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. 11, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2003
Kyu Hyun Choi, Cupertino, CA (US);
Sheau-suey LI, Cupertino, CA (US);
Kyu Hyun Choi, Cupertino, CA (US);
Sheau-suey Li, Cupertino, CA (US);
O2IC, Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, a memory cell includes a pair of non-volatile devices and a pair of DRAM cells each associated with a different one of the non-volatile devices. Each DRAM cell further includes an MOS transistor a capacitor. The DRAM cells and their associated non-volatile devices operate differentially and when programmed store and supply complementary data. The non-volatile devices are erased prior to being programmed. Programming of the non-volatile devices may be done via hot-electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. When a power failure occurs, the data stored in the DRAM are loaded in the non-volatile devices. After the power is restored, the data stored in the non-volatile devices are restored in the DRAM cells. The differential reading and wring of data reduces over-erase of the non-volatile devices.