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. 18, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1998
Sebastien Zink, Aix en Provence, FR;
STMicroelectronics S.A., Gentilly, FR;
Abstract
A method for performing a first programming operation on a non-volatile memory device of the type that is normally programmed by executing a pre-programming erasure algorithm and then a programming algorithm. According to the method, a non-volatile memory device is manufactured with all its memory cells in the same state, and the first programming operation for setting the memory cells to desired states is performed by executing only the programming algorithm. In a preferred method, the memory device is provided with two modes of operation: a first mode in which programming is accomplished by executing the pre-programming erasure algorithm and then the programming algorithm, and a second mode in which programming is accomplished by executing only the programming algorithm. In the preferred method, the memory device is placed in the second mode of operation before the first programming operation is performed. A non-volatile memory device having two modes of operation is also provided.