Abstract: A NOR flash nonvolatile memory or reconfigurable logic device has an array of NOR flash nonvolatile memory circuits that includes charge retaining transistors serially connected in a NAND string such that at least one of the charge retaining transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading. The topmost charge retaining transistor's drain is connected to a bit line parallel to the charge retaining transistors and the bottommost charge retaining transistor's source is connected to a source line and is parallel to the bit line. The charge retaining transistors are programmed and erased with a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling process.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory structure with pairs of serially connected threshold voltage adjustable select transistors connected to the top and optionally to the bottom of NAND series strings of groups of the dual-sided charge-trapping nonvolatile memory cells for controlling connection of the NAND series string to an associated bit line. A first of the threshold voltage adjustable select transistors has its threshold voltage level adjusted to a first threshold voltage level and a second of the threshold voltage adjustable select transistors adjusted to a second threshold voltage level. The pair of serially connected threshold voltage adjustable select transistors is connected to a first of two associated bit lines. The NAND nonvolatile memory strings further is connected to a pair of serially connected threshold voltage adjustable bottom select transistors that is connected to the second associated bit line.

Abstract: A nonvolatile SRAM circuit has an SRAM cell and one or two FLOTOX EEPROM cells connected to the data storage terminals of the SRAM cell. In programming to a first data level, the threshold voltage of a FLOTOX EEPROM transistor is brought to a programmed voltage level greater than a read voltage level and erasing to a second data level, the threshold voltage of the FLOTOX EEPROM transistor is brought to an erased voltage level less than the read voltage level. The nonvolatile SRAM array provides for restoring data to an SRAM cell from a FLOTOX EEPROM memory cell(s) at a power initiation and storing data to the FLOTOX EEPROM memory cell(s) to the SRAM cell at power termination. A power detection circuit for providing signals indicating power initiation and power termination to instigate restoration and storing of data between an SRAM cell and a FLOTOX EEPROM cell(s).

Abstract: A two transistor NOR flash memory cell has symmetrical source and drain structure manufactured by a NAND-based manufacturing process. The flash cell comprises a storage transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor and an access transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor, a poly1 NMOS transistor with poly1 and poly2 being shorted or a single-poly poly1 or poly2 NMOS transistor. The flash cell is programmed and erased by using a Fowler-Nordheim channel tunneling scheme. A NAND-based flash memory device includes an array of the flash cells arranged with parallel bit lines and source lines that are perpendicular to word lines. Write-row-decoder and read-row-decoder are designed for the flash memory device to provide appropriate voltages for the flash memory array in pre-program with verify, erase with verify, program and read operations in the unit of page, block, sector or chip.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes an array of EEPROM configured nonvolatile memory cells each having a floating gate memory transistor for storing a digital datum and a floating gate select transistor for activating the floating gate memory transistor for reading, programming, and erasing. The nonvolatile memory device has a row decoder to transfer the operational biasing voltage levels to word lines connected to the floating gate memory transistors for reading, programming, verifying, and erasing the selected nonvolatile memory cells. The nonvolatile memory device has a select gate decoder circuit transfers select gate control biasing voltages to the select gate control lines connected to the control gate of the floating gate select transistor for reading, programming, verifying, and erasing the floating gate memory transistor of the selected nonvolatile memory cells.

Abstract: A two transistor NOR flash memory cell has symmetrical source and drain structure manufactured by a NAND-based manufacturing process. The flash cell comprises a storage transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor and an access transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor, a poly1 NMOS transistor with poly1 and poly2 being shorted or a single-poly poly1 or poly2 NMOS transistor. The flash cell is programmed and erased by using a Fowler-Nordheim channel tunneling scheme. A NAND-based flash memory device includes an array of the flash cells arranged with parallel bit lines and source lines that are perpendicular to word lines. Write-row-decoder and read-row-decoder are designed for the flash memory device to provide appropriate voltages for the flash memory array in pre-program with verify, erase with verify, program and read operations in the unit of page, block, sector or chip.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating an array of NOR connected flash nonvolatile memory cells erases the array in increments of a page, block, sector, or the entire array while minimizing sub-threshold leakage current through unselected nonvolatile memory cells. The apparatus has a row decoder circuit and a source decoder circuit for selecting the nonvolatile memory cells for providing biasing conditions for reading, programming, verifying, and erasing the selected nonvolatile memory cells while minimizing sub-threshold leakage current through unselected nonvolatile memory cells.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating an array of NOR connected flash nonvolatile memory cells erases the array in increments of a page, block, sector, or the entire array while minimizing operational disturbances and providing bias operating conditions to prevent gate to source breakdown in peripheral devices. The apparatus has a row decoder circuit and a source decoder circuit for selecting the nonvolatile memory cells for providing biasing conditions for reading, programming, verifying, and erasing the selected nonvolatile memory cells while minimizing operational disturbances and preventing gate to source breakdown in peripheral devices.

