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:
Jul. 21, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 24, 1997
Corrado Villa, Sovico, IT;
Roberto Bez, Milan, IT;
Daniele Cantarelli, Villasanta, IT;
Marco Dallabora, Carpiano, IT;
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l., Agrate-Brianza, IT;
Abstract
A method for erasing an electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cell having a control electrode, an electrically-insulated electrode and a first electrode. The method provides for coupling the control electrode to a first voltage supply and coupling the first electrode to a second voltage supply. The first voltage supply and the second voltage supply are suitable to cause tunneling of electric charges between the electrically-insulated electrode and the first electrode. The method also provides for a constant current to flow between the second voltage supply and the first electrode of the memory cell for at least part of an erasing time of the memory cell, the constant current having a prescribed value.