Apparatus and method for reading state of multistate non-volatile memory cells
US5790453A · kind A · utility
46Cited by
7References
45Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C2211/5634
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus determining the state of a multistate memory cell. The apparatus includes three sense amplifiers, each with an associated reference cell which produces a reference voltage for input to each of the sense amplifiers. The apparatus includes circuitry which allows the reference cell currents to be varied to produce the reference voltages or pairs of reference voltages needed to accurately determine the threshold voltage and hence state of a programmed or erased memory cell.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.