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:
May. 14, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 25, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 1/604 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 1/604 ;
Abstract
A memory transistor for a lock bit, holding information on whether a memory block can be erased/reprogrammed, is provided in the same column as that of a plurality of dummy cells. Since a sub bit line for reading the lock bit is electrically isolated from a sub bit line for dummy cell, accurate lock-bit reading is possible even when the dummy cell is over erased. Thus, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device advantageous in reliability and operation time can be provided.