Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100027326 | Memory device, memory system having the same, and programming method of a memory cell - A method of writing multi-bit data to a semiconductor memory device with memory cells storing data defined by a threshold value, the method comprising, for each memory cell, writing a least significant bit, verifying completion of writing the least significant bit, verifying including comparing a written value to one of a low least significant bit verification value and a high least significant bit verification value, and writing a next significant bit upon completion of writing the least significant bit. | 02-04-2010 |
20100118631 | Semiconductor memory devices with mismatch cells - A semiconductor memory device having the mismatch cell makes a capacitance difference between a bit line pair relatively large during a read operation using at least one dummy memory cell as a mismatch cell selected together with a corresponding memory cell. Therefore, data of a semiconductor memory device may be detected more easily. | 05-13-2010 |
20100172172 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME, AND VOLTAGE SUPPLY METHOD OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device, a semiconductor system including the same, and a voltage supply method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes at least two semiconductor memory devices and a voltage supply controller configured to selectively supply a voltage to each of the at least two semiconductor memory devices. | 07-08-2010 |
20100172174 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING ARCHITECTURE FOR REDUCING AREA AND SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - A semiconductor device having an architecture for reducing an area is provided. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, a plurality of registers each configured to store pre-fetch unit data, and a write driver circuit configured to write pre-fetch unit data sequentially output from the plurality of registers to the memory cell array during a write operation. The semiconductor device also includes a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense and amplify pre-fetch unit data sequentially output from the memory cell array and to sequentially store the amplified pre-fetch unit data in the plurality of registers, respectively, during a read operation. | 07-08-2010 |
20100202182 | MEMORY DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING MULTIPLE 1/N PAGE ARRAYS AND MULTIPLE WRITE/READ CIRCUITS - A memory device architecture includes N arrays respectively for storing a 1/N of a page and N write/read circuits, where N is a natural number, respectively for writing or reading a 1/N of the page to/from each of the N arrays. | 08-12-2010 |
20100208381 | Magnetic packet memory storage devices, memory systems including such devices, and methods of controlling such devices - A memory device is comprised of a magnetic structure that stores information in a plurality of domains of the magnetic structure. A write unit writes information to at least one of the plurality of domains of the magnetic structure by applying a write current to the magnetic structure in response to a control signal. A read unit reads information from at least one of the plurality of domains of the magnetic structure by applying a read current to the magnetic structure in response to the control signal. A domain wall movement control unit is coupled to a portion of the magnetic structure and moves information stored in the plurality of domains in the magnetic structure to other domains in the magnetic structure in response to the control signal. The write unit, the read unit and the domain wall movement control unit are all coupled to the same control signal line that provides the control signal. | 08-19-2010 |
20100208504 | Identification of data positions in magnetic packet memory storage devices, memory systems including such devices, and methods of controlling such devices - In a memory device and in a method for controlling a memory device, the memory device comprises a magnetic structure that stores information in a plurality of domains of the magnetic structure. A read unit reads information from at least one of the plurality of domains of the magnetic structure by applying a read current to the magnetic structure. A position detector unit compares the information read by a read current from the read unit from multiple domains of the plurality of domains of the magnetic structure to identify the presence of an expected information pattern at select domains of the plurality of domains. | 08-19-2010 |
20100214819 | RESISTIVE MEMORY DEVICES, MEMORY SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING INPUT AND OUTPUT OPERATIONS OF THE SAME - A resistive memory device includes a resistive memory cell array, an output circuit and an input circuit. The resistive memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells that are coupled to bitlines. The output circuit generates a sensing output signal during a write operation by sensing a bitline voltage, and generates output data during a read operation by sensing the bitline voltage. The input circuit controls the bitline voltage based on input data for the write operation, and limits the bitline voltage in response to the sensing output signal during the write operation. The memory cells are protected by effectually limiting bitline voltage | 08-26-2010 |
