Patent · US Expired

Non-volatile semiconductor memory cell capable of storing more than two different data and method of using the same

US5424978A · kind A · utility

127Cited by
3References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 1994
Grant dateJun 13, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2211/5634
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device capable of selectively storing one of at least three different data comprises a memory array including a plurality of memory cells, each having a control gate, a floating gate, a drain, and a source, a circuit for producing a stepped voltage whose level is varied stepwise to a number of different levels corresponding to a number of data to be stored, a circuit for producing a pulse voltage having a predetermined voltage level and a predetermined pulse width, and a circuit for selecting one of the plurality of memory cells, wherein during storing of the at least three different data the stepped voltage and the pulse voltage are applied to the control gate and the drain of the selected memory cell, respectively, while a timing of application of the pulse voltage to the drain is controlled relative to a timing of application of the stepped voltage to the control gate, depending on which of the at least three different data is to be stored into the selected memory cell.

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