Three-Dimensional Mask-Programmable Memory Module

• US 20080162850A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Guobiao Zhang
• Original Assignee: Guobiao Zhang
• Inventors: ZHANG, Guobiao
• Application Number:
  US12/018,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162850A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8221 Three dimensional integrated circuits stacked in different levels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48147 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 20/00 Read-only memory [ROM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 20/20 Programmable ROM [PROM] devices comprising field-effect components H10B20/10 takes precedence

Abstract

Three-dimensional mask-programmable memory (3D-mM) module comprises a 3D-mM chip and a usage-control (UC) block. 3D-mM is an ultra-low-cost and ultra-large-capacity memory suitable for pre-recorded multimedia library (PML). The UC block limits access to the PML. It enables a low average selling price (ASP) for the 3D-mM module and allows a user to just pay for the selected usage. The pricing model of the 3D-mM module is more acceptable to consumers.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional mask-programmable memory (3D-mM) module, comprising:

a 3D-mM chip, wherein said 3D-mM chip comprises a plurality of vertically stacked 3D-mM memory levels and stores a pre-recorded multimedia library (PML); and

a usage-control block for controlling the usage of said PML.

2. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the contents in said PML are encrypted.

3. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the contents in said PML are plaintext.

4. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein said PML contains textual, audio, image, video, game, and/or software contents.

5. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein the movie storage cost of said 3D-mM module is comparable to DVD.

6. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein said 3D-mM chip is an N-ary 3D-mM (N>

2).

7. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein said 3D-mM chip is a hybrid-level 3D-mM.

8. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein said 3D-mM chip is a small-pitch 3D-mM.

9. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein said usage-control block is located in a usage-control chip of said 3D-mM module.

10. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, wherein said usage-control block is located in said 3D-mM chip.

11. The 3D-mM module according to claim 1, whereby a user pays a nominal average selling price (ASP) for said 3D-mM module and a usage fee for the selected usage.

12. A three-dimensional mask-programmable memory (3D-mM) system, comprising:

a 3D-mM chip, wherein said 3D-mM chip comprises a plurality of vertically stacked 3D-mM memory levels and stores a pre-recorded multimedia library (PML); and

a usage-control block for controlling the usage of said PML.

13. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the contents in said PML are encrypted.

14. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, wherein said PML contains textual, audio, image, video, game, and/or software contents.

15. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, further comprising a mobile device, wherein said mobile device plays back selected contents in said PML.

16. The 3D-mM system according to claim 15, wherein said mobile device is a cellular phone, a mobile audio player, a mobile video player, a mobile game machine, a GPS device, or a portable computer.

17. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, wherein said usage-control block is located in said mobile device and said 3D-mM chip is located in a 3D-mM module.

18. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, wherein said 3D-mM chip and said usage-control block are located in a 3D-mM module.

19. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, whereby a user pays a nominal average selling price (ASP) for said 3D-mM system and a usage fee for the selected usage.

20. The 3D-mM system according to claim 12, further containing advertisements, whereby a user pays a reduced usage fee when advertisement playback is allowed during content playback.