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:
Feb. 25, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 12, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
STMicroelectronics, S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 1/604 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 1/604 ;
Abstract
A circuit and method for programming a multilevel nonvolatile memory are disclosed. The circuit uses one or more address pins as one or more synchronization signals during a programming operation. The circuit includes a counter, controlled by the one or more address pins, for selecting a programming voltage to apply to an addressed memory cell. The circuit further includes compare circuitry for comparing the data value stored in the addressed memory cell with a desired data value. The counter is selectively incremented to apply a higher voltage for further programming of the addressed memory cell, based up the comparison.