Patent · US Active

Methods, devices and systems for sensing the state of fuse devices

US7514982B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
9References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 2006
Grant dateApr 7, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 18, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C17/18
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fuse sensing circuit includes a sense controller and a fuse state sensor. The sense controller includes a reference fuse and a reference sensor coupled to the reference fuse. The reference sensor generates a sample clock with a certain threshold transition characteristic in response to the assertion of a sense input by detecting a programming state of the reference fuse. The fuse state sensor includes a sample fuse, a fuse sensor coupled to the sample fuse, and a flip-flop. The sample fuse is configured to generate a data signal indicative of a programming state of the sample fuse when an enable input is asserted and the sense input is asserted. The flip-flop is configured to sample the data signal using the threshold transition characteristic on an assertion edge of the sample clock. The fuse sensing circuit may be included in an image sensor or an imaging system.

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