Patent · US Expired

Programming flash memory using distributed learning methods

US5701266A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
25References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 6, 1996
Grant dateDec 23, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 6, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C11/5621
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a memory device including an array of memory cells, each memory cell having more than two possible states, a method for programming a memory cell to a desired state. The method comprises a control engine programming a subset of the array of memory cells. Characterization information is determined from the step of programming the subset, wherein the characterization information indicates programming characteristics of a representative memory cell of the array of memory cells. The control engine then uses the characterization information to directly program the memory cell to approximately the desired state without performing a program verify operation.

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