Read-only memory using linear passive elements
US7423905B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 23, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 9, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10B20/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A read-only memory (ROM) is disclosed that uses the presence or absence of linear passive electrical elements, such as resistors or capacitors, to encode zeros and ones, permitting a large-area ROM to be fabricated, possibly on a flexible substrate. The ROM includes a substrate, a plurality of row conductors insulated from each other and at least partially layered on a portion of the substrate; a plurality of column conductors insulated from each other and from the row conductors and at least partially layered above or below a portion of the plurality of row conductors, a plurality of amplifiers electrically connected to the column conductors, and at least one linear passive element attached between the row conductors and the column conductors. An amplifier connected to a column conductor has an input impedance much lower than the combined parallel impedance of the linear passive elements connected to that column, thus comprising a virtual ground, and is operable to output a first logical state when one of the linear passive elements is electrically connected between one of the row conductors and one of the column conductors, and operable to output a second local state when said on…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.