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:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 13, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
36518505 ; 36518518 ; 365205 ; 327 51 ;
Abstract
The logic state stored in a memory cell having a Frohmann-Bentchkowsky p-channel memory transistor and a n-channel MOS access transistor is read by a sense amplifier which senses the magnitude of the current output from the memory cell during a read operation. The sense amplifier controls the voltage drop across the memory transistor and the access transistor (and a switching transistor) which, in turn, allows the difference in the magnitudes of the current from the programmed and unprogrammed cells to be optimized.