174 results about "Analog memory" patented technology

A method for operating a memory device (24) includes encoding data using an Error Correction Code (ECC) and storing the encoded data as first analog values in respective analog memory cells (32) of the memory device. After storing the encoded data, second analog values are read from the respective memory cells of the memory device in which the encoded data were stored. At least some of the second analog values differ from the respective first analog values. A distortion that is present in the second analog values is estimated. Error correction metrics are computed with respect to the second analog values responsively to the estimated distortion. The second analog values are processed using the error correction metrics in an ECC decoding process, so as to reconstruct the data.

A method for operating a memory (28) includes storing data in a group of analog memory cells (32) of the memory as respective first voltage levels. After storing the data, second voltage levels are read from the respective analog memory cells. The second voltage levels are affected by cross-coupling interference causing the second voltage levels to differ from the respective first voltage levels. Cross-coupling coefficients, which quantify the cross-coupling interference among the analog memory cells, are estimated by processing the second voltage levels. The data stored in the group of analog memory cells is reconstructed from the read second voltage levels using the estimated cross-coupling coefficients.

A method for storing data in a memory (28) that includes analog memory cells (32) includes identifying one or more defective memory cells in a group of the analog memory cells. An Error Correction Code (ECC) is selected responsively to a characteristic of the identified defective memory cells. The data is encoded using the selected ECC and the encoded data is stored in the group of the analog memory cells. In an alternative method, an identification of one or more defective memory cells among the analog memory cells is generated. Analog values are read from the analog memory cells in which the encoded data were stored, including at least one of the defective memory cells. The analog values are processed using an ECC decoding process responsively to the identification of the at least one of the defective memory cells, so as to reconstruct the data.

A method for operating a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells includes storing data in the memory by writing first storage values to the cells, so as to cause the cells to hold respective electrical charge levels. After storing the data, second storage values are read from at least some of the cells, including at least one interfered cell that belongs to a group of cells. A Back Pattern Dependency (BPD) distortion caused by the electrical charge levels of one or more interfering cells in the group to at least one of the second storage values read from the at least one interfered cell is detected and canceled. The second storage values, including the at least one of the second storage values in which the BPD distortion was canceled, are processed so as to reconstruct the data.

A method for operating a memory (24) includes storing data in analog memory cells (32) of the memory by writing respective analog values to the analog memory cells. A set of the analog memory cells is identified, including an interfered cell having a distortion that is statistically correlated with the respective analog values of the analog memory cells in the set. A mapping is determined between combinations of possible analog values of the analog memory cells in the set and statistical characteristics of composite distortion levels present in the interfered memory cell. The mapping is applied so as to compensate for the distortion in the interfered memory cell.

A method for storing data in an array (28) of analog memory cells (32) includes defining a constellation of voltage levels (90A, 90B, 90C, 90D) to be used in storing the data. A part of the data is written to a first analog memory cell in the array by applying to the analog memory cell a first voltage level selected from the constellation. After writing the part of the data to the first analog memory cell, a second voltage level that does not belong to the constellation is read from the first analog memory cell. A modification to be made in writing to one or more of the analog memory cells in the array is determined responsively to the second voltage level, and data are written to the one or more of the analog memory cells subject to the modification.

A memory subsystem is provided including an interface circuit adapted for coupling with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The interface circuit is operable to interface the memory circuits and the system for emulating at least one memory circuit with at least one aspect that is different from at least one aspect of at least one of the plurality of memory circuits. Such aspect includes a signal, a capacity, a timing, and/or a logical interface.

A zero-drift analog memory (ZDAM) cell that indefinitely maintains an output signal at a discrete voltage while the memory circuit is powered, wherein the memory circuit receives an input signal, passes the input signal to a storage element upon receiving an assertion signal, maintains an output signal at a level of the input signal when the assertion signal is removed, and utilizes a zero-drift transfer function feedback loop on the output signal to maintain the output signal. A memory array including a plurality of ZDAM cells and method of operation are also disclosed.

A method for operating a memory (28) includes storing data, which is encoded with an Error Correction Code (ECC), in analog memory cells (32) of the memory by writing respective analog input values selected from a set of nominal values to the analog memory cells. The stored data is read by performing multiple read operations that compare analog output values of the analog memory cells to different, respective read thresholds so as to produce multiple comparison results for each of the analog memory cells. At least two of the read thresholds are positioned between a pair of the nominal values that are adjacent to one another in the set of the nominal values. Soft metrics are computed responsively to the multiple comparison results. The ECC is decoded using the soft metrics, so as to extract the data stored in the analog memory cells.

