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:
Dec. 07, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 22, 1997
Paolo Rolandi, Voghera, IT;
Cristiano Calligaro, Torre Isola, IT;
Alessandro Manstretta, Broni, IT;
Guido Torelli, Alessio Con Vialone, IT;
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
In a storage device of the multi-level type, comprising a plurality of memory cells addressable through an address input each cell being adapted for storing more than one binary information element in a MOS transistor which has a control gate, and a floating gate for storing electrons to modify the threshold voltage of the transistor, and comprising a circuit enabling a Direct Memory Access (DMA) mode for directly accessing the memory cells from outside the device, the memory cells are programmed in the direct memory access mode by controlling, from outside the device, the amount of charge stored into the floating gate of each transistor.