Abstract: A programmable device is provided by a thin-oxide avalanche fuse element which is programmed at a voltage below the oxide breakdown level. This device may be used to fix the addresses of faulty rows or columns in a memory having redundant or substitute cells. Upon breakdown, the thin oxide is perforated by small holes which fill with silicon to create short circuit.

Abstract: A system for real-time digital signal processing employs a single-chip microcomputer device having separate on-chip program ROM and data RAM, with separate address and data paths for program and data. The data RAM uses a pseudo-static cell array with refresh. An external program address bus allows off-chip program fetch in an expansion mode, with the opcode returned by an external data bus. A bus interchange module allows transfer between the separate internal program and data busses in special circumstances. The internal busses are 16-bit, while the ALU and accumulator are 32-bit. A multiplier circuit produces a single state 16.times.16 multiply function separate from the ALU, with 32-bit output to the ALU. One input to the ALU passes through a 0-to-15 bit shifter with sign extension.

Abstract: A system for real-time digital signal processing employs a single-chip microcomputer device having separate on-chip program ROM and data RAM, with separate address and data paths for program and data. An external program address bus allows off-chip program fetch in an expansion mode, with the opcode returned by an external data bus. A bus interchange module allows transfer between the separate internal program and data busses in special circumstances. The internal busses are 16-bit, while the ALU and accumulator are 32-bit. A multiplier circuit produces a single state 16.times.16 multiply function separate from the ALU, with 32-bit output to the ALU. One input to the ALU passes through a 0-to-15 bit shifter with sign extension.

Abstract: An improved electrically erasable semiconductor memory device of the N-channel, MOS, double level poly, programmable, read only memory or EPROM type is provided. The device is an array of cells electrically erased and programmed by dual injection into floating gates which are interposed between the channels and control gates. The electrical erasure or programming of the cells is accomplished by applying selected voltages to the source, drain, control gate and substrate to produce injection of electrons or holes.

Abstract: A method of making an electrically-programmable memory array in which the memory elements are capacitor devices formed in anisotropically etched V-grooves, providing enhanced dielectric breakdown at the apex of the groove. After breakdown, a memory element exhibits a low resistance to a grounded substrate. The method includes forming access transistors in series with the memory elements, and polycrystalline silicon, deposited to form control gates of the access transistors, also forms address lines. Oxide is formed in the V-groove thinner than the gate oxide thickness formed for the access transistor, providing a lower programming voltage. These factors provide a very small, high speed device.

Abstract: A computing system includes a central processor unit (CPU) in combination with external memory units. The CPU includes an arithmetic logic (ALU), an instruction register, a random access memory, and a control system for interconnecting the functional elements of the CPU via sequential use of a common parallel buss, enabling the CPU to be defined on a single chip. The ALU is capable of performing eight separate arithmetic and logic functions utilizing common logic gates.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of the single-chip MOS/LSI integrated circuit type has both serial access and random access means on the same chip. When the device is addressed for random access then data input or output is the same as in dynamic RAM operation, but if the address is for serial operation then access is different. For a serial read operation a row containing the addressed data is transferred to a shift register coupled to the random access array, and the shift register is clocked out. For serial write, data is clocked into the shift register then this row of data is transferred into the columns of the array.

Abstract: A system for real-time digital signal processing employs a single-chip microcomputer device having separate on-chip program ROM and data RAM, with separate address and data paths for program and data; however, the accumulator in the data path may be used as a program address source for table look-up, for example. An external program address bus allows off-chip program fetch in an expansion mode, with the opcode returned by an external data bus. A bus interchange module allows transfer between the separate internal program and data busses in special circumstances, such as accumulator addressing. The internal busses are 16-bit, while the ALU and accumulator are 32-bit. A multiplier circuit produces a single state 16.times.16 multiply function separate from the ALU, with 32-bit output to the ALU. One input to the ALU passes through a 0-to-15 bit shifter with sign extension.

Abstract: A microcomputer device contains a CPU with an arithmetic/logic unit and data/address busses and registers on a single semiconductor integrated circuit having on-chip macrocode and microcode storage. A byte-wide macrocode word is fetched from the ROM and stored in an instruction register in the CPU, then multiple-byte-wide microcode words are fetched from microcode store based on this macrocode word. Also, the microcode can be accessed one byte at a time for processing through the ALU via the data/address busses and registers, as if the microcode was data.

Abstract: A system for real-time digital processing employs a single-chip microcomputer device having a high-speed on-chip program ROM and a separate data RAM, with separate address and data paths for program and data. An external program address bus allows off-chip program fetch in an expansion mode, with the opcode returned by an external data bus. A bus interchange module allows transfer between the separate internal program and data busses in special circumstances. The internal busses are 16-bit, while the ALU and accumulator are 32-bit. A multiplier circuit produces a single state 16.times.16 multiply function separate from the ALU, with 32-bit output to the ALU. One input to the ALU passes through a 0-to-15 bit shifter with sign extension. The on-chip program ROM has a low-level precharge circuit with feedback to improve speed or access time.