20100214831 | Memory device, memory system having the same, and programming method of a memory cell - A memory device includes an array of resistance change memory cells divided into a first memory block including a first selected memory cell of a first plurality of memory cells and a second memory block including a second selected memory cell of a second plurality of memory cells, and sensing and writing circuitry configured to simultaneously activate a line connected with the first and second selected memory cells. The first and second selected memory cells may be written by iteratively applying a level-controlled write signal to memory cells not having a programmed state equal to the write data until a verify-read operation indicates respective programmed states for the first and second selected memory cells are equal to the write data. | 08-26-2010 |
20100214862 | Semiconductor Devices and Methods for Changing Operating Characteristics and Semiconductor Systems Including the Same - A method of changing a parameter in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes receiving and storing data in a storage region; and changing at least one between a DC characteristic and an AC timing characteristic of a parameter, used to access a non-volatile memory cell included in a memory core of the semiconductor device, according to the data stored in the storage. | 08-26-2010 |
20100220513 | Bi-Directional Resistive Memory Devices and Related Memory Systems and Methods of Writing Data - A bi-directional resistive memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells and an input/output (I/O) circuit. The I/O circuit is configured to generate a first voltage having a positive polarity and a second voltage having a negative polarity, provide one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the memory cell array through a bitline responsive to a logic state of input data, and adjust magnitudes of the first and second voltage when data written in the memory cell array has an offset. Related memory systems and methods are also provided. | 09-02-2010 |
20100223532 | SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS USING REDUNDANT ERROR CORRECTION CODE BIT STORAGE - A device, e.g., a semiconductor memory device, includes a plurality of memory cells, each configured to store at least one data bit and a plurality of error correction code (ECC) cells configured to redundantly store ECC bits for the memory cells. According to some embodiments, the plurality of ECC cells includes a plurality of pairs of ECC cells configured to store an ECC bit and a complement thereof. According to further embodiments, the plurality of ECC cells includes a plurality of groups of at least three ECC cells configured to store identical copies of an ECC bit. | 09-02-2010 |
20100226165 | RESISTIVE MEMORY DEVICES HAVING A STACKED STRUCTURE AND METHODS OF OPERATION THEREOF - A memory device includes a stacked resistive memory cell array comprising a plurality of resistive memory cell layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate, wherein respective memory cell layers are configured to store data according to respective program modes comprising a number of bits per cell. The memory device further includes a control circuit configured to identify a program mode of a selected memory cell layer responsive to an address signal and to access the selected memory cell layer responsive to the address signal according to the identified program mode. The program modes may include a single-level cell mode and at least one multi-level cell mode. | 09-09-2010 |
20100246234 | Stacked memory devices - A stacked memory device may include a substrate, a plurality of memory layers stacked on and above the substrate and divided into a plurality of groups, a plurality of inter-decoders electrically connected to and disposed between the plurality of memory layers in a corresponding one of the plurality of groups, and at least one pre-decoder electrically connected to the plurality of inter-decoders and disposed between the plurality of inter-decoders. A stacked memory device may include a substrate, a plurality of memory layers stacked on and above the substrate and divided into a plurality of groups, a plurality of inter-drivers electrically connected to and disposed between the plurality of memory layers in a corresponding one of the plurality of groups, and at least one pre-driver electrically connected to the plurality of inter-drivers, and disposed between the plurality of inter-drivers. | 09-30-2010 |
20100246246 | Memory device, memory system having the same, and programming method of a memory cell - A nonvolatile memory device having a plurality of multi-level memory cells, the plurality being at least two, may be programmed by writing a least significant bit for each multi-level memory cell of the plurality of memory cells and, after the least significant bit has been written for each multi-level memory cell of the plurality of memory cells, writing a next significant bit for each multi-level memory cell. | 09-30-2010 |
20100284209 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT MEMORY SYSTEMS AND PROGRAM METHODS THEREOF INCLUDING A MAGNETIC TRACK MEMORY ARRAY USING MAGNETIC DOMAIN WALL MOVEMENT - Provided are nonvolatile memory devices and program methods thereof. an integrated circuit memory system includes a memory array comprising at least one magnetic track, each of the at least one magnetic track including a plurality of magnetic domains and at least one read/write unit coupled thereto, decoding circuitry coupled to the memory array that is operable to select at least one of the magnetic domains, a read/write controller coupled to the memory array that is operable to read data from at least one of the plurality of magnetic domains and to write data to at least one of the plurality of magnetic domains via the at least one read/write unit coupled to each of the at least one magnetic track, and a domain controller coupled to memory array that is operable to move data between the magnetic domains on each of the at least one magnetic track. | 11-11-2010 |
