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:
Jun. 26, 2007
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2005
Mathew T. Wich, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Vincent Gosmain, Aix-en-Province, FR;
Mathew T. Wich, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Vincent Gosmain, Aix-en-Province, FR;
Atmel Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
An antifuse programming, protection, and sensing device incorporates a control circuit to program and protect an antifuse. The antifuse, which is initially constructed as a low conductivity path, is programmable to a high conductivity path by application of an elevated voltage across terminals of the antifuse. Application of 0 volts to the Vnode of a conduction control portion of the antifuse programming, protection, and sensing device allows an elevated voltage for programming to be applied to the antifuse. Upon application of a nominal working voltage to the Vnode of the conduction control circuitry, the antifuse and an adjoining sense amplifier circuit are protected from overvoltage and tampering. The sense amplifier supplies a sense current to the antifuse, measures a voltage at an input to the antifuse, and determines a programmed state if a measured voltage level is low.