# US 12,190,956 B2 · Memory device and method of operating the memory device

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- Number: US 12,190,956 B2
- Document ID: US12190956B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/720,998
- Filed: 2022-04-14
- Published: 2023-01-19
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-15
- Assignees: SK hynix Inc.
- Applicants: SK hynix Inc.
- Inventors: Jae Woong Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190956B2

## CPC

- G11C 16/102: {External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators}
- G11C 11/5642: {Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits}
- G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series}
- G11C 16/08: Address circuits; Decoders; Word-line control circuits
- G11C 16/26: Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
- G11C 16/28: using differential sensing or reference cells, e.g. dummy cells
- G11C 16/32: Timing circuits
- G11C 16/3404: {Convergence or correction of memory cell threshold voltages; Repair or recovery of overerased or overprogrammed cells}
- G11C 16/3427: {Circuits or methods to prevent or reduce disturbance of the state of a memory cell when neighbouring cells are read or written}
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, a peripheral circuit configured to perform a read operation of reading data from memory cells connected to a selected word line, and a read operation controller configured to apply a plurality of read voltages to the selected word line, apply a first pass voltage to unselected word lines while first read voltages for determining a program state of memory cells having a threshold voltage higher than a reference voltage among the plurality of read voltages are applied to the selected word line, and apply a second pass voltage higher than the first pass voltage to the unselected word line while second read voltages for determining a program state of memory cells having a threshold voltage lower than the reference voltage among the plurality of read voltages are applied to the selected word line.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a memory device, the method comprising:
applying any one of a plurality of read voltages to a selected word line;
applying a first pass voltage to unselected word lines while a first read voltage for determining a program state of memory cells having a threshold voltage higher than a reference voltage among the plurality of read voltages is applied to the selected word line; and
applying a second pass voltage higher than the first pass voltage to the unselected word lines while a second read voltage for determining a program state of memory cells having a threshold voltage lower than the reference voltage among the plurality of read voltages is applied to the selected word line.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reference voltage is a read voltage having an intermediate magnitude among the plurality of read voltages.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first read voltage is higher than the second read voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of read voltages are used to determine the program states of the memory cells based on the threshold voltages of the memory cells.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second read voltage lower than the first read voltage is applied to the selected word line before the first read voltage is applied to the selected word line.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first read voltage higher than the second read voltage is applied to the selected word line before the second read voltage is applied to the selected word line.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reference voltage has an intermediate magnitude between a lowest read voltage and a greatest read voltage.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the reference voltage is a voltage that becomes a reference for dividing the program states of the memory cells into two groups.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
applying a turn-on voltage higher than the plurality of read voltages to the selected word line before the any one of the plurality of read voltages is applied to the selected word line.