20100284216 | INFORMATION STORAGE DEVICES USING MAGNETIC DOMAIN WALL MOVEMENT AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME - An information storage device includes a first portion comprising at first at least one magnetic track, each of the at least one magnetic track in the first portion including a first plurality of magnetic domains and being configured to store a first type of data therein and a second portion comprising a second at least one magnetic track, each of the at least one magnetic track in the second portion including a second plurality of magnetic domains and being configured to store a second type of data therein, the second type of data being related to the first type of data. | 11-11-2010 |
20100309705 | Stacked memory devices - A stacked memory device may include a substrate, a plurality of memory groups sequentially stacked on the substrate, each memory group including at least one memory layer, a plurality of X-decoder layers, at least one of the plurality of X-decoder layers being disposed between every alternate neighboring two of the plurality of memory groups, and a plurality of Y-decoder layers disposed alternately with the plurality of X-decoder layers, at least one of the plurality of Y-decoder layers being disposed between every alternate neighboring two of the plurality of memory groups. | 12-09-2010 |
20110228581 | STACKED MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF REPAIRING SAME - A stacked semiconductor memory device comprises memory cell array layers that are stacked in an inverted wedge shape and have different redundancy sizes from each other. The stacked semiconductor memory device has space for vertical connection between layers, a relatively small size, and a relatively high yield. | 09-22-2011 |
20110228582 | STACKED MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME - A stacked semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a functional circuit, a plurality of memory cell array layers, and at least one connection layer. The memory cell array layers are stacked above the semiconductor substrate. The connection layers are stacked above the semiconductor substrate independent of the memory cell array layers. The connection layers electrically connect memory cell selecting lines arranged on the memory cell array layers to the functional circuit. | 09-22-2011 |
20110231735 | STACKED SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND RELATED ERROR-CORRECTION METHOD - A stacked semiconductor memory device comprises an error correction code (ECC) controller that controls the number of bits in an ECC word and corrects errors in memory cell array layers using the ECC word. | 09-22-2011 |
20120063194 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE HAVING STACKED STRUCTURE INCLUDING RESISTOR-SWITCHED BASED LOGIC CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Semiconductor memory device having a stacking structure including resistor switch based logic circuits. The semiconductor memory device includes a first conductive line that includes a first line portion and a second line portion, wherein the first line portion and the second line portion are electrically separated from each other by an intermediate region disposed between the first and second line portions, a first variable resistance material film that is connected to the first line portion and stores data, and a second variable resistance material film that controls an electrical connection between the first line portion and the second line portion. | 03-15-2012 |
20120063196 | RESISTIVE MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING REFRESH OPERATION OF RESISTIVE MEMORY DEVICE - A resistive memory device comprises a memory cell array comprising a plurality of memory units. The memory device performs a refresh read operation to check a condition of each of the memory units. Then, it determines whether to refresh each memory unit based on data read by performing the refresh read operation, and refreshes the memory unit according to a result of the determination. The refresh read operation uses a reference resistance with a smaller margin from a resistance distribution than a normal read operation. | 03-15-2012 |
20120087177 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE FOR DATA SENSING - A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell and a first reference memory cell. The memory cell includes a first switching element and a first capacitor for storing data. The first switching element is controlled by a first wordline, and has a first terminal connected to a first terminal of the first capacitor and a second terminal connected to a first bitline. The first capacitor has a second terminal for receiving a first plate voltage. The first reference memory cell includes a first reference switching element and a first capacitor. The first switching element is controlled by a first reference wordline, and has a first terminal connected to a first terminal of the first reference capacitor and a second terminal connected to a second bitline. The first reference capacitor has a second terminal receiving a first reference plate voltage different from the first plate voltage. | 04-12-2012 |
