Quantizing circuits with variable parameters

• US 8,089,387 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, R. Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LINH V
• Application Number:
  US12/436,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 341118-122, 341/143, 341/155, 341/161, 341/166, 341/164, 341/165, 341/169, 341/170
• US Class Current: 341/155
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/5642 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/26 Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0231 Astable circuits H03K3/0315 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/60 with intermediate conversion to frequency of pulses

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for obtaining data from a data location. The method may include generating a first value by sensing a data location under a first condition and generating a second value by sensing the data location under a second condition. The method may further include combining the first value with the second value to identify data conveyed by the data location.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data location; and

a quantizing circuit coupled to the data location and configured to read a data value from the data location, wherein the quantizing circuit comprises;

a comparator configured to compare a first reference parameter with a first data location parameter measured from the data location, and to compare a second reference parameter with a second data location parameter measured from the data location, wherein the first reference parameter is utilized to generate the first data location parameter and the second reference parameter is utilized to generate the second data location parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a controller configured to generate the first and second reference parameters.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to supply each of the first and second reference parameters to an inverting input of the comparator.

4. The system of claim 2, comprising an interfuser coupled to the comparator, wherein the interfuser is configured to latch an output indicative of a read data value from the data location.

5. The system of claim 4, comprising a counter coupled to the controller, the interfuser, and the comparator, wherein the counter is configured generate a count indicative of the read data value and shift the count to the interfuser in response to a reset signal received from the controller.

6. A system, comprising:

a data location;

an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the data location;

a digital filter coupled to the analog-to-digital converter;

an interfuser coupled to the digital filter, wherein the interfuser is configured to receive a first value from the digital filter and a second value from the digital filter and combine the first value with the second value to identify data conveyed by the data location; and

a controller coupled to the data location, wherein the controller is configured to vary a parameter of the analog-to-digital converter.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data location comprises a floating-gate transistor and the controller is configured to vary a gate voltage of the floating-gate transistor.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the interfuser is configured to combine the first value with the second value by adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying, or a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the interfuser is configured to combine the first value with the second value by using a fusion algorithm.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the analog-to-digital converter comprises a delta sigma modulator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to vary a parameter of the delta-sigma modulator.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the digital filter comprises a counter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the counter is configured to continue a count after the parameter changes.

12. A system, comprising:

a data location;

an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the data location, wherein the analog-to-digital converter comprises a delta sigma modulator;

a digital filter coupled to the analog-to-digital converter;

an interfuser coupled to the digital filter, wherein the interfuser is configured to receive a first value from the digital filter and a second value from the digital filter and combine the first value with the second value to identify data conveyed by the data location; and

a controller coupled to the data location, wherein the controller is configured to vary a parameter of the analog-to-digital converter, wherein the controller is configured to vary a parameter of the delta-sigma modulator, wherein the interfuser is configured to combine the first and the second values when a parameter of the data location is varied and receive a third value when the parameter of the delta-sigma modulator is varied.