The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 02, 1994
Filed:
Apr. 30, 1991
Wagdi W Abadeer, Jericho, VT (US);
Badih El-Kareh, Milton, VT (US);
Wayne F Ellis, Jericho, VT (US);
Duane E Galbi, Essex Jct., VT (US);
Nathan R Hiltebeitel, Essex Jct., VT (US);
William R Tonti, Essex Jct., VT (US);
Josef S Watts, South Burlington, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A programmable storage element for redundancy-programming includes a programmable antifuse circuit, which includes a plurality of first resistors and a switching circuit for coupling the first resistors in series in response to a plurality of first control signals and for coupling the first resistors in parallel in response to a plurality of second control signals to permit programming of the first resistors, and a sensing circuit for determining whether or not the first resistors have been programmed. The state of the first resistors is determined by comparing a first voltage drop across the first resistors with a second voltage drop across a second resistor. Each of the first resistors is an unsilicided polysilicon conductor which has an irreversible resistance decrease when a predetermined threshold current is applied for a minimum period of time.