US6545891B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular memory device
Assignee: INNOVATIVE MEMORY SYSTEMS Inc
•
Filing: 2000-08-14
•
Granted: 2003-04-08
•
Expires: 2020-08-14
Abstract
Abstract A modular memory device includes a support element, a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array carried by the support element, a device interface unit carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit, and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the device interface unit. The memory array is well suited for use as a digital medium storage device for digital media such as digital text, digital music, digital image or images, and digital video. The device interface unit is not required in all cases.
Inventors
- 👤 J. James Tringali
- 👤 P. Michael Farmwald
- 👤 Thomas H. Lee
- 👤 Mark G. Johnson
- 👤 Derek J. Bosch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:31
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C5/00; G11C5/02; G11C5/025; G11C5/06; G11C5/063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; wherein the three-dimensional memory array comprises a plurality of layers of memory cells stacked vertically above one another in a single chip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; wherein the three-dimensional memory array comprises a plurality of layers of memory cells stacked vertically above one another in a single chip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
A modular, digital medium memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element, said memory array comprising a plurality of write-once, field-programmable memory cells; a modular housing protecting the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit, said electrical connector exposed at an exterior surface of the memory device; said memory cells storing at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of digital text, digital music, a digital image, a sequence of digital images, digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
A modular, digital medium memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element, said memory array comprising a plurality of write-once, field-programmable memory cells; a modular housing protecting the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit, said electrical connector exposed at an exterior surface of the memory device; said memory cells storing at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of digital text, digital music, a digital image, a sequence of digital images, digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 2 further comprising: a device interface unit carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit and the electrical connector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein the memory unit and the device interface unit are fabricated on a single substrate, and wherein the substrate is carried by the support element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein the device interface unit fits within a substrate area of no more than 8 mm 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 wherein the memory cells are arrayed on a substrate with an area density no less than 3×10 7 memory cells per square millimeter of substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 wherein the memory array stores at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of digital text, digital music, a digital image, a sequence of digital images, and digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; wherein the memory array comprises a plurality of write-once memory cells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; wherein the memory array comprises a plurality of write-once memory cells.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 8 wherein the memory array stores at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of digital text, digital music, a digital image, a sequence of digital images, digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
69 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; wherein the memory array comprises a plurality of memory cells arrayed on a substrate with an area density no less than 3×10 7 memory cells per square millimeter of substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array, said memory unit carried by the support element; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; wherein the memory array comprises a plurality of memory cells arrayed on a substrate with an area density no less than 3×10 7 memory cells per square millimeter of substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 10 wherein the memory array stores at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of digital text, digital music, a digital image, a sequence of digital images, and digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
76 words
A digital media memory device comprising: a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array comprising a plurality of stacked layers of memory cells; said memory cells characterized by respective digital states, said digital states storing a digital signal representing at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of: a digital image, a sequence of digital images, a group of pages of digital text, digital music, a digital map, digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
A digital media memory device comprising: a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array comprising a plurality of stacked layers of memory cells; said memory cells characterized by respective digital states, said digital states storing a digital signal representing at least one digital media file selected from the group consisting of: a digital image, a sequence of digital images, a group of pages of digital text, digital music, a digital map, digital video, and combinations thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the memory cells are write-once memory cells.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 12 or 13 wherein the memory cells are field programmable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the memory cells are arrayed on a substrate with an area density no less than about 3×10 7 memory cells per square millimeter of substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising: a support element that carries the memory unit; a device interface unit carried by the support element and coupled with the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the device interface unit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein the memory unit and the device interface unit are fabricated on a single substrate, and wherein the substrate is carried by the support element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein the device interface unit fits within an area of no more than 8 mm 2 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 2 or 12 in combination with a digital media storage device operative to field program said digital media file in said memory cells.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 19 wherein the storage device comprises a digital camera.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 19 wherein the storage device comprises a digital audio playback device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 19 wherein the storage device comprises an electronic book.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of stacked layers are stacked vertically above one another in a single chip.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
86 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a write once memory array fabricated on a substrate, said memory unit carried by the support element; a device interface unit fabricated on the same substrate as the memory array and coupled with the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the device interface unit; wherein the device interface unit comprises circuitry allowing the modular memory device to interface with a device coupled with the electrical connector.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
86 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a write once memory array fabricated on a substrate, said memory unit carried by the support element; a device interface unit fabricated on the same substrate as the memory array and coupled with the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the device interface unit; wherein the device interface unit comprises circuitry allowing the modular memory device to interface with a device coupled with the electrical connector.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim 24 wherein the memory array comprises a three-dimensional array of memory cells.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim 24 wherein the memory array comprises a two-dimensional array of memory cells.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
63 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array fabricated on a substrate, said memory unit carried by the support element; a device interface unit fabricated on the same substrate as the memory array and coupled with the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the device interface unit.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
63 words
A modular memory device comprising: a support element; a memory unit comprising a three-dimensional memory array fabricated on a substrate, said memory unit carried by the support element; a device interface unit fabricated on the same substrate as the memory array and coupled with the memory unit; and an electrical connector carried by the support element and coupled with the device interface unit.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 27 , wherein the three-dimensional memory array comprises a plurality of layers of memory cells stacked vertically above one another in a single chip.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 24 or 27 wherein the device interface unit implements an interrupt management function for a selected protocol.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
72 words
A memory device comprising: an integrated circuit substrate; a first memory array above the integrated circuit substrate; and a second memory array fabricated on the integrated circuit substrate under the first memory array; wherein the first and second memory arrays each comprise a respective plurality of memory cells, and wherein the memory cells of the first memory array are of a different type than the memory cells of the second memory array.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
72 words
A memory device comprising: an integrated circuit substrate; a first memory array above the integrated circuit substrate; and a second memory array fabricated on the integrated circuit substrate under the first memory array; wherein the first and second memory arrays each comprise a respective plurality of memory cells, and wherein the memory cells of the first memory array are of a different type than the memory cells of the second memory array.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 30 , wherein the memory cells of the first memory array are write-once, and wherein the memory cells of the second memory array are write-many.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4272880A
Cited
US4499557A
Cited
US4442507A
Cited
US4498226A
Cited
US4489478A
Cited
US4677742A
Cited
US4646266A
Cited
US5306935A
Cited
US5602987A
Cited
US5070384A
Cited
US5283759A
Cited
US5699317A
Cited
US5721862A
Cited
US5568361A
Cited
US5427979A
Cited
US5745407A
Cited
US5535156A
Cited
US5441907A
Cited
US5561628A
Cited
US5553019A
Cited
US5943254A
Cited
US5856221A
Cited
US5818748A
Cited
US5889694A
Cited
US5640343A
Cited
US5877975A
Cited
US5835396A
Cited
WO1999014763A1
Cited
US5991194A
Cited
US6263398B1
Cited
US5911104A
Cited
US6124157A
Cited
US6207991B1
Cited
US6034882A
Cited
US6160718A
Cited
US6266272B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-04-07 | 2006-10-07 | 2007-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-07 | 2010-10-07 | 2011-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-07 | 2014-10-07 | 2015-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |