Patent · US Expired

Ferroelectric programming cell for configurable logic

US5198706A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
5References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 1991
Grant dateMar 30, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 15, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C11/22
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A ferroelectric programming cell utilizable for providing programming signals for configurable logic elements. A preferred embodiment of the ferroelectric programming cell includes a volatile memory cell having first and second internal data storage nodes that are latched in complementary states when the volatile memory cells positive power input is held to a maximum allowed voltage level and its negative power input is held at ground. A node enabling switching means connected between an external signal generator and the volatile memory cell enables an external signal generator to set the values of the first and second complementary internal nodes. First and second substantially identical capacitance-dividers each include a first ferroelectric capacitance means for storing a non-volatile configuration state. Each ferroelectric capacitance means has a driving terminal connected to the external signal generator and a measurement terminal connected to a second capacitance means that enables the volatile memory cell to measure the non-volatile configuration state of the first ferroelectric capacitance means. It also includes a measurement clearing switching means for enabling the exter…

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