Option decoding with on-chip electrical fuses
US5821770A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K19/1733
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for varying the type of function selected on a chip (for example, after completion of manufacturing) may include the steps of providing predetermined fuse arrangements which individually or in combination correspond to each type of function on the chip and providing disable control lines having fuses to each of the predetermined fuse arrangements. When one of the types of circuits is selected, the predetermined fuse arrangement individually or in combination corresponding to that selected type of function is blown. The blowing of fuses may change the functionality of the chip directly or may perform a complex procedure such as controlling a portion of a decoding scheme which may radically change the function of the chip. To prevent further blowing of predetermined fuse arrangements, the fuses in disable control lines to each of the predetermined fuse arrangements may be blown, eliminating further selection of types of function.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.