IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,198,043
Granted Patent B2
US 12,198,043 · App. 18/522,153 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Output circuit

Inventors: Hieu Van Tran (San Jose, CA); Vipin Tiwari (Dublin, CA); Mark Reiten (Alamo, CA); Nhan Do (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
G06N3/065G06F3/0688G06F17/16G06N3/08G11C27/02
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 12,198,043
App. No.
18/522,153
Granted
Jan 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one example, a circuit comprises an input transistor comprising a first terminal, a second terminal coupled to ground, and a gate; a capacitor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal; an output transistor comprising a first terminal providing an output current, a second terminal coupled to ground, and a gate; a first switch; and a second switch; wherein in a first mode, the first switch is closed and couples an input current to the first terminal of the input transistor and the gate of the input transistor and the second switch is closed and couples the first terminal of the input transistor to the first terminal of the capacitor and the gate of the output transistor, and in a second mode, the first switch is open and the second switch is open and the capacitor discharges into the gate of the output transistor.

Claims (24)

1. A circuit comprising:

an input transistor comprising a first terminal, a second terminal coupled to ground, and a gate;

a capacitor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal;

an output transistor comprising a first terminal providing an output current, a second terminal coupled to ground, and a gate;

a first switch; and

a second switch;

wherein in a first mode, the first switch is closed and couples an input current to the first terminal of the input transistor and the gate of the input transistor and the second switch is closed and couples the first terminal of the input transistor to the first terminal of the capacitor and the gate of the output transistor, and in a second mode, the first switch is open and the second switch is open and the capacitor discharges into the gate of the output transistor.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second terminal of the capacitor is coupled to ground.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the input transistor is an NMOS transistor.

4. The circuit of claim 3 , wherein the output transistor is an NMOS transistor.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the input current is a neuron current received from a neural memory array.

6. A method comprising:

closing a first switch to couple an input current to a first terminal of an input transistor and a gate of the input transistor;

closing a second switch to couple the first terminal of the input transistor to a first terminal of a capacitor and a gate of an output transistor;

opening the first switch the second switch;

discharging the capacitor into the gate of the output transistor; and

providing an output current on a first terminal of the output transistor.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a second terminal of the input transistor is coupled to ground.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein a second terminal of the capacitor is coupled to ground.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a second terminal of the output transistor is coupled to ground.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the input transistor is an NMOS transistor.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the output transistor is an NMOS transistor.

12. The method of claim 6 , comprising:

receiving the input current from a neuron of a neural memory array.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2025
From: TRAN, HIEU VAN; TIWARI, VIPIN; REITEN, MARK; DO, NHAN
To: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 070595/0981 →
Continuity (4)
Division 17181656 · Feb 22, 2021
Continuation 16182237 · Nov 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62723360 · Aug 27, 2018
Related Publication 20240095511A1 · Mar 21, 2024
References Cited (27)
US 5029130A · Yeh · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5726934A · Tran · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 6747310B2 · Fan · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 10127494B1 · Cantin · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10565492B2 · Glenn · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10748630B2 · Tran · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10956814B2 · Tran · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 12061976B2 · Tran · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20050125477A1 · Genov · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20140172937A1 · Linderman · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160351268A1 · Tran · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170337466A1 · Bayat · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180157465A1 · Bittner · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190205729A1 · Tran · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190287621A1 · Tran · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190325289A1 · Cammarota · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200065650A1 · Tran · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 20180007657A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 20180009315A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 20180028967A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 20180046846A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Guo, “Mixed Signal Neurocomputing Based on Floating-gate Memories,” retrieved from the Internet: url:https://www.alexandria.ucsb.edu/lib/ark:/48907/f3jh3mb0, Jan. 1, 2017, pp. 1-106. [cited by applicant]
Li, et al., “Long short-term memory networks in memristor crossbars,” 201 Olin Library Cornell University Itaca, NY 14853, May 30, 2018, pp. 1-26. [cited by applicant]
Kucic, “Analog Computing Arrays,” retrieve from the Internet: url:http://hdl.handle.net/1853/4878, Mar. 1, 2005, p. 76. [cited by applicant]
Decision to Grant mailed on Dec. 13, 2022 corresponding to the related Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-510774. [cited by applicant]
S. Korean Patent Office Decision to Grant dated Nov. 27, 2021 corresponding to the related S. Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-7007008. [cited by applicant]
European Communication dated Jan. 13, 2022 corresponding to the related European Patent Application No. 19 745 935.7. [cited by applicant]