Abstract: A novel FLASH-based EEPROM cell, decoder, and layout scheme are disclosed to eliminate the area-consuming divided triple-well in cell array and allows byte-erase and byte-program for high P/E cycles. Furthermore, the process-compatible FLASH cell for EEPROM part can be integrated with FLASH and ROM parts so that a superior combo, monolithic, nonvolatile memory is achieved. Unlike all previous arts, the novel combo nonvolatile memory of the present invention of ROM, EEPROM and FLASH or combination of any two is made of one unified, fully compatible, highly-scalable BN+cell and unified process. In addition, its cell operation schemes have zero array overhead and zero disturbance during P/E operations. The novel combo nonvolatile memory is designed to meet the need in those markets requiring flexible write size in units of bytes, pages and blocks at a lower cost.

Abstract: A two transistor NOR flash memory cell has symmetrical source and drain structure manufactured by a NAND-based manufacturing process. The flash cell comprises a storage transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor and an access transistor made of a double-poly NMOS floating gate transistor, a poly1 NMOS transistor with poly1 and poly2 being shorted or a single-poly poly1 or poly2 NMOS transistor. The flash cell is programmed and erased by using a Fowler-Nordheim channel tunneling scheme. A NAND-based flash memory device includes an array of the flash cells arranged with parallel bit lines and source lines that are perpendicular to word lines. Write-row-decoder and read-row-decoder are designed for the flash memory device to provide appropriate voltages for the flash memory array in pre-program with verify, erase with verify, program and read operations in the unit of page, block, sector or chip.

Abstract: A memory access apparatus that controls access to at least one memory array has an array of programmable comparison cells that retain a programmed pass code and compare it with an access pass code. When there is a match between the access pass code and the programmed pass code, the memory access apparatus generates a match signal for allowing access to the at least one memory array. If there is no match, the data within the at least one memory array may be corrupted or destroyed. Each nonvolatile comparison cell has a pair of series connected charge retaining transistors. The programmed pass code is stored in the charge retaining transistors. Primary and complementary query pass codes are applied to the charge retaining transistors and are logically compared with the stored pass code and based on the programmed threshold voltage levels determine if the query pass code is correct.

Abstract: A novel NVM-based 2T or 2nT NAND-cell for a NAND-array for PLD, PAL and matching functions is disclosed. The preferable NVM cell can be ROM or Flash. The 2T flash cell preferably uses FN for both program and erase operation, while 2T ROM cell preferably to use phosphorus for ROM code implant to get negative Vt0.

Abstract: Methods of increasing the speed of random read and write operations of a memory device are provided for improving the performance of volatile and non-volatile memory devices. In contrast to the conventional approach that latches the current memory address right before the currently accessed memory data are outputted, the methods latch the next memory address before the currently accessed memory data are read out. The flow, timing waveforms and control sequences of applying the methods to parallel NOR flash, parallel pSRAM, serial SQI NOR flash and NAND flash are described in detail. The NOR flash device designed with the method can be integrated with a NAND flash device on a same die in a combo flash device packaged in either an ONFI compatible NAND flash package or other standard NAND flash package.

Abstract: This invention discloses circuit and methods of a NAND-based 2T-string NOR flash cell structure as a building block for a fast random-read NOR flash memory. The key concept of this new set of bias conditions in cell array improves over the critical concern of punch-through issue when cell is migrating to the more advanced technology node of next generation. The invention adopts a novel preferable symmetrical 2T-string NOR flash cell. Each NAND or NAND like cell of this 2T-string NOR cell is to store 2 bits and is preferable to be made of N-channel device. The cell is preferable to use Fowler-Nordheim Tunneling scheme for both erase and program operations. The invention is to provide a novel 2T-string NOR flash cell structure made of N-channel device offering most flexible erase sizes in unit of byte, page, sector, block and chip with the least program and erase disturbances.

