Patent · US Expired

Program/erase selection for flash memory

US5053990A · kind A · utility

289Cited by
4References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 17, 1988
Grant dateOct 1, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/3459
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor flash EPROM/EEPROM device which includes a command port for receiving instruction on a data line and providing control signals to a memory for providing program and erase functions, a method to program and erase the memory. A program sequence is comprised of setting up a program command during a first write cycle, preforming a second write cycle to load address to address register and data to to a data register, programming during a program cycle and writing a program verify command during a third write cycle to verify the programmed data during a read cycle. An erase sequence is comprised of writing a setup erase command during a first write cycle, an erase command during a second write cycle providing the erasure during an erase cycle, writing the erase verify command during a third write cycle which also addresses the address of the memory and providing erase verification during a read cycle. Both the erase and program cycles provide for measured incremental erasing and programming.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.