Automatic regulation method for the reference sources in a non-volatile memory device and corresponding memory device
View Patent ↗A method and a relative automatic regulation device regulate the reference sources in a non-volatile memory device, for example a flash memory. The method includes the following steps: providing, in the memory device, a regulation device of the reference sources and at least one start command for the entry in regulation mode; providing, on the device, at least one command for the selection of a corresponding reference source to be regulated; applying an external reference signal; starting the automatic regulation step by means of said command; detecting the result of the regulation step by means of a logic output of the memory device; if the result of the regulation of a given source is positive, proceeding, by means of the same process steps, with the regulation of another source.
1. A method comprising:
providing in a non-volatile memory device a plurality of reference sources for the memory device;
receiving an external current reference signal;
receiving an internal current reference signal;
converting said current reference signals to voltages;
comparing said voltages;
based on said comparison, controlling the output of a counter; and
using said counter output to adjust the internal current reference signal.
2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising correcting the reference sources, wherein correcting the reference sources occurs in the regulation device with monotonously increasing correction steps.
3. A non-volatile electronic memory device comprising:
a plurality of reference sources; and
a regulation device that includes:
a converter to convert an internal current reference and an external reference to voltages;
a comparator to compare said voltages;
a control logic receiving output signals from said comparator; and
a counter connected to an output of said control logic to adjust the interior reference signal based on said comparator output.
4. The electronic memory device according to claim 3 wherein said reference sources include a reference voltage source, a reference current source, and a reference frequency source.