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:
Sep. 07, 2010
Filed:
Jan. 19, 2006
Friso J. Jedema, Eindhoven, NL;
Hans M. B. Boeve, Hechtel-Eksel, BE;
Jaap Ruigrok, Asten, NL;
NXP B.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
The invention relates to a Magnetic memory system () which comprises an information layer () and a sensor () for cooperating with the information layer (). The information layer () comprises a pattern of magnetic bits () which constitutes an array of bit locations. A bit magnetic field () at a bit location represents a logical value (LO, L, L). The sensor () comprises a magnetoresistive element () comprising a fixed magnetic layer () and a free magnetic layer (). The free magnetic layer () has a magnetization axis () along which the free magnetic layer retains a free magnetization direction (Ib,Ic,). A first bit magnetic field () at one of the bit locations represents a first logical value (LO, L, L) by providing a first resistance value (Rmax, Rmid, Rmin) in the magnetoresistive element () due to the free magnetization direction (Ic,Ib,) being substantially parallel to the magnetization axis (). A second bit magnetic field () at one of the bit locations represents a second logical value (LO, L, L) by providing a second resistance value (Rmax, Rmid, Rmin) in the magnetoresistive element () due to the free magnetization direction (Ha,Id,Id) having an angle () with the magnetization axis (). The second bit magnetic field () which provides the second resistance value (Rmax, Rmid, Rmin) is not one of the two stable magnetization directions of the free magnetic layer () and thus is different from the first resistance value (Rmax, Rmid, Rmin). The magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer () of the sensor () no longer needs to be set before read-out.