Patent · US Expired

Non-volatile semiconductor memory and method for writing data into a non-volatile semiconductor memory

US7187589B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 11, 2005
Grant dateMar 6, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 1, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/0491
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Data is written into a non-volatile semiconductor memory using one of at least four steps. A first step is executed if the final states of both the first bit (B1) and the second bit (B2) coincide with their respective initial states and includes maintaining the initial states of the first bit (B1) and the second bit (B2). A second step is executed if both the first bit (B1) and the second bit (B2) have erased final states and the initial states of both the first bit (B1) and the second bit (B2) were not erased and includes erasing both the first bit (B1) and the second bit (B2). A third step is executed if neither the first bit (B1) nor the second bit (B2) is to be changed from a programmed initial state to an erased final state and includes programming the first bit (B1) if the first bit (B1) is to be changed from an erased initial state to a programmed final state, and/or programming the second bit (B2) if the second bit (B2) is to be changed from an erased initial state to a programmed final state. A fourth step is executed if only one of the first bit (B1) and the second bit (B2) is to be changed from a programmed initial state to an erased final state and includes first erasin…

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