Mask-Programmable Memory with Reserved Space

• US 20080172517A1
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Guobiao Zhang
• Original Assignee: Guobiao Zhang
• Inventors: ZHANG, Guobiao
• Application Number:
  US11/736,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8221 Three dimensional integrated circuits stacked in different levels
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 20/00 Read-only memory [ROM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 20/38 Doping programmed, e.g. mask ROM

Abstract

The present invention discloses a mask-programmable memory with reserved space (RS-MPM). It is released in a sequence of versions. In the original version, its storage space comprises a reserved space, which does not store any meaningful information. In the later version, the reserved space stores new release. RS-MPM can be readily applied to three-dimensional memory (3D-M) and three-dimensional memory module (3D-MM).

Claims

1. A mask-programmable memory (MPM) with reserved space (RS-MPM), comprising:

an initial-release space, wherein said initial-release space stores initial release; and

a reserved space, wherein said reserved space does not store any meaningful information in the original version of said RS-MPM, and stores new release in the later version of said RS-MPM.

2. The RS-MPM according to claim 1, wherein the info-mask for said RS-MPM comprises a reserved mask area corresponding to said reserved space.

3. The RS-MPM according to claim 2, wherein said reserved mask area is all dark or all clear in the original version of said RS-MPM.

4. The RS-MPM according to claim 2, wherein said reserved mask area comprises the mask pattern corresponding to said new release in the later version of said RS-MPM.

5. The RS-MPM according to claim 1, further comprising a pointer, wherein said pointer selectively points to either said initial-release space or said reserved space.

6. A three-dimensional memory (3D-M) with reserved space (RS-3DM), comprising first and second vertically stacked mask-programmable memory levels, said RS-3DM further comprising:

an initial-release space, wherein said initial-release space stores initial release; and

a reserved space, wherein said reserved space does not store any meaningful information in the original version of said RS-3DM, and stores new release in the later version of said RS-3DM.

7. The RS-3DM according to claim 6, wherein the info-mask for said second memory level comprises a reserved mask area corresponding to said reserved space.

8. The RS-3DM according to claim 7, wherein said reserved mask area is all dark or all clear in the original version of said RS-3DM.

9. The RS-3DM according to claim 7, wherein said reserved mask area comprises the mask pattern corresponding to said new release in the later version of said RS-3DM.

10. The RS-3DM according to claim 7, wherein the info-mask for said first memory level comprises no reserved space.

11. The RS-3DM according to claim 10, wherein said first memory level is located closer to the substrate of said 3D-M than said second memory level.

12. The RS-3DM according to claim 6, further comprising a pointer, wherein said pointer selectively points to either said initial-release space or said reserved space.

13. A three-dimensional memory module (3D-MM) with reserved space (RS-3DMM), comprising a first mask-programmable memory chip and a second memory chip, wherein said first and second memory chips are vertically stacked, said RS-3DMM further comprising:

an initial-release space, wherein said initial-release space stores initial release; and

a reserved space, wherein said reserved space does not store any meaningful information in the original version of said RS-3DMM, and stores new release in the later version of said RS-3DMM.

14. The RS-3DMM according to claim 13, wherein the info-mask for said first memory chip comprises a reserved mask area corresponding to said reserved space.

15. The RS-3DMM according to claim 14, wherein said reserved mask area is all dark or all clear in the original version of said RS-3DMM.

16. The RS-3DMM according to claim 14, wherein said reserved mask area comprises the mask pattern corresponding to said new release in the later version of said RS-3DMM.

17. The RS-3DMM according to claim 13, wherein said first memory chip is a three-dimensional memory (3D-M) with reserved space (RS-3DM).

18. The RS-3DMM according to claim 13, wherein said second memory chip is a conventional mask-programmable memory (MPM) or another mask-programmable memory with reserved space (RS-MPM).

19. The RS-3DMM according to claim 13, wherein said second memory chip is a read-write memory (RWM).

20. The RS-3DMM according to claim 13, further comprising a pointer, wherein said pointer selectively points to either said initial-release space or said reserved space.