Patent · US Expired

EPROM register providing a full time static output signal

US5274778A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
6References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 1, 1990
Grant dateDec 28, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 1, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/10
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An EPROM register is programmed in a manner substantially similar to the manner used to program a main EPROM array contained on the same integrated circuit. Data in the main EPROM array must be read out by applying appropriate address and output enable signals. The EPROM register allows the data stored therein to be available at all times by providing a full-time static output signal. The register includes a static evaluation circuit for determining the data stored in the register, a precharge keeper circuit for providing a pseudo-static evaluation of the data, as well as providing a periodic refresh of the sense node during pseudo-static evaluation, and a margin test circuit for testing the threshold voltage of the register, as well as actual or relative shifts in the threshold voltage. The EPROM register serves as a nonvolatile memory which can be written to store configuration information for an integrated circuit.

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