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US6861715B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electrically programmable three-dimensional memory

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2003-07-08
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Granted: 2005-03-01
•
Expires: 2023-07-08
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Abstract

Abstract One greatest advantage of the three-dimensional memory (3D-M) is its integratibility. In a electrically programmable three-dimensional integrated memory (EP-3DiM), an electrically programmable 3D-M (EP-3DM) is integrated with an embedded RWM and/or an embedded processor. Collectively, the EP-3DiM excels in speed, density/cost, programmability and data security.

Inventors

  • 👤 Guobiao Zhang

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 12:34
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D18/00; H10D48/00; H10D48/30; H10D48/32; H10D48/36; H10D88/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim 81 words
An electrically programmable three-dimensional integrated memory (EP-3DiM), comprising: a substrate circuit, said substrate circuit further comprising a substrate integrated circuit and an address-decoder, said substrate integrated circuit comprising an embedded RWM and/or an embedded processor; at least an electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) level, said EP-3DM level being stacked on top of said substrate circuit and connected with said substrate circuit through a plurality of inter-level connecting vias, said address-decoder decoding address for at least a portion of said EP-3DM level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 81 words
An electrically programmable three-dimensional integrated memory (EP-3DiM), comprising: a substrate circuit, said substrate circuit further comprising a substrate integrated circuit and an address-decoder, said substrate integrated circuit comprising an embedded RWM and/or an embedded processor; at least an electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) level, said EP-3DM level being stacked on top of said substrate circuit and connected with said substrate circuit through a plurality of inter-level connecting vias, said address-decoder decoding address for at least a portion of said EP-3DM level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said EP-3DM level stores software code.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein said embedded RWM stores data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 44 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein said embedded RWM comprises an embedded RAM, at least a portion of the input/output of said embedded RAM being eventually connected with at least a portion of the input/output of said address-decoder of said EP-3DM level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 4 , wherein said embedded RAM stores a copy of software code from said EP-3DM level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
The EP-3DIM according to claim 5 , wherein said embedded RAM further comprises: a first sector, said first sector storing said copy of software code; and a second sector, said second sector storing data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein said embedded RWM comprises an embedded ROM, whereby said embedded ROM stores correctional data for said EP-3DM level; and said substrate circuit further comprises means for selecting data from said EP-3DM level or from said embedded ROM.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 45 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein said embedded RWM comprises an embedded ROM, whereby said embedded ROM stores upgrade codes for said EP-3DM level; and said substrate circuit further comprises means for selecting data from said EP-3T)M level or from said embedded ROM.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 68 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said embedded RWM and at least a portion of said EP-3DM form a unified memory space; and said substrate circuit further comprises a memory-space address-decoder, at least an output of said memory-space address-decoder being eventually connected with said embedded RWM and at least another output of said memory-space address-decoder being eventually connected with said EP-3DM.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said EP-3DM level stores multimedia contents.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein said multimedia contents are selected from a group of multimedia contents consisting of digital text, digital images, digital audio, digital video.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
The EP-3DIM according to claim 1 , wherein said processor is an embedded media-player.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
The EP-3DIM according to claim 1 , wherein said embedded processor is selected from a group consisting of D/A converter, decoder and decryption engine.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , wherein at least one multimedia output of said EP-3DiM is in an analog form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 31 words
The EP-3DiM according to claim 1 , further comprises a key storage, whereby said key is used to decrypt at least a portion of the contents stored in said EP-3DM level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 75 words
An electrically programmable player-on-a-chip (EP-PonC), comprising: a substrate circuit, said substrate circuit further comprising an embedded media-player; at least an electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) level, said EP-3DM level being stacked on top of said substrate circuit and connected with said substrate circuit through a plurality of inter-level connecting vms, at least a portion of said EP-3DM level storing multimedia contents; whereby said embedded media-player can process said multimedia contents stored in said PP-3DM level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 75 words
An electrically programmable player-on-a-chip (EP-PonC), comprising: a substrate circuit, said substrate circuit further comprising an embedded media-player; at least an electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) level, said EP-3DM level being stacked on top of said substrate circuit and connected with said substrate circuit through a plurality of inter-level connecting vms, at least a portion of said EP-3DM level storing multimedia contents; whereby said embedded media-player can process said multimedia contents stored in said PP-3DM level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 29 words
The EP-PonC according to claim 16 , wherein said multimedia contents are selected from a group of multimedia contents consisting of digital text, digital images, digital audio, digital video.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 24 words
The EP-PonCaccording to claim 16 , wherein said embedded media-player comprises at least a processing block selected from D/A converter, decoder and decryption engine.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 21 words
The EP-PonC according to claim 16 , wherein at least one multimedia output of said EP-PonC is in an analog form.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 97 words
An electrically programmable computer-on-a-chip (EP-ConC), comprising: a substrate circuit, said substrate circuit further comprising an embedded processor and an embedded RAM; at least an electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) level, said EP-3DM level being stacked on top of said substrate circuit and connected with said substraic circuit ibrough a plurality of inter-level connecting visa, at least a portion of said EP-3DM level storing software code; whereby said embedded RAM can store at least a portion of said software code from said EP-3DM level, and said embedded processor can process data and code stored in said embedded RAM.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 97 words
An electrically programmable computer-on-a-chip (EP-ConC), comprising: a substrate circuit, said substrate circuit further comprising an embedded processor and an embedded RAM; at least an electrically programmable three-dimensional memory (EP-3DM) level, said EP-3DM level being stacked on top of said substrate circuit and connected with said substraic circuit ibrough a plurality of inter-level connecting visa, at least a portion of said EP-3DM level storing software code; whereby said embedded RAM can store at least a portion of said software code from said EP-3DM level, and said embedded processor can process data and code stored in said embedded RAM.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4381201A Cited
US5500544A Cited
US5383149A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2008-02-29 2008-08-30 2009-03-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2012-02-29 2012-08-30 2013-03-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2016-02-29 2016-08-30 2017-03-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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