Patent · US Expired

One-time-programmable EEPROM cell

US5283759A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 18, 1992
Grant dateFeb 1, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 18, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/0433
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to a one-time-programmable read-only memory cell, abbreviated as PROM. According to the prior art, PROM cells are programmed by the deliberate destruction of a component. Since the information is burnt into the memory cell in this way, a PROM cell can only be programmed once. If read-only memory cells are to be electrically programmed and cleared several times, floating gate transistors in particular are used. With the floating gate transistor, the information is stored as a charge on a completely insulated gate electrode. If PROM and EEPROM memory cells are now integrated on a common chip, this requires additional circuitry due to the different voltage requirements of the two different memory cells. In accordance with the invention, a repeatedly electrically programmable read-only memory is connected such that it can only be electrically programmed once.

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