Patent · US Active

Non-volatile memory and method with peak current control

US8854900B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
16References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 2012
Grant dateOct 7, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 5, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/30
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A non-volatile memory with multiple memory dice manages simultaneous operations so as to not exceed a system power capacity. A load signal bus is pulled up with a strength proportional to the system power capacity. Each die has a driver to pull down the bus by an amount corresponding to its degree of power need as estimated by a state machine of the die. The bus therefore provides a load signal that serves as arbitration between the system power capacity and the cumulative loads of the individual dice. The load signal is therefore at a high state when the system power capacity is not exceeded; otherwise it is at a low state. When a die wishes to perform an operation and requests a certain amount of power, it drives the bus accordingly and its state machine either proceeds with the operation or not, depending on the load signal.

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