IP Library Granted Patent US 7,939,892
Granted Patent B2
US 7,939,892 · App. 12/899,120 · Granted May 10, 2011

Test circuit and method for multilevel cell flash memory

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,939,892
App. No.
12/899,120
Granted
May 10, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A test device and method may be used to detect voltage, current or signals of a digital multilevel memory cell system or to test operation or performance by applying inputted voltages, currents or signals to the memory cell system.

Claims (23)

1. A test transceiver comprising:

an ESD pad having a first terminal coupled to an input node and having a second terminal coupled to an output node; and

a resistive circuit having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the ESD pad and having a second terminal;

a connection circuit including an output terminal coupled to the first terminal of the resistive circuit, including at least one selection signal terminal; and including at least one internal node that provides signal thereon in response to a selection signal applied to a corresponding selection signal terminal.

2. The test transceiver of claim 1 further comprising:

at least two CMOS transmission gates in series between the internal node and the output node.

3. The test transceiver of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one disabled CMOS transmission gate having one terminal connected to the second terminal of the resistor and having another terminal connected to a power supply.

4. A test circuit comprising:

a first ESD protection circuit coupled to a first node;

a resistor having first and second terminals, said first terminal being coupled to the first node;

a boost circuit having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the resistor and having a second terminal coupled to a second node; and

a second ESD protection circuit coupled to the second terminal of the resistor.

5. The test circuit of claim 4 wherein the boost circuit comprising two NMOS transistors coupled in series between first and second terminals thereof.

6. The test circuit of claim 5 wherein the boost circuit comprises:

a clamp circuit coupled to a power supply and a gate of a first NMOS transistor of the boost circuit.

7. The test circuit of claim 5 wherein

a gate of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to a high power supply, and

a source of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the boost circuit, and

a drain of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to a third terminal of the boost circuit].

8. The test circuit of claim 4 wherein the first ESD protection circuit includes four NMOS transistors coupled in series between ground and a high power supply.

9. The test circuit of claim 8 wherein gates of two NMOS transistors in the middle of the series of NMOS transistors are coupled capacitively to the input pad and coupled resistively to the ground.

10. The test circuit of claim 8 wherein gates of two NMOS transistors in the outside of the series of NMOS transistors are coupled capacitively to the input pad and coupled resistively to the high power supply.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 059687/0344 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041675/0316 →