A method for storing data in a memory, which includes a plurality of analog memory cells, includes defining programming levels that represent respective combinations of at least first and second bits and are represented by respective nominal storage values. The data is stored by mapping the data to storage values selected from among the nominal storage values and writing the storage values to the memory cells. A condition is defined over two or more bit-specific error rates applicable respectively to at least the first and second bits. The bit-specific error rates include a first bit-specific error rate computed over the data stored by the first bits and a second bit-specific error rate computed, separately from the first bit-specific error rate, over the data stored by the second bits. The nominal storage values are set based on the bit-specific error rates so as to meet the condition.

A ferroelectric memory having a plurality of ferroelectric memory cells, each ferroelectric memory cell including a ferroelectric capacitor is disclosed. The ferroelectric memory includes read and write lines and a plurality of ferroelectric memory cell select buses, one select bus corresponding to each of the ferroelectric memory cells. Each of the ferroelectric memory cells includes first and second gates for connecting the ferroelectric memory cell to the read line and the write line, respectively, in response to signals on the ferroelectric memory cell select bus corresponding to that ferroelectric memory cell. A write circuit causes a charge to be stored in the ferroelectric capacitor of the ferroelectric memory cell currently connected to the write line, the charge having a value determined by a data value having at least three states. A read circuit measures the charge stored in the ferroelectric capacitor of the ferroelectric memory cell currently connected to the read line to generate an output value, the output value corresponding to one of the states.

A method for data storage includes storing data in a group of analog memory cells by writing respective first storage values into the memory cells. After storing the data, respective second storage values are read from the memory cells. A subset of the memory cells, in which the respective second storage values have drifted below a minimum readable value, is identified. The memory cells in the subset are operated on, so as to cause the second storage values of at least one of the memory cells in the subset to exceed the minimum readable value. At least the modified second storage values are re-read so as to reconstruct the stored data.

To provide a semiconductor device with a small circuit size and low power consumption or an electronic device including the semiconductor device and compressing a large volume of image data. A semiconductor device of a Hopfield neural network is formed using neuron circuits and synapse circuits. The synapse circuit includes an analog memory and a writing control circuit, and the writing control circuit is formed using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. Thus, data retention lifetime of the analog memory can be extended and refresh operation for data retention can be omitted, so that power consumption of the semiconductor device can be reduced. The semiconductor device enables judgement whether learned image data and arbitrary image data match, are similar, or mismatch by comparing video data. Thus, motion compensation prediction, which is one of data compression methods, can be employed for image data.

An apparatus comprises processing circuitry for processing program instructions according to a predetermined architecture defining a number of architectural registers accessible in response to the program instructions. A set of hardware registers is provided in hardware. A storage capacity of the set of hardware registers is insufficient for storing all the data associated with the architectural registers of the pre-determined architecture. Control circuitry is responsive to the program instructions to transfer data between the hardware registers and at least one register emulating memory location in memory for storing data corresponding to the architectural registers of the architecture.

An integrated circuit memory is capable of storing analog information without the need for A/D conversion. Samples of a analog signal input are stored in nonvolatile memory cells. The integrated circuit is also capable of storing digital information in digital form. The sampling rate at which the analog signal input is sampled is user selectable. An internal signal path of the integrated circuit memory is differential, which enhances the precision with which the analog signal is stored in the memory cells.

An arithmetic circuit, which is retained by each pixel in a conventional image sensor, is shared by each column. Signal processing circuits of different configurations are provided on signal transmission paths in an upward direction and a downward direction of a vertical signal line for extracting an image signal from each pixel, whereby image output processing and arithmetic processing are performed completely separately by the different circuit blocks. Thus, image quality of an actual image is improved and optimum design for arithmetic processing is made possible. Specifically, an I-V converter circuit unit, a CDS circuit unit and the like are provided on the image output side. A current mirror circuit unit, an analog memory array unit, a comparator unit, a bias circuit unit, a data latch unit, an output data bus unit and the like are provided on the arithmetic processing side.

A large-scale field-programmable analog array (FPAA) for rapidly prototyping analog systems and an arbitrary analog waveform generator. The large-scale FPAA includes a floating-gate transistor array and a plurality of computational analog blocks (CABs), which may be adapted to set bias voltages for operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs), adjust corner frequencies on the capacitively coupled current conveyors, set multiplier coefficients in vector-matrix multipliers, and a variety of other operations. The floating-gate transistors may be used as switch elements, programmable resistor elements, precision current sources, and programmable transistors. Accordingly, the floating-gate transistors within the array allow on-chip programming of the characteristics of the computational elements, while still maintaining compact CABs. The arbitrary analog waveform generator may include programmable floating-gate MOS transistors for use as analog memory cells to store samples of the waveforms.