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:
Nov. 09, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 28, 2003
William H. Owen, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);
Xicor, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A method for sensing the voltage on a floating gate in a floating gate circuit during a set mode is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) causing the floating gate circuit to enter into a set mode, wherein a first predetermined voltage is coupled to the gate of a second transistor in the floating gate circuit; b) causing the voltage on the floating gate to be sensed relative to the first voltage by a first transistor; c) causing an output voltage to be generated by the floating gate circuit; and d) causing the voltage on the floating gate to be modified as a function of the output voltage, including modifying the charge level on said floating gate under the control of a first tunnel device and a second tunnel device operating in dual conduction during said set mode, said first tunnel device formed between said floating gate and a first tunnel electrode and said second tunnel device formed between said floating gate and a second tunnel electrode; and e) repeating steps b) through d) until the voltage on the floating gate is approximately equal to the first voltage.