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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 20, 1998
Alexis Marquot, Arenthon, FR;
Motorola Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A portable data carrier (10) embodies an integrated circuit (12) with an EEPROM (24). The EEPROM has a number of rows of memory cells (32, 38) each having outputs respectively coupled to bit lines (50, 54). The EEPROM cells have a common array ground node (56). A pull-up transistor (74) is coupled to the common array ground node for developing a first positive voltage on the common array ground node which in turn develops a second positive voltage on the output of one of the memory cells corresponding to a negative threshold voltage of the memory cells. A sensing circuit (88) is coupled to one of the bit lines for detecting the level of the second positive voltage and thus determining the negative threshold voltage of the memory cell.