Patent · US Expired

Floating gate memory device and method for terminating a program load cycle upon detecting a predetermined address/data pattern

US5778440A · kind A · utility

87Cited by
7References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 16, 1996
Grant dateJul 7, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 16, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10B69/00
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A floating gate memory with a protocol which terminates a program load cycle upon detecting a predetermined address and/or data pattern, providing positive indication of the end of the load cycle, and eliminating the requirement for a long pulse in a controlled signal. Command logic executes a process to store a block of data in response to a sequence of addresses and data segments received at the input/output circuitry, and detects the last segment in a block of data in response to a pattern including at least one of the addresses and data segments received at the input/output circuitry. One pattern includes consecutive matching addresses. Pattern match logic included in the command logic is coupled to the input/output circuitry and stores addresses in the sequence and compares them with a next address to indicate a matching address. Alternatively, the pattern includes both matching addresses and data segments with corresponding comparator circuitry. Alternatively, the pattern comprises a command address which is outside the address field of the memory array. The command address may include all or only a high order segment of the actual data address. The floating gate memory inclu…

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