Current limited current reference for non-volatile memory sensing
US5608676A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 31, 1993 |
| Grant date | Mar 4, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 31, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C16/24
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A non-volatile memo includes the reference cells programmed to opposite logic states whose outputs are combined and then equally divided to provide a reference signal to a sense amplifier which is one half of the sum of the signals from a high conductivity data cell and a low conductivity data cell. The non-volatile memory also includes a bias voltage generator which uses a high conductivity non-volatile reference cell for a reference, and which produces a bias voltage which is coupled to current limiting transistors at the inputs of the sense amplifier so that the current into the sense amplifier is limited and therefore limits the power used by the non-volatile memory.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.