20120099364 | RESISTIVE MEMORY DEVICES, INITIALIZATION METHODS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCORPORATING SAME - A resistive memory device and method of initialization are provided. The resistive memory device includes a first group of resistive memory cells connected between bit lines and a first plate and a second group connected between bit lines and a second plate. First and second initialization voltages are respectively applied to the first and second plates outside a normal path associated with a normal operation of the resistive memory cells. | 04-26-2012 |
20120099389 | MEMORY CIRCUITS, SYSTEMS, AND MODULES FOR PERFORMING DRAM REFRESH OPERATIONS AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME - A memory module can include a plurality of dynamic memory devices that each can include a dynamic memory cell array with respective regions therein, where the plurality of dynamic memory devices can be configured to operate the respective regions responsive to a command. A DRAM management unit can be on the module and coupled to the plurality of dynamic memory devices, and can include a memory device operational parameter storage circuit that is configured to store memory device operational parameters for the respective regions to affect operation of the respective regions responsive to the command. | 04-26-2012 |
20120106281 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICES AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY SYSTEMS - A semiconductor memory device includes at least one memory cell block and at least one connection unit. The at least one memory cell block has a first region including at least one first memory cell connected to a first bit line, and a second region including at least one second memory cell connected to a second bit line. The at least one connection unit is configured to selectively connect the first bit line to a corresponding bit line sense amplifier based on a first control signal, and configured to selectively connect the second bit line to the corresponding bit line sense amplifier via a corresponding global bit line based on a second control signal. | 05-03-2012 |
20120210054 | DATA STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING SECURITY FUNCTION AND OUTPUT APPARATUS THEREFOR - Provided are a storage medium, which has a security function, for storing media content and an output apparatus for outputting data stored in the storage medium. The storage medium includes a controller for converting at least one of a position of pins of a connector and a storage position of media content in a memory unit in order to control transmission of the media content in the memory unit to the output apparatus. | 08-16-2012 |
20120212989 | MEMORY CORE AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The semiconductor memory device includes a memory array block, a first word line and a second word line. The memory array block includes a plurality of adjacent columns of memory cells, each column of memory cells including a plurality of consecutive memory cells having a plurality of respective consecutive cell transistors that comprise at least a first group of cell transistors and a second group of cell transistors. The first word line is disposed above the plurality of respective consecutive cell transistors and electrically connected to the first group of cell transistors, and the second word line is disposed below the plurality of respective consecutive cell transistors and electrically connected to the second group of cell transistors. | 08-23-2012 |
20120230139 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE HAVING A HIERARCHICAL BIT LINE SCHEME - A semiconductor memory device including a bit line connected to a memory cell and a sense amplifier configured to drive a voltage level of a global bit line in response to a voltage level of the bit line. The sense amplifier provides data that is complementary to data stored in the memory cell to the global bit line and provides the complementary data of the global bit line to the memory cell during an active operation of the memory cell. | 09-13-2012 |
20120300568 | Method of Refreshing a Memory Device, Refresh Address Generator and Memory Device - A refresh address is generated with a refresh period for refreshing a memory device with refresh leveraging. A respective refresh is performed on a weak cell having a first address when the refresh address is a second address instead of on a first strong cell having the second address. A respective refresh is performed on one of the first strong cell or a second strong cell having a third address when the refresh address is the third address. Address information is stored for only one of the first, second, and third addresses such that memory capacity may be reduced. In alternative aspects, a respective refresh is performed on one of a weak cell, a first strong cell, or a second strong cell depending on a flag when the refresh address is any of at least one predetermined address to result in refresh leveraging. | 11-29-2012 |
20120317352 | Method and Apparatus for Refreshing and Data Scrubbing Memory Device - At least one refresh without scrubbing is performed on a corresponding portion of the memory device with a first frequency. In addition, at least one refresh with scrubbing is performed on a corresponding portion of the memory device with a second frequency less than the first frequency. Accordingly, refresh operations with data scrubbing are performed to prevent data error accumulation. Furthermore, refresh operations without data scrubbing are also performed to reduce undue power consumption from the data scrubbing. | 12-13-2012 |
