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:
Jan. 27, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 29, 2003
Yuki Matsuda, Pasadena, CA (US);
Kenya Otani, Tokyo, JP;
Minoru Kato, Akiruno, JP;
Takeo Kon, Kodaira, JP;
Other;
Abstract
The invention facilitates to meet both of the mode of use that finds precedence in frequent rewrite to the nonvolatile memory and data retention during the power supply being cut off, and the mode of use that finds precedence in the data retention characteristic. The controller enables an information storage operation to the nonvolatile memory cells, by means of erase and write processing through boosting of the voltage applied to the nonvolatile memory cells and clamping of the boosted voltage, and performs a selection control that selects the application interval of the boosted voltage applied during the information storage operation and so forth. This selection control enables utilizing the nonvolatile memory cells as temporary rewrite areas, and facilitates to meet both of the mode of use that finds precedence in data retention during the power supply being cut off, and the mode of use that finds precedence in the data retention characteristic.