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:
May. 20, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2006
James Stephenson, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Bruce Shipley, Lee's Summit, MO (US);
Dan Carothers, Merrimack, NH (US);
James Stephenson, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Bruce Shipley, Lee's Summit, MO (US);
Dan Carothers, Merrimack, NH (US);
Micromem Technologies, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, CA;
Abstract
A non-volatile magnetic memory cell having a magnetic element with multiple segments which are not co-linear. Each of the segments is magnetized with a remnant magnetic field using a single write line. The segments can be magnetized in a first direction or a second direction, corresponding to first and second orientations of the memory cell. A sensor is provided to determine the direction in which the segments are magnetized and thereby the orientation of the cell. The segments are oriented such that the magnetic flux fields created by their respective remnant magnetic fields have a cumulative effect at a sensing region of the sensor. The cumulative effect allows a less sensitive sensor to be used than in known device. In various embodiments, the magnetic element can have a number of linear segments or a curved profile. In another embodiment, multiple magnetic elements are magnetized by a single write line. The multiple magnetic elements are arranged such that remnant magnetic field stored in them can be cumulatively sensed. In another embodiment, the magnetic element is arranged to be magnetized in a single general direction, but is shaped such that magnetic flux lines emanate from it in different directions. The different directions are arranged to direct flux lines through the sensing region of a sensor, which measures their cumulative effect.