20130039135 | MEMORY DEVICE FOR MANAGING TIMING PARAMETERS - A method of performing write operations in a memory device including a plurality of banks is performed. Each bank includes two or more sub-banks including at least a first sub-bank and a second sub-bank. The method comprises: performing a first row cycle for writing to a first word line of the first sub-bank, the first row cycle including a plurality of first sub-periods, each sub-period for performing a particular action; and performing a second row cycle for writing to a first word line of the second sub-bank, the second row cycle including a plurality of second sub-periods of the same type as the plurality of first sub-periods. The first row cycle overlaps with the second row cycle, and a first type sub-period of the first sub-periods overlaps with a second type sub-period of the second sub-periods, the first type and second type being different types. | 02-14-2013 |
20130051124 | Resistive Memory Device and Test Systems and Methods for Testing the Same - A resistive memory device and a system and method for testing the resistive memory device are provided. The resistive memory device includes a plurality of bit lines comprising at least one dummy bit line to which a plurality of resistive memory cells are connected, a conducting wire connected to the dummy bit line, a first switching element positioned between the dummy bit line and an external device outside the resistive memory device, and a second switching element positioned between the conducting wire and the external device. Accordingly, the operational reliability of the resistive memory device may be increased. | 02-28-2013 |
20130051133 | ANTI-FUSE CIRCUIT USING MTJ BREAKDWON AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE INCLUDING SAME - An anti-fuse circuit includes an array of anti-fuses. Each anti-fuse has a tunneling magneto-resistance (TMR) element series connected with a transistor, such that breakdown of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) in response to an applied first voltage stores fuse information. A sensing circuit senses and amplifies respective output signals provided by the anti-fuses. | 02-28-2013 |
20130055048 | BAD PAGE MANAGEMENT IN MEMORY DEVICE OR SYSTEM - A memory device comprises a memory cell array and a bad page map. The memory cell array comprises a plurality of memory cells arranged in pages and columns, wherein the memory cell array is divided into a first memory block and a second memory block each corresponding to an array of the memory cells. The bad page map stores bad page location information indicating whether each of the pages of the first memory block is good or bad. A fail page address of the first memory block is replaced by a pass page address of the second memory block according to the bad page location information. | 02-28-2013 |
20130058145 | MEMORY SYSTEM - A semiconductor device includes a first memory region including a plurality of memory cells; a test unit configured to test the first memory region, and detect a weak bit from among the plurality of memory cells; and a second memory region configured to store a weak bit address (WBA) of the first memory region, and data intended to be stored in the weak bit, wherein the first memory region and the second memory region include different types of memory cells. | 03-07-2013 |
20130064008 | DATA READ CIRCUIT, NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING DATA READ CIRCUIT, AND METHOD OF READING DATA FROM NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - A nonvolatile memory device comprises a nonvolatile cell array comprising a memory cell and a reference cell, a clamping circuit electrically connected to the memory cell and configured to clamp a voltage applied to a data sensing line during a read operation, and a clamping voltage generation unit configured to generate a clamping voltage responsive to a first voltage having a level based on the reference cell, and to feed back the clamping voltage to the clamping circuit. | 03-14-2013 |
20130083612 | MEMORY DEVICE INCLUDING REPAIR CIRCUIT AND REPAIR METHOD THEREOF - A memory device includes a repair circuit including a fail bit location information table configured to store row and column addresses of a defective cell in a normal area of a memory cell array. The repair circuit also includes a row address comparison unit configured to compare the row address of the defective cell with a row address of a first access cell received from the outside, and to output a first row match signal when the defective cell's row address matches the row address of the first access cell, and a column address comparison unit configured to compare the column address of the defective cell with a column address of the first access cell received from the outside, and to output a first column address replacement signal if the column address of the defective cell is the same as the column address of the first access cell. | 04-04-2013 |
20130128683 | Semiconductor Devices and Methods for Changing Operating Characteristics and Semiconductor Systems Including the Same - A method of changing a parameter in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes receiving and storing data in a storage region; and changing at least one between a DC characteristic and an AC timing characteristic of a parameter, used to access a non-volatile memory cell included in a memory core of the semiconductor device, according to the data stored in the storage. | 05-23-2013 |
