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US 7,742,335 B2Granted
Non-volatile multilevel memory cells
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorSeiichi Aritome
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating non-volatile multilevel memory cells. One method embodiment includes assigning, to a first cell coupled to a row select line, a first number of program states to which the first cell can be programmed. The method includes assigning, to a second cell coupled to the row select line, a second number of program states to which the second cell can be programmed, wherein the second number of program states is greater than the first number of program states. The method includes programming the first cell to one of the first number of program states prior to programming the second cell to one of the second number of program states.
Claims21
A method for operating an array of non-volatile multilevel memory cells, the method comprising:
- assigning, to a first cell coupled to a row select line, a first number of program states to which the first cell is to be programmed;
- assigning, to a second cell coupled to the row select line, a second number of program states to which the second cell is to be programmed, wherein the second number of program states is greater than the first number of program states;
- assigning, to a third cell coupled to the row select line, a third number of program states to which the third cell is to be programmed, wherein the third number of program states is different than the first number of program states and the second number of program states;
- wherein the assigning includes assigning to at least one of the first cell, the second cell, and the third cell, a number of program states that corresponds to a non-integer bit assignment for the cell;
- and
- programming the first cell to one of the first number of program states prior to programming the second cell to one of the second number of program states.
3 more elements
A method for operating an array of non-volatile multilevel memory cells, the method comprising:
- assigning, to a first cell coupled to a row select line, a first number of program states to which the first cell is to be programmed;
- assigning, to a second cell coupled to the row select line, a second number of program states to which the second cell is to be programmed, wherein the second number of program states is greater than the first number of program states;
- assigning, to a third cell coupled to the row select line, a third number of program states to which the third cell is to be programmed, wherein the third number of program states is greater than the second number of program states;
- and
- programming the first cell to one of the first number of program states prior to programming the second cell to one of the second number of program states and prior to programming the third cell to one of the third number of program states;
- wherein the assigning includes assigning to at least one of the first cell, the second cell, and the third cell, a number of program states that corresponds to a non-integer bit assignment for the cell.
3 more elements
A method for operating an array of non-volatile multilevel memory cells, the method comprising:
- assigning, for a number of cells coupled to a first row select line, a number of program states to which the cells are to be programmed;
- and
- varying the number of program states assigned to the number of cells based on a programming sequence associated with the number of cells;
- wherein the programming sequence includes programming a first subset of the number of cells before programming a second subset of the number of cells, and wherein varying the number of program states assigned includes:
- assigning a first number of program states to the first subset;
- and
- assigning a second number of program states to the second subset, the second number being greater than the first number of program states;
- wherein the programming sequence includes programming a third subset of the number of cells after programming the second subset of the number of cells, and wherein varying the number of program states assigned includes assigning a third number of program states to the third subset, the third number being greater than the second number of program states;
- and
- wherein assigning at least one of the first number, the second number, and the third number includes assigning a number of program states which corresponds to a non-integer bit assignment.
7 more elements
A non-volatile memory device comprising:
- an array of non-volatile memory cells arranged in rows coupled by row select lines and columns coupled by sense lines;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the array and configured to program cells coupled to a selected row select line according to a programming sequence performed on a sense line by sense line basis, wherein:
- cells coupled to the selected row select line and associated with a number of sense lines to be programmed first have a first assigned number of program states;
- and
- cells coupled to the selected row select line and associated with a number of sense lines to be programmed second have a second assigned number of program states, the second assigned number is greater than the first assigned number;
- wherein the array includes cells coupled to the selected row select line that are to be programmed to a third assigned number of program states;
- and
- wherein at least one of the first assigned number of program states, the second assigned number of program states, and the second number of program states corresponds to a non-integer bit assignment.
6 more elements
A non-volatile memory device comprising:
- an array of non-volatile memory cells arranged in rows coupled by row select lines and columns coupled by sense lines;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the array and configured to program cells coupled to a selected row select line according to a programming sequence performed on a sense line by sense line basis, wherein:
- cells coupled to the selected row select line and associated with a number of sense lines to be programmed first have a first assigned number of program states;
- cells coupled to the selected row select line and associated with a number of sense lines to be programmed second have a second assigned number of program states, the second assigned number is greater than the first assigned number;
- and
- cells coupled to the selected row select line and associated with a number of sense lines to be programmed third have a third assigned number of program states, the third assigned number is greater than the second assigned number;
- and
- wherein at least one of the first assigned number of program states, the second assigned number of program states, and the third number of assigned program states corresponds to a non-integer bit assignment.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.