Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell for storing a bit having a first logic value or a second logic value. An input is for receiving a word defined by bits to be stored in the plurality of memory cells. Programming circuitry is for programming a corresponding memory cell for each bit having the first logic value. Forming circuitry is for receiving the word from the input and for providing to the programming circuitry at least one additional word defined by bits to also be stored in the plurality of memory cells. The forming circuitry includes processing circuitry for calculating a current maximum number of simultaneously programmable bits, and logic circuitry for generating the additional word, with the additional word having a number of bits having the first logic value equal to the current maximum number.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell for storing a bit having a first logic value or a second logic value. An input is for receiving a word defined by bits to be stored in the plurality of memory cells. Programming circuitry is for programming a corresponding memory cell for each bit having the first logic value. Forming circuitry is for receiving the word from the input and for providing to the programming circuitry at least one additional word defined by bits to also be stored in the plurality of memory cells. The forming circuitry includes processing circuitry for calculating a current maximum number of simultaneously programmable bits, and logic circuitry for generating the additional word, with the additional word having a number of bits having the first logic value equal to the current maximum number.

Abstract: The Flash memory device with a Low Pin Count (LPC) communication interface includes a memorization block or Flash core including a matrix of non volatile memory cells, with associated circuit portions for reading, modifying and erasing the data contained in the memory. An interface block associated with the LPC communication interface includes at least an address block, a data block and a state machine enabling the data flow from and towards the memorization block. Advantageously, the data block of the interface block is doubled in a portion provided to contain the read data and in a portion provided to contain write data. In the memorization block, respective address decoders are provided for the read and write steps of the memory matrix. The device includes an architecture of the multibank type and the logic necessary for the execution of a “Dual Operations” mode. In this way it is possible to simultaneously perform a modify operation in a memory bank and a read operation in another bank.

Abstract: The memory device of the invention outputs the read data in a time starting from the rising edge of the external clock that is shorter than that of other known devices, because the output buffer has an array of master-slave pairs of flip-flops synchronized by respective timing signals derived from the internal clock signal. The array receives data from the state machine through the second internal bus and provides the data to be output to the output stage of the buffer enabled by the state machine. A logic circuit generates timing signals for the master-slave flip-flops, respectively as logic NAND and logic AND of the internal clock signal and of an enabling signal of the output stage of the buffer generated by the state machine. Moreover, the memory device includes a circuit, synchronized by the internal clock signal, that introduces a delay of the enabling signal of the output stage of the buffer equivalent to a period of the internal clock signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for testing non-volatile memory devices that have at least one parallel communication interface, and a conventional matrix of non-volatile memory cells with respective reading, changing and erasing circuits, wherein during the testing procedure, a reading mode is entered for reading a memory location upon the rise edge of a control signal producing a corresponding ATD signal. Advantageously in the invention, a subsequent reading step is started also upon the fall edge of the control signal. In this way, at each cycle of the control signal two memory locations, instead of one as in the prior art, are read.

Abstract: A synchronous non-volatile memory device that includes a circuit for performing operations on the memory device, a circuit for receiving a request of operation and operative information required for performing the operation in temporal succession, an activation circuit for activating the circuit in response to the request of operation, a circuit for enabling the execution of the operation in response to the operative information, and a deactivation circuit for deactivating the operations performing circuit in response to the completion of the operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a non volatile memory device architecture, for example of the Flash type, incorporating a memory cell array and an input/output interface to receive memory data and/or addresses from and to the outside of the device. The interface operates generally according to a serial communication protocol, but it is equipped with a further pseudo-parallel communication portion with a low pin number incorporating circuit blocks for selecting the one or the other communication mode against an input-received selection signal.

Abstract: An integrated memory device is proposed. The memory device includes a flash memory having an address parallelism and a data parallelism; the flash memory is partitioned into a plurality of blocks each one including a plurality of sectors, which can be erased individually. A Low Pin Count communication interface is used to receive a command from an external bus, which has a transfer parallelism lower than the address parallelism and the data parallelism; the command includes a selection field for selecting each sector of one or more blocks individually. A control unit then executes an operation corresponding to the command in respect of each selected sector.

Abstract: An integrated device is provided that includes a non-volatile memory having an addressing parallelism and a data parallelism, and a communication interface for interfacing the memory with an external bus. The external bus has a transfer parallelism lower than the addressing parallelism and the data parallelism. The communication interface includes control means for executing multiple reading operations and/or multiple writing operations on the memory according to different modalities in response to corresponding command codes received from the external bus. Also provided is a method of operating such an integrated device.

Abstract: An architecture of a nonvolatile memory device, though not requiring dedicated pins and by introducing circuit modifications that require a negligible additional silicon area in the serial interface, allows a selection between at least two different serial communication protocols, thus multiplying the occasions of employment of the same device. The selection of one or of the another serial communication protocol is carried out by setting, during the testing on wafer (EWS) of the devices being fabricated, a certain UPROM cell of the array of UPROM cells that is normally present in a standard nonvolatile memory device for setting during the fabrication the characteristics of ATD, redundancy and other functions of the memory device. Alternatively, the customer can make the selection by placing an appropriate signal level on a specified pin of the memory device.