20130148429 | MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF PERFORMING READ OR WRITE OPERATION AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided is a memory device having a first switch configured to receive a first CSL signal to input or output data. A second switch is configured to receive a second CSL signal. A sensing and latch circuit (SLC) is coupled between the first and second switches. And at least one memory cell is coupled to the second switch. The second switch is configured to control timing of read or write operations of the at least one memory cell in response to the second CSL signal, e.g., where a read operation can be performed in not more than about 5 ns. The SLC operates as a latch in a write mode and as an amplifier in a read mode. The memory device may comprise part of a memory system or other apparatus including such memory device or system. Methods of performing read and write operations using such memory device are also provided. | 06-13-2013 |
20130237019 | STACKED MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME - A stacked semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate having a functional circuit, a plurality of memory cell array layers, and at least one connection layer. The memory cell array layers are stacked above the semiconductor substrate. The connection layers are stacked above the semiconductor substrate independent of the memory cell array layers. The connection layers electrically connect memory cell selecting lines arranged on the memory cell array layers to the functional circuit. | 09-12-2013 |
20130279283 | MEMORY DEVICES AND MEMORY CONTROLLERS - A memory system includes at least one memory device and a memory controller. The at least one memory device includes a refresh request circuit that generates refresh request signals at timings based on data retention times of memory cells, such as based on individual data retention times of a memory cell row. The memory controller schedules operation commands for the at least one memory device in response to the received refresh request signals. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282973 | VOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE AND A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A method of operating a volatile memory device includes storing address information of weak cell rows. According to some examples, after writing to a weak cell row, a refresh operation is performed on the weak cell row within a predetermined time. According to some examples, the writing operation to a weak cell row may be performed with a longer write recovery time than a write recovery time to normal cell rows. | 10-24-2013 |
20130311717 | MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY - A magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and a memory module, memory system including the same, and method for controlling the same are disclosed. The MRAM includes magnetic memory cells configured to change between at least two states according to a magnetization direction, and a mode register supporting a plurality of operational modes. | 11-21-2013 |
20130322162 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS OF OPERATION - A semiconductor memory device includes a cell array including one or more bank groups, where each of the one or more bank groups includes a plurality of banks and each of the plurality of banks includes a plurality of spin transfer torque magneto resistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) cells. The semiconductor memory device further includes a source voltage generating unit for applying a voltage to a source line connected to the each of the plurality of STT-MRAM cells, and a command decoder for decoding a command from an external source in order to perform read and write operations on the plurality of STT-MRAM cells. The command includes a combination of at least one signal of a row address strobe (RAS), a column address strobe (CAS), a chip selecting signal (CS), a write enable signal (WE), and a clock enable signal (CKE) | 12-05-2013 |
20140013183 | MEMORY DEVICES WITH SELECTIVE ERROR CORRECTION CODE - An error correction apparatus includes an error correction circuit configured to selectively perform error correction on a portion of data that is at least one of written to and read from a plurality of memory cells of a memory device. The portion of data is at least one of written to and read from a subset of the plurality of memory cells, and the subset includes only fail cells among the plurality of memory cells. The error correction apparatus further includes a fail address storage circuit configured to store address information for the fail cells. | 01-09-2014 |
20140016404 | MAGNETIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY - A magnetic memory device such as a magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and a memory module and a memory system on which the magnetic memory device is mounted are disclosed. The MRAM includes magnetic memory cells each of which varies between at least two states according to a magnetization direction and an interface unit that provides various interface functions. The memory module includes a module board and at least one MRAM chip mounted on the module board, and further includes a buffer chip that manages an operation of the at least one MRAM chip. The memory system includes the MRAM and a memory controller that communicates with the MRAM, and may communicate an electric-to-optical conversion signal or an optical-to-electric conversion signal by using an optical link that is connected between the MRAM and the memory controller. | 01-16-2014 |
