Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Antonio Conte

Francesco Tomaiuolo

Michelangelo Pisasale

Enrico Castaldo

Gianbattista Lo Giudice

Agatino Massimo Maccarrone

Maria Giaquinta

Marco Ruta

Stefania Rinaldi

Loredana Chiaramonte

A voltage regulator receives an input voltage and produces a regulated output voltage. A first feedback network compares a feedback signal to a reference signal to assert/de-assert a first pulsed control signal when the reference signal is higher/lower than the feedback signal. A second feedback network compares the output voltage to a threshold signal to assert/de-assert a second control signal when the threshold signal is higher/lower than the output voltage. A charge pump is enabled if the second control signal is de-asserted and is clocked by the first pulsed control signal to produce a supply voltage higher than the input voltage. A first pass element is enabled when the second control signal is asserted and is selectively activated when the first pulsed control signal is asserted. A second pass element is selectively activated when the second control signal is de-asserted.

Voltage regulator circuit and corresponding memory device

A driving stage for a phase change non-volatile memory device may have an output driving unit which supplies an output driving current during an operation of programming of at least one memory cell. A driving-control unit receives an input current and generates at output a first control signal that controls supply of the output driving current by the output driving unit in such a way that a value of this current has a desired relation with the input current. A level-shifter element, set between the output of the driving-control unit and a control input of the output driving unit, determines a level shift of the voltage of the first control signal so as to supply to the control input of the output driving unit a second control signal, having a voltage value that is increased with respect to, and is a function of, the first control signal.

High-efficiency driving stage for phase change non-volatile memory devices

An electrically programmable non-volatile memory device is proposed. The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells and a driver circuit for driving the memory cells; the driver circuit includes programming means for providing a first programming voltage and a second programming voltage to a set of selected memory cells for programming the selected memory cells; the first programming voltage requires a first transient period for reaching a first target value thereof. In the solution according to an embodiment of the present invention, the programming means includes means for maintaining the second programming voltage substantially equal to the first programming voltage during a second transient period being required by the second programming voltage to reach a second target value thereof.

Driving circuit for memory device

Growing community of inventors

Tremestieri Etneo, Italy

Antonio Conte