second write row line.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the read word lines corresponding to the memory cells to be activated simultaneously.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the K memory cells are three transistor (3T) dynamic random-access memory (3T DRAM) cells.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the K memory cells are nondestructive read memory cells such that the activating the read word lines and enabling the sense amplifier does not destroy the data values stored in the K memory cells.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the K-input logical operation is a K-input logical NOR operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the result of the K-input logical operation to be shifted from the sense amplifier to a different sense amplifier associated with the memory cells.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the complement of a result of the K-input logical operation to be transferred to a different one of the K memory cells.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sense amplifier is a sense amplifier among a plurality of sense amplifiers coupled to respective memory cells among the K memory cells.

13. A system, comprising:

a memory device comprising:

an array of three transistor (3T) memory cells; and

a controller coupled to the array of 3T memory cells, wherein the controller is configured to cause performance of a K-input logical operation by:

charging, to a first voltage, a read digit line coupled to K memory cells, wherein each one of the K memory cells stores a data value corresponding to a respective one of the K-inputs;

activating read word lines corresponding to the K memory cells;

while at least one of the read word lines corresponding to the K memory cells is activated, enabling a sense amplifier coupled to the read digit line, wherein subsequent to enabling the sense amplifier, a result of the K-input logical operation resides in the sense amplifier, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the sense amplifier to:

sense a particular logic value responsive to one or more of the K memory cells storing a first data value;

sense a different logic value responsive to all of the K memory cells storing a second data value that is different than the first data value; and

enable a first transistor coupled to the sense amplifier to write a result of the K-input logical operation to memory cells coupled to respective memory cells of a first write row line and enable a second transistor coupled to the sense amplifier to write a complement of the result of the K-input logical operation to respective memory cells of a second write row line.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the read word lines corresponding to the memory cells to be activated simultaneously.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the read word lines corresponding to the memory cells to be activated at different times.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the K-input logical operation is a K-input logical NOR operation.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the complement of a result of the K-input logical operation to be transferred to a different one of the K memory cells.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the result of the K-input logical operation to be shifted from the sense amplifier to a different sense amplifier associated with the memory cells.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the K memory cells are nondestructive read memory cells such that the activating the read word lines and enabling the sense amplifier does not destroy the data values stored in the K memory cells.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2023
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: LODESTAR LICENSING GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 064684/0753 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2020
From: MANNING, TROY A.; HUSH, GLEN E.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 052320/0760 →
Continuity (2)
Division 15884179 · Jan 30, 2018
Related Publication 20200234755A1 · Jul 23, 2020