Patent · US Expired

Fuse circuit

US6566937B1 · kind B1 · utility

12Cited by
2References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 23, 2002
Grant dateMay 20, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C17/16
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Upon receiving a level of a second node through a third switch in the first half of a first period, a holding circuit outputs it as a fuse signal indicating a blown-out state of a fuse. Since the third switch turns off in the second half of the first period, a change in level of the second node occurring thereafter will not affect data in the holding circuit, whereby prevents malfunction of a fuse circuit. With the fuse blown, a level of a first node gets fixed at that of a second power supply line after the first period. This eliminates a voltage difference between both ends of the fuse, thereby preventing a growback. No occurrence of growback makes just one fuse blowing sufficient for the fuse circuit even with the fuse not completely cut off. This consequently shortens a time for blowing the fuse in a test process.

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