20140022836 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE HAVING RESISTIVE MEMORY CELLS AND METHOD OF TESTING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a mode register set and a test circuit. The memory cell array includes a plurality of wordlines, a plurality of bitlines, and a plurality of spin-transfer torque magneto-resistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) cells, and each STT-MRAM cell disposed in a cross area of each wordline and bitline, and the STT-MRAM cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element and a cell transistor. The MTJ element includes a free layer, a barrier layer and a pinned layer. A gate of the cell transistor is coupled to a wordline, a first electrode of the cell transistor is coupled to a bitline via the MTJ element, and a second electrode of the cell transistor is coupled to a source line. The mode register set is configured to set a test mode, and the test circuit is configured to perform a test operation by using the mode register set. | 01-23-2014 |
20140112086 | REFRESH METHOD, REFRESH ADDRESS GENERATOR, VOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A refresh method for a volatile memory device includes refreshing memory cells of a first set of rows of an array at a first refresh rate having a first refresh period, the first refresh rate being a lower rate having a longer refresh period than a second refresh rate having a second refresh period, wherein each memory cell in the first set of rows of the array has a retention time longer than the first refresh period; and refreshing memory cells of a second set of rows of the array at a third refresh rate having a third refresh period, the third refresh rate being a higher rate having a shorter refresh period than the second refresh rate having the second refresh period, wherein at least one memory cell of each row of the second set of rows has a retention time longer than the third refresh period and shorter than the first refresh period. The second refresh period corresponds to a refresh period defined in a standard for the volatile memory device. | 04-24-2014 |
20140146624 | MEMORY MODULES AND MEMORY SYSTEMS - In one example embodiment, a memory module includes a plurality of memory devices and a buffer chip configured to manage the plurality of memory device. The buffer chip includes a memory management unit having an error correction unit configured to perform error correction operation on each of the plurality of memory devices. Each of the plurality of memory devices includes at least one spare column that is accessible by the memory management unit, and the memory management unit is configured to correct errors of the plurality of memory devices by selectively using the at least one spare column based on an error correction capability of the error correction unit. | 05-29-2014 |
20140149652 | MEMORY SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MAPPING ADDRESS USING THE SAME - In one example embodiment, a memory system includes a memory module and a memory controller. The memory module is configured generate density information of the memory module based on a number of the bad pages of the memory module, the bad pages being pages that have a fault. The memory controller is configured to map a continuous physical address to a dynamic random access memory (dram) address of the memory module based on the density information received from the memory module. | 05-29-2014 |
20140149808 | MEMORY DEVICES AND MEMORY SYSTEMS HAVING THE SAME - In one example embodiment, a memory device includes a cell array configured to receive data at an associated address in response to a write command. The memory device further includes a storage unit configured to receive the associated address and the data in response to the write command and output the data to the associated address of the cell array in response to a rewrite command. The memory device further includes a violation determining unit configured to determine violation data, count a number of the violation data and determine data written to the storage unit as the violation data if a storage duration of the written data is less than a write recovery time (tWR). | 05-29-2014 |
20140189215 | MEMORY MODULES AND MEMORY SYSTEMS - A memory module includes a plurality of memory devices and a buffer chip. The buffer chip manages the memory devices. The buffer chip includes a refresh control circuit that groups a plurality of memory cell rows of the memory devices into a plurality of groups according to a data retention time of tire memory cell rows. The buffer chip selectively refreshes each of the plurality of groups in each of a plurality of refresh time regions that are periodically repeated and applies respective refresh periods to the plurality of groups, respectively. | 07-03-2014 |
20140241098 | MEMORY DEVICE AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - A memory device may be provided which includes a memory cell array including a plurality of sub arrays each sub array having a plurality of memory cells connected to bit lines; an address buffer configured to receive a row address and a column address; and a column decoder configured to receive the column address from the address buffer and, for each of the sub arrays, to select a column selection line corresponding to the column address, from among a plurality of column selection lines, based on different offset values applied to the sub arrays, respectively. The selected column selection lines correspond to bit lines having different physical locations, respectively, according to the different offset values. | 08-28-2014 |
