IP Library Granted Patent US 7,289,362
Granted Patent B2
US 7,289,362 · App. 10/520,340 · Granted Oct 30, 2007

Erasable and programmable non-volatile cell

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,289,362
App. No.
10/520,340
Granted
Oct 30, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

An erasable and programmable non-volatile cell, comprising a first transistor having a source, a drain and a gate; a floating capacitor having a floating gate and a control gate, said floating gate being connected to said gate of said first transistor; and means to detect the state, whether erased or programmed, of the cell; is characterized in that said means to detect the state of the cell comprises a second transistor having a source, a drain and a gate, said second transistor being complementary to said first transistor and said gate of said second transistor being connected to said floating gate.

Claims (11)

1. An erasable and programmable non-volatile cell, comprising:

an n-channel transistor having a source, a drain and a gate;

a floating capacitor having a floating gate and a control gate, said floating gate being connected to said gate of said n-channel transistor; and

circuitry for detecting the state, whether erased or programmed, of the cell,

wherein said circuitry for detecting the state of the cell comprises a p-channel transistor having a source, a drain and a gate, said p-channel transistor being complementary to said n-channel transistor and said gate of said p-channel transistor being connected to said floating gate

wherein an n-well diffusion region of said p-channel transistor is the control gate of said floating capacitor.

2. The cell of claim 1 , wherein the floating gate and the gates of the first and second transistors are embodied as a single polymer layer.

3. The cell of claim 1 ,

wherein the n-channel transistor is adapted to program a data value into the cell by having appropriate programming voltages applied to its gate, source and drain, and

wherein the p-channel transistor is adapted to read the data value from the cell by having appropriate read voltages applied to its gate, source and drain.

4. The cell of claim 3 , wherein the drain of the p-channel transistor is adapted to float when the data value is programmed into the cell, and wherein the drain of the n-channel transistor is adapted to float when the data value is read from the cell.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050315/0785 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2012
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 028162/0004 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2011
From: NXP B.V.
To: CALLAHAN CELLULAR L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 027265/0798 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 17, 2009
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 022835/0306 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2007
From: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 019719/0843 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 4, 2005
From: DE ZALDIVAR, JOSE SOLO; THOMMEN, WERNER
To: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
Reel/Frame 016830/0018 →