IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,743,252
Granted Patent B2
US 12,743,252 · App. 17/855,089 · Granted Sep 22, 2026

Compute-in-memory cell

Inventors: Hidehiro Fujiwara (Hsinchu, TW); Haruki Mori (Hsinchu, TW); Wei-Chang Zhao (Hsinchu, TW); Chia-Fu Lee (Hsinchu, TW); Nail Etkin Can Akkaya (San Jose, CA); Mahmut Sinangil (Campbell, CA)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
G06F7/57G11C11/413G11C11/419G11C11/54
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,743,252
App. No.
17/855,089
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device includes a first memory cell, a second memory cell, a first logic element, a second logic element, and a third logic element. The first memory cell is configured to store a first bit at a first node, and the second memory cell is configured to store a second bit at a second node. The first logic element includes a first node input terminal coupled to the first node, the second logic element includes a second node input terminal coupled to the second node, and the third logic element includes a first input terminal coupled to a first output terminal of the first logic element and a second input terminal coupled to a second output terminal of the second logic element.

Claims (64)

1 . A device, comprising:

a first memory cell configured to store a first bit at a first node;

a second memory cell configured to store a second bit at a second node;

a logic element configured to perform logic functions of:

a first logic element configured to perform an OR function and including a first node input terminal connected to the first node, a first read word line input terminal connected to a first read word line, and a first output terminal;

a second logic element configured to perform an OR function and including a second node input terminal connected to the second node, a second read word line input terminal connected to a second read word line, and a second output terminal; and

a third logic element configured to perform a NAND function and including a first input terminal connected to the first output terminal of the first logic element and a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the second logic element, wherein the first input terminal and the second input terminal are at different nodes.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first memory cell includes a latch.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first memory cell includes a capacitor.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the logic element consists essentially of eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and interconnections between at least some of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

5 . The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a third memory cell configured to store a third bit at a third node; and

the logic element is configured to perform logic functions of a fourth logic element including a third node input terminal coupled to the third node,

wherein the third logic element includes a third input terminal coupled to a third output terminal of the fourth logic element.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the logic element consists essentially of twelve metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and interconnections between at least some of the twelve metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

7 . The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a third memory cell configured to store a third bit at a third node;

a fourth memory cell configured to store a fourth bit at a fourth node;

the logic element configured to perform logic functions of:

a fourth logic element including a third node input terminal coupled to the third node;

a fifth logic element including a fourth node input terminal coupled to the fourth node;

a sixth logic element including a third input terminal coupled to a third output terminal of the fourth logic element and a fourth input terminal coupled to a fourth output terminal of the fifth logic element; and

a seventh logic element including a first logic input terminal coupled to a first logic output terminal of the third logic element and a second logic input terminal coupled to a second logic output terminal of the sixth logic element.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the logic element consists essentially of eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and interconnections between at least some of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, wherein only two of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors have drain/source paths directly connected to a power source.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the logic element consists essentially of eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and interconnections between at least some of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, wherein four of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and four of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein in a first series of transistors two of the P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are connected in series to two of the N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, and in a second series of transistors another two of the P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are connected in series to another two of the N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

11 . A device, comprising:

a select circuit configured to receive read select signals and an input signal and provide read word line output signals on a first read word line and a second read word line based on the read select signals and the input signal;

a memory circuit including:

a first memory cell configured to store a first bit at a first node; and

a second memory cell configured to store a second bit at a second node; and

a multiply circuit configured to receive the read word line output signals, the first bit, and the second bit and provide a multiplication result,

the multiply circuit configured to perform logic functions of:

a first logic element configured to perform an OR function and including a first node input terminal connected to the first node, a first read word line input terminal connected to the first read word line, and a first output terminal;

a second logic element configured to perform an OR function and including a second mode input terminal connected to the second node, a second read word line input terminal connected to the second read word line, and a second output terminal; and

a third logic element configured to perform a NAND function and including a first input terminal connected to the first output terminal of the first logic element and a second input terminal connected to the second output terminal of the second logic element, wherein the first input terminal and the second input terminal are different nodes.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the select circuit includes:

a first select logic element configured to receive one of the read select signals and the input signal and provide one of the read word line output signals; and

a second select logic element configured to receive another one of the read select signals and the input signal and provide another one of the read word line output signals.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the multiply circuit consists essentially of eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and interconnections between at least some of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

14 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the first memory cell includes a latch that includes six or more metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the multiply circuit consists essentially of eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and interconnections between at least some of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, wherein four of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and four of the eight metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein in a first series of transistors two of the P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are connected in series to two of the N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, and in a second series of transistors another two of the P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors are connected in series to another two of the N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors.

17 . A method of multiplying in an integrated circuit memory, comprising:

storing a first bit at a first node in a first memory cell;

storing a second bit at a second node in a second memory cell;

receiving read select signals and an input signal at a select circuit;

outputting, by the select circuit, read word line output signals based on the read select signals and the input signal;

receiving the read word line output signals, the first bit, and the second bit at a multiply circuit;

and

outputting, by the multiply circuit, a multiplication result

wherein receiving the read word line output signals, the first bit, and the second bit at a multiply circuit includes:

receiving one of the read word line output signals and the first bit at a first logic element configured to perform an OR function and including a first output terminal:

receiving another one of the read word line output signals and the second bit at a second logic element configured to perform an OR function and including a second output terminal:

receiving a first output from the first output terminal of the first logic element at a first input terminal of a third logic element configured to perform a NAND function; and

receiving a second output from the second output terminal of the second logic element at a second input terminal of the third logic element, wherein the first input terminal and the second input terminal are different nodes.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein receiving read select signals and an input signal at a select circuit includes:

receiving one of the read select signals and the input signal at a first select logic element; and

receiving another one of the read select signals and the input signal at a second select logic element.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein outputting, by the select circuit, read word line output signals based on the read select signals and the input signal includes:

outputting, by a first select logic element, one of the read word line output signals; and

outputting, by a second select logic element, another one of the read word line output signals.

20 . The method of claim 17 , comprising:

outputting the multiplication result based on the first output and the second output from the third logic element.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2023
From: SINANGIL, MAHMUT ERSIN; FUJIWARA, HIDEHIRO; MORI, HARUKI; ZHAO, WEI-CHANG; LEE, CHIA-FU; AKKAYA, NAIL ETKIN CAN
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 063453/0351 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63327164 · Apr 4, 2022
Related Publication 20230315389A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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