Patent · US Expired

High reliability logic circuit for radiation environment

US5870332A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
18References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 22, 1996
Grant dateFeb 9, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 22, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C5/005
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A high reliability logic circuit designed to withstand a single event upset (SEU) induced by an ion transitioning through a semiconductor structure is embodied in a memory circuit which includes a first memory cell and a second memory cell. The first and second memory cells receive a first input signal and a second input signal. The memory cells contain a logic circuit for producing a logic signal output driven by either a pullup or pulldown driver when the first and second input signals are of a desired logic state and produces a high impedance output if either input signal is not of their respective desired logic states. The memory cells also have sufficient nodal capacitance such that the output from the first or second memory cell will not be corrupted by an SEU in the logic circuit of either the first or second memory cell. The outputs of the first memory cell and second memory cell are further summed in analog fashion to produce a single output from the memory circuit. The summing of the output signals from the first and second memory cell prevents a single error in either memory cell from propagating to a next stage.

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