Abstract: A processor system employs a self-refresh memory device which comprises an array of rows and columns of dynamic-type memory cells with on-chip refresh address generator circuitry including an address counter or commutator and a multiplexer to insert the refresh address when a command is received or internally generated indicating a refresh cycle. If a refresh command is not being executed, the device is accessed by the processor in the usual manner if a memory address is received.

Abstract: A dynamic read/write memory device constructed in a semiconductor chip of the MOS VLSI type employs an on-chip substrate bias generator which is sequentially clocked by the clocks used in operation of the memory. The impact ionization current associated with each clock operation is thus individually supplied, and when a clock is not used the substrate bias for this clock is not generated.

Abstract: An improved method of making a semiconductor device such as an N-channel, double level poly, MOS read only memory or ROM array is provided; the array is of very dense structure and may be electrically programmable by floating gates which are interposed between the gate oxide and control gates formed by polycrystalline silicon or metal row address lines. The electrical programming of the cells is accomplished by applying selected voltages to the source, drain, control gate and substrate. The very dense array results from a simplified manufacturing process generally compatible with standard N-channel silicon gate technology. Parallel strips of gate oxide, polycrystalline silicon, and nitride (functioning as an oxidation mask) are created in one mask step before field oxide is grown, then a perpendicular pattern of conductive strips is etched using a second mask step.

Abstract: A programmable device is provided by a thin-oxide avalanche fuse element which is programmed at a voltage below the oxide breakdown level. This device may be used to fix the addresses of faulty rows or columns in a memory having redundant or substitute cells. Upon breakdown, the thin oxide is perforated by small holes which fill with silicon to create short circuits. The source or emitter of the transistor device may be separated from the drain and gate by thick field oxide.

Abstract: A system for real-time digital signal processing employs a single-chip microcomputer device having separate on-chip program ROM and data RAM, with separate address and data paths for program and data. An external program address bus allows off-chip program fetch in an expansion mode, with the opcode returned by an external data bus. A bus interchange module allows transfer between the separate internal program and data busses in special circumstances. The internal busses are 16-bit, while the ALU and accumulator are 32-bit. A multiplier circuit produces a single state 16.times.16 multiply function separate from the ALU, with 32-bit output to the ALU. One input to the ALU passes through a 0-to-15 bit shifter with sign extension. The data RAM has an internal shift arrangement useful in processing convolution algorithms. An addressed location in the RAM is read out and also shifted to the next higher location in one instruction cycle.

Abstract: In manufacture of VLSI semiconductor devices, the insulator surface upon which a metallization pattern is deposited must be smooth to facilitate lithographic operations. This requires the insulator to be thick and flowed or otherwise treated to eliminate steep edges. A contact hole etched in a thick insulator has steep sidewalls, however, and so chemical vapor deposition is preferrably used for the metallization so the sidewalls will be coated. A thin insulator coating is deposited after the contact holes are etched and prior to metallization to cover the low-resistance flowed insulator and self-align the contacts.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices are made by a process in which impurity is introduced, by ion implant, for example, after electrode layers are in place so that inaccuracies in alignment of masks or patterns are compensated. The implanted impurity changes the electrical characteristics of portions of the semiconductor device affected by the registration inaccuracies whereby malfunctions in the completed devices are prevented.

Abstract: A microcomputer device contains a CPU with an arithmetic/logic unit and data/address registers on a single semiconductor integrated circuit having on-chip macrocode and microcode storage. A macrocode word is fetched from an on-chip ROM and stored in an instruction register in the CPU, then a sequence of microcode words is fetched from the microcode store based on this macrocode word. A check-code based on some function of all microcode bits, or all macrocode and microcode bits, is stored in on-chip ROM upon manufacture. To test a device after fabrication is complete, a test program (resident in ROM or downloaded into on-chip RAM) is executed to access all bytes of microcode (or both microcode and macrocode) and perform some cummulative function on it via the ALU to see if the same check-code is produced. If so, an output indicates a good unit.

Abstract: A variable function calculator utilizes a fixed program memory array such as a programmed read only memory in which a number of programs are stored depending upon the desired functions of the calculator. The calculator also includes a program counter, an instruction register, control decoders, jump-condition circuits, a clock generator, a timing generator, decoders, key input logic, a data storage array, an arithmetic logic unit, an output decoder, and a digit scanner which scans both the keyboard and display outputs. Aside from providing basic desk top calculator functions, the read only memory may be programmed so that the system provides metering functions, arithmetic teaching functions, control functions, etc. A preferred embodiment of the invention is capable of being fabricated as a monolithic integrated semiconductor system utilizing contemporary metal-insulator-semiconductor techniques.

Abstract: A variable function calculator utilizes a fixed program memory array such as a programmed read only memory in which a number of programs are stored depending upon the desired functions of the calculator. The calculator also includes a program counter, an instruction register, control decoders, jump-condition circuits, a clock generator, a timing generator, decoders, key input logic, a data storage array, an arithmetic logic unit, an output decoder, and a digit scanner which scans both the keyboard and display outputs. Aside from providing basic desk top calculator functions, the read only memory may be programmed so that the system provides metering functions, arithmetic teaching functions, control functions, etc. A preferred embodiment of the invention is capable of being fabricated as a monolithic integrated semiconductor system utilizing contemporary metal-insulator-semiconductor techniques.