公开(公告)号：US11726543B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-15

申请号：US17111373

申请日：2020-12-03

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l. ,  STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Nitin Chawla ,  Anuj Grover ,  Giuseppe Desoli ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Thomas Boesch ,  Promod Kumar

IPC: G06F1/3234 ,  G05F3/24 ,  G06F1/3287 ,  G06F15/78 ,  G11C11/413 ,  G11C5/14 ,  G11C11/417 ,  G06F1/26

CPC classification number: G06F1/3275 ,  G05F3/24 ,  G06F1/3287 ,  G06F15/7821 ,  G11C11/413

Abstract: Systems and devices are provided to enable granular control over a retention or active state of each of a plurality of memory circuits, such as a plurality of memory cell arrays, within a memory. Each respective memory array of the plurality of memory arrays is coupled to a respective ballast driver and a respective active memory signal switch for the respective memory array. One or more voltage regulators are coupled to a ballast driver gate node and to a bias node of at least one of the respective memory arrays. In operation, the respective active memory signal switch for a respective memory array causes the respective memory array to transition between an active state for the respective memory array and a retention state for the respective memory array.

公开(公告)号：US11984151B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-14

申请号：US17850207

申请日：2022-06-27

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Harsh Rawat ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Promod Kumar ,  Nitin Chawla ,  Manuj Ayodhyawasi

IPC: G11C11/10 ,  G11C11/4074 ,  G11C11/408 ,  G11C11/4094 ,  G11C11/4096

CPC classification number: G11C11/4085 ,  G11C11/4074 ,  G11C11/4094 ,  G11C11/4096

Abstract: A circuit includes a memory array with SRAM cells connected in rows by word lines and in columns by bit lines. A row controller circuit simultaneously actuates, through a word line driver circuit for each row, word lines in parallel for an in-memory compute operation. A column processing circuit processes analog voltages developed on the bit lines in response to the simultaneous actuation to generate a decision output for the in-memory compute operation. A bit line precharge circuit generates a precharge voltage for application to each pair of bit lines. The precharge voltage has a first voltage level (not greater than a positive supply voltage for the SRAM cells) when the memory array is operating in a data read/write mode. The precharge voltage has a second voltage level (greater than the first voltage level) in advance of the simultaneous actuation of the word lines for the in-memory compute operation.

公开(公告)号：US12046324B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-23

申请号：US17861458

申请日：2022-07-11

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V. ,  STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS

Inventor： Harsh Rawat ,  Praveen Kumar Verma ,  Promod Kumar ,  Christophe Lecocq

IPC: G11C7/00 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G11C8/08 ,  G11C8/10 ,  G11C11/00

CPC classification number: G11C8/10 ,  G11C7/1087 ,  G11C7/222 ,  G11C8/08

Abstract: A memory circuit includes an array of memory cells arranged with first word lines connected to a first sub-array storing less significant bits of data and second word lines connected to a second sub-array storing more significant bits of data. A row decoder circuit coupled to the first and second word lines generates word line signals. A word line gating circuit is configured to selectively gate passage of the word line signals to the second word lines for the second sub-array in response to assertion of a maximum value signal. A data modification circuit performs a mathematical operation on data read from the array of memory cells, and asserts the maximum value signal if the mathematical operation performed on the less significant bits of data from the first sub-array produces a maximum data value.

公开(公告)号：US12237007B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17852567

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Harsh Rawat ,  Promod Kumar ,  Nitin Chawla ,  Manuj Ayodhyawasi

IPC: G11C11/418 ,  G11C11/412 ,  G11C11/419

Abstract: A circuit includes a memory array with SRAM cells connected in rows by word lines and in columns by bit lines. A row controller circuit simultaneously actuates, through a word line driver circuit for each row, word lines in parallel for an in-memory compute operation. A column processing circuit processes analog voltages developed on the bit lines in response to the simultaneous actuation to generate a decision output for the in-memory compute operation. A bit line clamping circuit includes a sensing circuit that compares the analog voltages on a given pair of bit lines to a threshold voltage. A voltage clamp circuit is actuated in response to the comparison to preclude the analog voltages on the given pair of bit lines from decreasing below a clamping voltage level.

公开(公告)号：US12170120B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-17

申请号：US18227545

申请日：2023-07-28

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Hitesh Chawla ,  Tanuj Kumar ,  Bhupender Singh ,  Harsh Rawat ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Manuj Ayodhyawasi ,  Nitin Chawla ,  Promod Kumar

IPC: G11C29/00 ,  G11C29/12 ,  G11C29/36

Abstract: The memory array of a memory includes sub-arrays with memory cells arranged in a row-column matrix where each row includes a word line and each sub-array column includes a local bit line. A row decoder circuit supports two modes of memory circuit operation: a first mode where only one word line in the memory array is actuated during a memory read and a second mode where one word line per sub-array are simultaneously actuated during the memory read. An input/output circuit for each column includes inputs to the local bit lines of the sub-arrays, a column data output coupled to the bit line inputs, and a sub-array data output coupled to each bit line input. Both BIST and ATPG testing of the input/output circuit are supported. For BIST testing, multiple data paths between the bit line inputs and the column data output are selectively controlled to provide complete circuit testing.

