Patent · US Expired

Method and device for analog programming of non-volatile memory cells

US6195283A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
6References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 11, 1998
Grant dateFeb 27, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 11, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C27/005
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

For each memory cell to be programmed, the present threshold value of the cell is determined; the desired threshold value is acquired; the analog distance between the present threshold value and the desired threshold value is calculated; and a programming pulse is then generated, the duration of which is proportional to the analog distance calculated. The programming and reading cycle is repeated until the desired threshold is reached. By this means a time saving is obtained, owing to the reduction of the number of intermediate reading steps. The method permits programming in parallel and simultaneously of a plurality of cells of a memory array which is connected to a single word line and to different bit lines, each with a programming pulse the duration of which is proportional to the analog distance calculated for the same cell. The programming process is thus very fast, owing to parallel application of the programming and the saving in the intermediate reading cycles.

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