# US 10,482,972 B2 · Memory as a programmable logic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,972 B2 - Document ID: US10482972B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/413,708 - Filed: 2019-05-16 - Published: 2019-09-05 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-23 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Luca De Santis; Tommaso Vali; Kenneth J. Eldredge; Frankie F. Roohparvar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482972B2 ## CPC - G11C 16/10: Programming or data input circuits - G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series} - G11C 16/26: Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits - G11C 16/3418: {Disturbance prevention or evaluation; Refreshing of disturbed memory data} - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract Memories include a data line, a plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells selectively connected to the data line, a plurality of first access lines each coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells, and a plurality of second access lines each coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of a respective string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A memory, comprising: a data line; a plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells selectively connected to the data line; a plurality of first access lines, wherein, for each first access line of the plurality of first access lines, that first access line is coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; and a plurality of second access lines, wherein, for each second access line of the plurality of second access lines, that second access line is coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of a respective string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The memory of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to concurrently connect each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells to the data line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The memory of claim 1, further comprising: a shift register in communication with a second access line of the plurality of second access lines. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The memory of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of shift registers, wherein, for each shift register of the plurality of shift registers, that shift register is in communication with a respective second access line of the plurality of second access lines. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The memory of claim 1, wherein the respective memory cell of a particular second access line of the plurality of second access lines has a particular position within the respective string of series-connected memory cells of the particular second access line, and wherein, for each remaining second access line of the plurality of second access lines, the respective memory cell of that second access line has the particular position within the respective string of series-connected memory cells of that second access line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The memory of claim 5, wherein the particular position within the respective string of series-connected memory cells of the particular second access line is a memory cell of that string of series-connected memory cells closest to the data line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The memory of claim 1, wherein each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells comprises a plurality of memory cell pairs programmed to complementary data states. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The memory of claim 7, wherein each memory cell pair of the plurality of memory cell pairs has a pair of control gates coupled to a respective pair of first access lines of the plurality of first access lines. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The memory of claim 8, wherein the respective pair of first access lines for a memory cell pair of the plurality of memory cell pairs of a particular string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells is a same pair of first access lines as the respective pair of first access lines for a corresponding memory cell pair of the plurality of memory cell pairs of a different string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The memory of claim 1, further comprising: sense circuitry selectively connected to each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells through the data line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The memory of claim 10, wherein the sense circuitry is selectively connected to each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells concurrently through the data line. ### Claim 12 A memory, comprising: a data line; a plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells selectively connected to the data line; sense circuitry selectively connected to each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells through the data line; a plurality of first access lines, wherein, for each first access line of the plurality of first access lines, that first access line is coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; and a plurality of second access lines, wherein, for each second access line of the plurality of second access lines, that second access line is coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of a respective string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; wherein each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells comprises a plurality of memory cell pairs; and wherein the memory is configured to program each memory cell pair of the plurality of memory cell pairs to complementary data states when programming the memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The memory of claim 12, wherein a particular second access line of the plurality of second access lines is coupled to the control gate of the respective memory cell of a particular string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells, and not coupled to a control gate of any memory cell of a different string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The memory of claim 12, wherein no second access line of the plurality of second access lines is coupled to a control gate of any memory cell of any string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells other than its respective string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The memory of claim 12, wherein the memory is configured to program each memory cell having a control gate coupled to a second access line of the plurality of second access lines to a selected one of the complementary data states when programming the memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The memory of claim 12, wherein each second access line of the plurality of second access lines is closer to the data line than any first access line of the plurality of first access lines. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The memory of claim 12, wherein the memory is configured to concurrently connect each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells to the data line. ### Claim 18 A memory, comprising: a data line; a plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells selectively connected to the data line; sense circuitry selectively connected to each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells through the data line; a plurality of first access lines having a plurality of first access line pairs, wherein, for each first access line of the plurality of first access lines, that first access line is coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of each string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; and a plurality of second access lines, wherein, for each second access line of the plurality of second access lines, that second access line is coupled to a control gate of a respective memory cell of a respective string of series-connected memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; wherein the memory is configured to program each memory cell having a control gate coupled to a first access line of the plurality of first access lines to one of two data states when programming the memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; wherein, for each first access line pair of the plurality of first access line pairs, the memory is configured to apply a first voltage level to one first access line of that first access line pair and to apply a second voltage level to the other first access line of that first access line pair when determining a function result of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells; wherein the first voltage level applied to a first access line of the plurality of first access lines is configured to activate a memory cell having a control gate coupled to that first access line and having a first data state of the two data states, and to deactivate a memory cell having a control gate coupled to that first access line and having a second data state of the two data states; and wherein the second voltage level applied to a first access line of the plurality of first access lines is configured to activate a memory cell having a control gate coupled to that first access line and having the first data state, and to activate a memory cell having a control gate coupled to that first access line and having the second data state. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The memory of claim 18, wherein the memory is configured to program each memory cell having a control gate coupled to a second access line of the plurality of second access lines to one of the two data states when programming the memory cells of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The memory of claim 18, wherein, for each second access line of the plurality of second access lines, the memory is configured to apply either the first voltage level or the second voltage level to that second access line when determining the function result of the plurality of strings of series-connected memory cells.