公开(公告)号：US20240015945A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18347435

申请日：2023-07-05

Applicant: STMicroelectronics SA ,  STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS ,  STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Olivier Weber ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Promod Kumar ,  Shafquat Jahan Ahmed ,  Christophe Lecocq ,  Pascal Urard

IPC: H10B10/00 ,  G11C11/417

CPC classification number: H10B10/12 ,  H10B10/18 ,  G11C11/417

Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a carrier substrate, a buried dielectric region overlying the carrier substrate, and a semiconductor film separated from the carrier substrate by the buried dielectric region. NMOS transistors and PMOS transistors are disposed at a surface of the semiconductor film and coupled together to form a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. The NMOS transistors and the PMOS transistors each include a gate dielectric layer having a thickness greater than three nanometers and an active region in the semiconductor film. The active region of the PMOS transistors are formed from a silicon-germanium alloy.

公开(公告)号：US12183424B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-31

申请号：US17954060

申请日：2022-09-27

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Harsh Rawat ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Promod Kumar ,  Nitin Chawla ,  Manuj Ayodhyawasi

IPC: G11C7/10 ,  G11C7/12

Abstract: A memory array includes a plurality of bit-cells arranged as a set of rows of bit-cells intersecting a plurality of columns. The memory array also includes a plurality of in-memory-compute (IMC) cells arranged as a set of rows of IMC cells intersecting the plurality of columns of the memory array. Each of the IMC cells of the memory array includes a first bit-cell having a latch, a write-bit line and a complementary write-bit line, and a second bit-cell having a latch, a write-bit line and a complementary write-bit line, wherein the write-bit line of the first bit-cell is coupled to the complementary write-bit line of the second bit-cell and the complementary write-bit line of the first bit-cell is coupled to the write-bit line of the second bit-cell.

公开(公告)号：US12159689B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-03

申请号：US17853026

申请日：2022-06-29

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Praveen Kumar Verma ,  Promod Kumar ,  Harsh Rawat

IPC: G11C8/20 ,  G11C11/418

Abstract: A method of corrupting contents of a memory array includes asserting a signal at a reset node to thereby cause starving of current supply to the memory array, and selecting bit lines and complementary bit lines associated with desired columns of the memory array that contain memory cells to have their contents corrupted. For each desired column, a logic state of its bit line and complementary bit line are forced to a same logic state. Each word line associated with desired rows of the memory array that contains memory cells to have their contents corrupted is simultaneously asserted, and then simultaneously deasserted to thereby place each memory cell to have its contents corrupted into a metastable state during a single clock cycle.

公开(公告)号：US12087356B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-10

申请号：US17849903

申请日：2022-06-27

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Harsh Rawat ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Promod Kumar ,  Nitin Chawla ,  Manuj Ayodhyawasi

IPC: G11C11/418

CPC classification number: G11C11/418

Abstract: SRAM cells are connected in columns by bit lines and connected in rows by first and second word lines coupled to first and second data storage sides of the SRAM cells. First the first word lines are actuated in parallel and then next the second word lines are actuated in parallel in first and second phases, respectively, of an in-memory compute operation. Bit line voltages in the first and second phases are processed to generate an in-memory compute operation decision. A low supply node reference voltage for the SRAM cells is selectively modulated between a ground voltage and a negative voltage. The first data storage side receives the negative voltage and the second data storage side receives the ground voltage during the second phase. Conversely, the second data storage side receives the negative voltage and the first data storage side receives the ground voltage during the first phase.

公开(公告)号：US12176025B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-24

申请号：US17844955

申请日：2022-06-21

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Harsh Rawat ,  Kedar Janardan Dhori ,  Promod Kumar ,  Nitin Chawla ,  Manuj Ayodhyawasi

IPC: G11C11/412 ,  G11C11/418 ,  G11C11/419

Abstract: An in-memory computation circuit includes a memory array with SRAM cells connected in rows by word lines and in columns by bit lines. Body bias nodes of the transistors in each SRAM cell are biased by a modulated body bias voltage. A row controller circuit simultaneously actuates word lines in parallel for an in-memory compute operation. A column processing circuit processes analog voltages developed on the bit lines in response to the simultaneous actuation to generate a decision output for the in-memory compute operation. A voltage generator circuit switches the modulated body bias voltage from a non-negative voltage level to a negative voltage level during the simultaneous actuation. The negative voltage level is adjusted dependent on integrated circuit process and/or temperature conditions in order to optimize protection against unwanted memory cell data flip.