Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Woung-Moo Lee

Tae-Sung Jung

Do-Chan Choi

Ejaz Ul Haq

Syed Ali

Jin-ho Kwack

An electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory device (EEPROM) such as a flash memory, is pin compatible with a dynamic random access memory device (DRAM), such that flash memory may be connected to a DRAM bus. Preferably, the flash memory is read and write timing-compatible with the DRAM read and write signals and is also preferably block read and block write timing compatible with DRAM block read and block write signals. The flash memory accepts signals to perform sleep and erase functions from signal lines of a DRAM bus which are not used by a DRAM. In order to perform a block erase, which is a characteristic of flash memory, the device preferably accepts an instruction to perform a block erase from signal lines of a DRAM bus which are not used by a DRAM and a block address for the block erase from the most significant bit address lines of the DRAM bus.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory which is connectable to a DRAM bus

Nonvolatile integrated circuit memory devices, such as EEPROMs, use unselected shared latching sense amplifiers to latch data from memory cells which are to be reprogrammed after a page erase, and to resupply the latch data to the memory cells which are to be programmed after erase, to thereby internally reprogram the latched data into erased memory cells after page programming. Transferring circuits and methods are provided for transferring data between shared latching sense amplifiers to permit internal reprogramming. High speed and simplified reprogramming of EEPROMs is thereby provided.

Self-contained reprogramming nonvolatile integrated circuit memory

Alternative methods for detecting a short-circuit between signal lines in an electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile semiconductor memory device use circuitry for detecting short-circuited signal lines. One method includes the steps of: floating first and second signal lines in response to another external input; simultaneously forming an electrical path between the first and second signal lines and each test pad; and determining whether a current path is formed between the test pads, for detecting any short-circuit between the first and second signal lines. Another method includes the steps of: floating the first and second signal lines in response to another external input; simultaneously forming the electrical path between the first signal line and the test pad while discharging the second signal line to the reference potential; and determining whether a current path is formed from the test pad to the reference potential, for detecting any short-circuit between the first and second signal lines.

Methods for detecting short-circuited signal lines in nonvolatile

A high voltage switching circuit includes a buffer circuit for buffering an input signal, a high voltage pumping circuit for producing a desired voltage in response to an output signal of the buffer circuit, and a disconnecting circuit for disconnecting the buffer circuit and high voltage pumping circuit when the output voltage of the buffer circuit is the source voltage and that of the high voltage pumping circuit is a high voltage, wherein the disconnecting circuit includes an enhancement transistor and depletion transistor connected in series, gates of the transistors being commonly connected to the source voltage.

Growing community of inventors

Seoul, South Korea

Woung-Moo Lee