Patent · US Expired

Input/output power supply detection scheme for flash memory

US5896338A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
15References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 11, 1997
Grant dateApr 20, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 11, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/225
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A power supply lockout circuit that prevents corruption of nonvolatile writeable memory data is described. The power supply lockout circuit monitors the power supply signals from several power supplies. The power supply lockout circuit locks out commands writing to the nonvolatile writeable memory when any one of the monitored power supply signals coupled to the nonvolatile writeable memory is below a specified signal level. The power supply lockout circuit includes a detector which provides a lockout signal to the nonvolatile writeable memory when a power supply signal is less than a prespecified voltage. The power supply lockout circuit also includes a sampling circuit which provides other lockout signals to the nonvolatile writeable memory when a different power supply signal is less than a reference voltage.

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