20140241099 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY - A memory system is provided which includes multiple semiconductor memories having arrays of memory cells and a memory controller configured to provide an address in common to the multiple memories. First and second addresses corresponding to first and second rows of memory cells in first and second memories are selected according to the address in common. The first row and its adjacent rows in the first memory can all be different from the second row and its adjacent rows in the second semiconductor memory. Different conversion schemes can provide scramble information used to convert the address in common into the first and second addresses. | 08-28-2014 |
20140247677 | METHOD OF ACCESSING SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY AND SEMICONDUCTOR CIRCUIT - A method of accessing a semiconductor memory is disclosed which includes outputting a row address and an active command to the semiconductor memory; outputting a column address and a read or write command to the semiconductor memory; and outputting a spare access command to the semiconductor memory to access data from a spare memory cell at a timing based on an additive latency of the semiconductor memory. Related devices and systems are also disclosed. | 09-04-2014 |
20140310481 | MEMORY SYSTEM - A memory system includes a memory controller to control a first memory device and a second memory device. The first and second memory devices are different in terms of at least one of physical distance from the memory controller, a manner of connection to the memory controller, error correction capability, or memory supply voltage. The first and second memory devices also have different latencies. | 10-16-2014 |
20140317469 | MEMORY DEVICE FOR PERFORMING ERROR CORRECTION CODE OPERATION AND REDUNDANCY REPAIR OPERATION - Provided are a memory device and a memory module, which perform both an ECC operation and a redundancy repair operation. The memory device repairs a single-bit error due to a ‘fail’ cell by using an error correction code (ECC) operation, and also repairs the ‘fail’ cell by using a redundancy repair operation when the ‘fail’ cell is not repairable by the ECC operation. The redundancy repair operation includes a data line repair and a block repair. The ECC operation may change a codeword corresponding to data per one unit of memory cells including the ‘fail’ cell, and may also change the size of parity bits regarding the changed codeword. | 10-23-2014 |
20140355332 | VOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE AND REFRESH METHOD THEREOF - Provided is a refresh method of a volatile memory device. The method includes: detecting a number of disturbances that affect a second memory area as the number of accesses to a first memory area is increased; outputting an alert signal from the volatile memory device to an outside of the volatile memory device when the detected number of disturbances reach a reference value; and performing a refresh operation on the second memory area in response to the alert signal. | 12-04-2014 |
20140359242 | MEMORY DEVICE WITH RELAXED TIMING PARAMETER ACCORDING TO TEMPERATURE, OPERATING METHOD THEREOF, AND MEMORY CONTROLLER AND MEMORY SYSTEM USING THE MEMORY DEVICE - A memory device used with a relaxed timing requirement specification according to temperatures, an operation method thereof, and a memory controller and a memory system using the memory device are provided. The memory device has a first timing characteristic at a first temperature and a second timing characteristic that is longer than the first timing characteristic at a second temperature. If a temperature of the memory device is higher than a reference temperature, the memory controller controls the first timing characteristic as a timing requirement specification of the memory device. If the temperature of the memory device is lower than the reference temperature, the memory controller controls the second timing characteristic as the timing requirement specification of the memory device. | 12-04-2014 |
20150067448 | METHOD OF OPERATING MEMORY DEVICE AND METHODS OF WRITING AND READING DATA IN MEMORY DEVICE - In a method of operating a memory device, a command and a first address from a memory controller are received. A read code word including a first set of data corresponding to the first address, a second set of data corresponding to a second address and a read parity data is read from a memory cell array of the memory device. Corrected data are generated by operating error checking and correction (ECC) using an ECC circuit based on the read cord word. | 03-05-2015 |
20150089327 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICES AND MEMORY SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SAME - The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and an error correction code (ECC) circuit. The memory cell array is divided into a first memory region and a second memory region. Each of the first and second memory regions includes a plurality of pages each page including a plurality of memory cells connected to a word line. The ECC circuit corrects single-bit errors of the first memory region using parity bits. The first memory region provides a consecutive address space to an external device by correcting the single-bit errors using the ECC circuit and the second memory region is reserved for repairing at least one of a first failed page of the first memory region or a second failed page of the second memory region. | 03-26-2015 |