Current limiting negative switch circuit
US6304488A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 25, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 25, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C16/12
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Negative switch circuits are arranged to have a first electrical path coupled between an input and an output of the negative switch circuit and a second electrical path in parallel with the first electrical path for selectively isolating a load from a negative potential node. The first electrical path presents an open circuit in response to a first state of a first control signal and presents a closed circuit in response to a second state of the first control signal. The second electrical path presents an open circuit in response to either a first state of a second control signal or a condition of the load indicative of a defect associated with the load, and presents a closed circuit in response to a second state of the second control signal in combination with a condition of the load not indicative of such a defect. Such negative switch circuits are adaptable to isolate defective portions of a memory device from a negative charge pump during block erase operations. In operation, the negative switch circuit isolates the input of the negative switch circuit from the output of the negative switch circuit if a detected condition of the output of the negative switch circuit is indicati…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.