Abstract: A memory device includes a multi-protocol interface having at least two interfaces. Each interface decodes a respective communication protocol when enabled by a respective interface enable signal. The memory device further includes an automatic selection circuit for selecting one of the interfaces corresponding to a received communication protocol. The automatic selection circuit compares bits transmitted during a preamble of a received communication protocol cycle with pre-established bit patterns corresponding to preambles of the communication protocols associated with the at least two interfaces, and generates an enable signal for one of the interfaces based upon the comparison.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device is operable in a serial mode and in a parallel mode. The architecture of the nonvolatile memory device is based upon the structure already present in a standard memory, but includes certain modifications. These modifications include the addition of a timing state machine for the various memory access phases (i.e., writing and reading data), and the addition of an internal bus and related logic circuits for disabling the internal address bus of the standard memory when the nonvolatile memory device operates in the serial mode.

Abstract: A memory device is configured for communicating with one of two different serial protocols, respectively an LPC or an SPI protocol, as well as with a parallel communication protocol through a multi-protocol interface while requiring only a single additional pin as compared to a standard memory device accessible with a parallel communication protocol. This result is achieved by exploiting the same pin for providing a timing signal for serial mode communications or an address multiplexing signal for parallel mode communications. The additional pin is used for conveying a start signal of an A/AMUX parallel communication protocol. The interface includes logic circuits that generate an enable signal for the standard memory core of the memory device.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a standard memory, having an addressing parallelism and a data transfer parallelism, and a multiprotocol serial communication interface, configurable for interfacing the memory with a selected one among at least a first and a second external serial buses. The external serial buses each having respectively a first and a second parallelism of transfer of address codes for the memory and data words where the second parallelism is smaller than the first parallelism and the first parallelism is smaller than the addressing parallelism and the data transfer parallelism of the memory. The multiprotocol serial communication interface includes a storage register of address codes, a storage register of data words read from the memory.

Abstract: An electronic memory device monolithically integrated in semiconductor has a low pin count (LPC) serial interface. The memory device includes a memory cell array and associated row and column decode circuits. The memory device also includes a bank of T-latch registers to be addressed and accessed in a test mode for serially loading specific test data therein. The serially loading includes activating a test mode of operation by an address storage block for generating a corresponding signal, enabling the bank of T-latch registers in the device to serially receive a predetermined data set, and loading test data into the T-latch registers by using a LPC serial communication protocol.

Abstract: An electronic memory device monolithically integrated in semiconductor has a low pin count (LPC) serial interface. The memory device includes a memory cell array and associated row and column decode circuits. The memory device also includes a bank of T-latch registers to be addressed and accessed in a test mode for serially loading specific test data therein. The serially loading includes activating a test mode of operation by an address storage block for generating a corresponding signal, enabling the bank of T-latch registers in the device to serially receive a predetermined data set, and loading test data into the T-latch registers by using a LPC serial communication protocol.

Abstract: A memory device includes an internal address bus, and first and second internal data busses. A memory receives from the internal address bus an address of memory data to be read, and transfers read memory data in blocks of N bits to the first internal data bus. An address storing circuit is coupled to the internal address bus for storing the address of the memory data to be read. An array of latches is coupled to the first internal data bus for storing the read memory data received therefrom. The array of latches includes two banks of latches. Each bank has N latches and is controlled independently from the other bank by respective commands, and each bank stores bits present on the first internal data bus upon receiving the respective commands. The second internal data bus is also connected to the array of latches.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for testing non-volatile memory devices that have at least one parallel communication interface, and a conventional matrix of non-volatile memory cells with respective reading, changing and erasing circuits, wherein during the testing procedure, a reading mode is entered for reading a memory location upon the rise edge of a control signal producing a corresponding ATD signal. Advantageously in the invention, a subsequent reading step is started also upon the fall edge of the control signal.

Abstract: The memory device of the invention outputs the read data in a time starting from the rising edge of the external clock that is shorter than that of other known devices, because the output buffer has an array of master-slave pairs of flip-flops synchronized by respective timing signals derived from the internal clock signal. The array receives data from the state machine through the second internal bus and provides the data to be output to the output stage of the buffer enabled by the state machine. A logic circuit generates timing signals for the master-slave flip-flops, respectively as logic NAND and logic AND of the internal clock signal and of an enabling signal of the output stage of the buffer generated by the state machine. Moreover, the memory device includes a circuit, synchronized by the internal clock signal, that introduces a delay of the enabling signal of the output stage of the buffer equivalent to a period of the internal clock signal.

Abstract: An architecture of a nonvolatile memory device, though not requiring dedicated pins and by introducing circuit modifications that require a negligible additional silicon area in the serial interface, allows a selection between at least two different serial communication protocols, thus multiplying the occasions of employment of the same device. The selection of one or of the another serial communication protocol is carried out by setting, during the testing on wafer (EWS) of the devices being fabricated, a certain UPROM cell of the array of UPROM cells that is normally present in a standard nonvolatile memory device for setting during the fabrication the characteristics of ATD, redundancy and other functions of the memory device. Alternatively, the customer can make the selection by placing an appropriate signal level on a specified pin of the memory device.