IP Library Granted Patent US 8,611,160
Granted Patent B2
US 8,611,160 · App. 13/158,179 · Granted Dec 17, 2013

Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and data write method for the same

Inventor: Chihiro Takeuchi (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Spansion LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,611,160
App. No.
13/158,179
Granted
Dec 17, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes an identification code generating circuit, a simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit, a write range calculation circuit, and a program pulse generating circuit. The identification code generating circuit generates an identification code to be assigned to every one of bits to be written, and the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit calculates the number of bits to be written simultaneously, the number being equalized based on the generated identification code, within a range that does not exceed a maximum simultaneously writable bit number. The write range calculation circuit calculates a write range, based on the calculated number of bits to be written simultaneously, and the program pulse generating circuit generates a program pulse based on write data and on the generated identification code and the calculated write range.

Claims (36)

1. A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device comprising:

an identification code generating circuit configured to generate an identification code to be assigned to every one of bits to be written;

a simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit configured to calculate the number of bits to be written simultaneously, the number being equalized based on the generated identification code, within a range that does not exceed a maximum simultaneously writable bit number;

a write range calculation circuit configured to calculate a write range, based on the calculated number of bits to be written simultaneously; and

a program pulse generating circuit configured to generate a program pulse based on write data and on the generated identification code and the calculated write range.

2. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the identification code generating circuit and the program pulse generating circuit are provided for each one of the bits to be written, and

the identification code generating circuit outputs “0” as the identification code for a least significant bit, increments the identification code by “1” for each bit to be actually written with data, and outputs the thus incremented code as the identification code for each corresponding bit.

3. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum simultaneously writable bit number, if there is a remainder, the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit outputs a value representing a prescribed number of bits that is equalized so as to be smaller than the maximum simultaneously writable bit number, and

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum simultaneously writable bit number, if there is no remainder, the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit outputs a value representing a number equal to the maximum simultaneously writable bit number.

4. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

the maximum simultaneously writable bit number is 4, and wherein

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously, if there is a remainder, the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit outputs a value representing 3 as the prescribed number of bits, and

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously, if there is no remainder, the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit outputs a value representing 4 equal to the maximum simultaneously writable bit number.

5. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit, based on the value of low-order two bits of the number of bits to be actually written with data, determines whether or not there is a remainder when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously.

6. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein after performing processing for simultaneous writing of three bits because of the presence of a remainder when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously, the simultaneous write bit count calculation circuit, based on the value of low-order two bits of the number of bits remaining after subtracting 3 from the number of bits to be actually written with data, determines whether or not there is a remainder when the number of bits remaining after subtracting 3 from the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously.

7. The nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a write end detection circuit configured to detect a write end when a write bit maximum value, output from the write range calculation circuit, is larger than the identification code of the most significant bit to be written.

8. A write control method for a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device, comprising:

generating an identification code to be assigned to every one of bits to be written;

calculating the number of bits to be written simultaneously, the number being equalized based on the generated identification code, within a range that does not exceed a maximum simultaneously writable bit number;

calculating a write range, based on the calculated number of bits to be written simultaneously; and

performing simultaneous writing by generating a program pulse based on write data and on the generated identification code and the calculated write range.

9. The write control method for the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein

the identification code and the program pulse are generated for each one of the bits to be written, and

generating the identification code includes outputting “0” as the identification code for a least significant bit, incrementing the identification code by “1” for each bit to be actually written with data, and outputting the thus incremented code as the identification code for each corresponding bit.

10. The write control method for the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum simultaneously writable bit number, if there is a remainder, a prescribed number of bits that is equalized so as to be smaller than the maximum simultaneously writable bit number is taken as the number of bits to be written simultaneously, and

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum simultaneously writable bit number, if there is no remainder, the maximum simultaneously writable bit number is taken as the number of bits to be written simultaneously.

11. The write control method for the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein

the maximum simultaneously writable bit number is 4, and wherein

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously, if there is a remainder, the prescribed number of bits that is equalized to 3 is taken as the number of bits to be written simultaneously, and

when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously, if there is no remainder, the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously is taken as the number of bits to be written simultaneously.

12. The write control method for the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when calculating the number of bits to be written simultaneously, a determination as to whether or not there is a remainder when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously is made based on the value of low-order two bits of the number of bits to be actually written with data.

13. The write control method for the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein after performing processing for simultaneous writing of three bits because of the presence of a remainder when the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously, a determination as to whether or not there is a remainder when the number of bits remaining after subtracting 3 from the number of bits to be actually written with data is divided by the maximum number, 4, of bits that may be written simultaneously is made based on the value of low-order two bits of the number of bits remaining after subtracting 3 from the number of bits to be actually written with data.

14. The write control method for the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising detecting a write end when a write bit maximum value, obtained by the calculation of the write range, is larger than the identification code of the most significant bit to be written.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2022
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 059721/0467 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 059410/0438 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Oct 28, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050896/0366 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 031205/0461 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2011
From: TAKEUCHI, CHIHIRO
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 026611/0920 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2010-235689 · Oct 20, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
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