Other

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Massimiliano Mollichelli

Nicola Del Gatto

Emanuele Confalonieri

Massimiliano Scotti

Davide Cascone

Antonino Mondello

Marco Sforzin

Mauro Luigi Sali

Alessandro Magnavacca

Francesco Mastroianni

Marco Ferrario

Nicola Rosito

Elena Cussotto

Claudio Nava

Umberto Di Vincenzo

Roberto Versari

A non-volatile memory device of flash type includes first memory cells for storing data, second memory cells for storing protection information of the first memory cells, and a circuit for updating the protection information that includes a circuit for writing a plurality of versions of the protection information in the second memory cells, and a circuit for identifying a current version of the protection information.

Flash memory device with improved management of protection information

A voltage regulator connected to a memory cell is configured by identifying at least a first and a second operation regions of the cell and associating the first and second operation regions with respective first and second operation conditions of the memory cell. An operative condition of the memory cell involved in a programming operation is detected, and at least a configuration signal of the regulator according to said detected operative condition is generated, this configuration signal taking a first and a second value associated with the first and second operation conditions.

Voltage regulator for the programming circuit of a memory cell

A memory device may include an array of addressable three-level cells, a coding circuit being input with three-bit strings and generating corresponding ternary strings based upon a code, and a program circuit being input with the ternary strings and storing them in respective pairs of three-level cells. The memory device also may include a read circuit reading stored ternary strings in the respective pairs of three-level cells, and a decoding circuit being input with the stored ternary strings and generating corresponding strings of three bits based upon the code.

Memory device employing three-level cells and related methods of managing

A sensing circuit is provided. The sensing circuit is adapted to determine when a cell current flowing trough a selected memory cell exceeds a reference current during an evaluation phase of a sensing operation. The sensing circuit is adapted to be coupled to at least one selected memory cell through a respective bit line. The sensing circuit includes: an access circuit node adapted to be coupled to the bit line; precharging circuitry adapted to be activated in a precharge phase of the sensing operation preceding the evaluation phase, so as to bring a voltage of said access circuit node to a reference voltage; a reference circuit node coupled to the access circuit node and arranged to receive the reference current. The sensing circuit further includes an evaluation circuit node coupled to the reference circuit node through a first current to voltage converter, adapted to sink a current flowing from the reference circuit node to the evaluation circuit node and to produce a corresponding voltage difference between the reference circuit node and the evaluation circuit node, wherein the current is nearly equal to the reference current substantially at the end of the precharge phase; comparator circuitry is provided, adapted to compare the voltage of the access circuit node with the voltage of the evaluation circuit node and to provide a corresponding comparison signal whose time pattern indicates when the cell current exceeds the reference current. The first current to voltage converter is an electronic device having essentially the behavior of a diode.

Sensing circuit for semiconductor memories

A regulator for a digital-to-analog converter having in input a digital signal and suitable for providing an analog signal in output, the regulator including at least one pair of buffers having in input the digital signal and the outputs connected to a pair of circuit branches connected to the output of the regulator; each of the at least two circuit branches having at least one resistance. To at least one of the at least one pair of buffers a variable resistance is associated, and the regulator includes a circuit having in input the analog signal and adapted for measuring its waveform and acting on the variable resistance in response to its possible anomalous waveform compared to a desired waveform.

Regulator of a digital-to-analog converter and related converter

Method for configuring a voltage regulator

A memory device has an array of memory cells. A column decoder is configured to address the memory cells. A charge-pump supply circuit generates a boosted supply voltage for the column decoder. A connecting stage is arranged between the supply circuit and the column decoder. The connecting stage switches between a high-impedance state and a low-impedance state, and is configured to switch into the high-impedance state in given operating conditions of the memory device, in particular during a reading step.

Memory device and method of operating the same with high rejection of the noise on the high-voltage supply line

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Campobasso, Italy

Massimiliano Mollichelli