Abstract: A memory system includes a NAND flash memory, a NOR flash memory and a SRAM memory on a single chip. Both NAND and NOR memories are manufactured by the same NAND manufacturing process and NAND cells. The three memories share the same address bus, data bus, and pins of the single chip. The address bus is bi-directional for receiving codes, data and addresses and transmitting output. The data bus is also bi-directional for receiving and transmitting data. One external chip enable pin and one external output enable pin are shared by the three memories to reduce the number of pins required for the single chip. Both NAND and NOR memories have dual read page buffers and dual write page buffers for Read-While-Load and Write-While-Program operations to accelerate the read and write operations respectively. A memory-mapped method is used to select different memories, status registers and dual read or write page buffers.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip contains four different memory types, EEPROM, NAND Flash, NOR Flash and SRAM, and a plurality of major serial/parallel interfaces such as I2C, SPI, SDI and SQI in one memory chip. The memory chip features write-while-write and read-while-write operations as well as read-while-transfer and write-while-transfer operations. The memory chip provides for eight pins of which two are for power and up to four pins have no connection for specific interfaces and uses a novel unified nonvolatile memory design that allow the integration together of the aforementioned memory types integrated together into the same semiconductor memory chip.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device has a combination of FLOTOX EEPROM nonvolatile memory arrays. Each FLOTOX-based nonvolatile memory array is formed of FLOTOX-based nonvolatile memory cells that include at least one floating gate tunneling oxide transistor such that a coupling ratio of the control gate to the floating gate of the floating gate tunneling oxide transistor is from approximately 60% to approximately 70% and a coupling ratio of the floating gate to the drain region of the floating gate tunneling oxide transistor is maintained as a constant of is from approximately 10% to approximately 20% and such that a channel length of the channel region is decreased such that during the programming procedure a negative programming voltage level is applied to the control gate and a moderate positive programming voltage level is applied to the drain region to prevent the moderate positive programming voltage level from exceeding a drain-to-source breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device has a combination of FLOTOX EEPROM nonvolatile memory arrays. Each FLOTOX-based nonvolatile memory array is formed of FLOTOX-based nonvolatile memory cells that include at least one floating gate tunneling oxide transistor such that a coupling ratio of the control gate to the floating gate of the floating gate tunneling oxide transistor is from approximately 60% to approximately 70% and a coupling ratio of the floating gate to the drain region of the floating gate tunneling oxide transistor is maintained as a constant of is from approximately 10% to approximately 20% and such that a channel length of the channel region is decreased such that during the programming procedure a negative programming voltage level is applied to the control gate and a moderate positive programming voltage level is applied to the drain region to prevent the moderate positive programming voltage level from exceeding a drain-to-source breakdown voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a low-cost hybrid storage solution that allows Code like sector-alterable NOR and Data like block-alterable NAND and byte-alterable EEPROM being integrated on a same die. The disclosed combo NVM design of the present invention is a truly Data-oriented NVM design that allows 2T-EEPROM to integrate both 0.5T-NAND and 1T-NOR without sacrificing any EEPROM's byte-write performance in the same die. The invention provides several new embodiment sets of preferable bias conditions of Program, Program-Inhibit, Erase and Erase-Inhibit for operating bit-write, byte-write, sector-write and page-write for several preferable Flotox-based EEPROM, NOR and NAND or combo NVM arrays that include types of shared SL, 8-pair BLs and SLS, with or without GBL, normally Erased Vt and Programmed Vt, or the reversed Erased-Vt or Programmed-Vt, etc. Further disclosed is a flexible X-decoder design to allow the flexible selection of pages to be erased to save erase time.

Abstract: A NOR flash nonvolatile memory or reconfigurable logic device has an array of NOR flash nonvolatile memory circuits that includes charge retaining transistors serially connected in a NAND string such that at least one of the charge retaining transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading. The topmost charge retaining transistor's drain is connected to a bit line parallel to the charge retaining transistors and the bottommost charge retaining transistor's source is connected to a source line and is parallel to the bit line. The charge retaining transistors are programmed and erased with a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling process.