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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating an array block of dual charge retaining transistor NOR flash memory cells by erasing the dual charge retaining transistor NOR flash memory cells to set their threshold voltage levels to prevent leakage current from corrupting data during a read operation. Erasure of the array block of NOR flash memory cells begins by selecting one of block section of the array block and erasing, erase verifying, over-erase verifying, and programming iteratively until the charge retaining transistors have their threshold voltages between the lower limit and the upper limit of the first program state. Other block sections are iteratively selected and erased, erased verified, over-erase verified, and programmed repeatedly until the charge retaining transistors have their threshold voltages between the lower limit and the upper limit of the first program state until the entire block has been erased and reprogrammed to a positive threshold level.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of charge retaining transistors arranged in rows and columns. The device has a plurality source lines formed in parallel with the bit lines associated with each column. Row decode/driver circuits are connected to blocks of the charge retaining transistors for controlling the application of the necessary read, program, and erase signals. Erase count registers, each of the erase count registers associated with one block of the array of the charge retaining transistors for storing an erase count for the associated block for determining whether a refresh operation is to be executed. Groupings on each column of the array of charge retaining transistors are connected as NAND series strings where each NAND string has a select gating charge retaining transistor connected to the top charge retaining transistor for connecting the NAND series string to the bit lines.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a high temperature integrated circuit includes forming a drain/source diffusion and forming a buried diffusion implant containing the drain/source diffusion in a substrate to separate the drain/source diffusion from the substrate and an edge of a field isolation layer to decreases leakage current occurring with high voltage and high temperature. A nonvolatile memory array driver circuit with multiple driver transistors separated by anti-leakage transistors connected to prevent excess junction leakage current at elevated temperatures. Another nonvolatile memory array driver circuit has a high voltage blocking transistor connected to two anti-leakage transistors connected such that a source of the first anti-leakage transistor is connected to a drain of the high voltage blocking transistor and a drain of the second anti-leakage transistor is connected to prevent excess junction leakage current at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit formed of nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits is formed on a substrate. The nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits are separated by isolation regions formed of a shallow trench isolation. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are formed in a triple well structure. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are NAND-based NOR memory circuits formed of at least two floating gate transistors that are serially connected such that at least one of the floating gate 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. Each column of the NAND-based NOR memory circuits are associated with and connected to one bit line and one source line.

Abstract: A NOR flash nonvolatile memory device provides the memory cell size and a low current program process of a NAND flash nonvolatile memory device and the fast, asynchronous random access of a NOR flash nonvolatile memory device. The NOR flash nonvolatile memory 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 NAND-based NOR flash memory array has a matrix of NAND-based NOR flash cells arranged in rows and columns. Every two adjacent NAND-based NOR flash cells in a column share a common source node which is connected to a common source line through a diode. The source line may be made of a metal layer and is in contact directly with the source node or through an ohmic contact to form a Schottky barrier diode. The source line may also be made of a polysilicon or metal layer and connected to the source node through a pillar-structured polysilicon diode and a conduction layer. The diode may also be formed in the source node by enclosing a P/N+ junction diode in a heavily N+ doped region of the source node.

Abstract: A DRAM-like non-volatile memory array includes a cell array of non-volatile cell units with a DRAM-like cross-coupled latch-type sense amplifier. Each non-volatile cell unit has two non-volatile cell devices with respective bit lines and source lines running in parallel and laid out perpendicular to the word line associated with the non-volatile cell unit. The two non-volatile cell devices are programmed with erased and programmed threshold voltages as a pair for storing a single bit of binary data. The two bit lines of each non-volatile cell unit are coupled through a Y-decoder and a latch device to the two respective inputs of the latch-type sense amplifier which provides a large sensing margin for the cell array to operate properly even with a narrowed threshold voltage gap. Each non-volatile cell device may be a 2 T FLOTOX-based EEPROM cell, a 2 T flash cell, 11 T flash cell or a 1.5 T split-gate flash cell.

Abstract: A single polycrystalline silicon floating gate nonvolatile memory device has a storage MOS transistor and at least one polycrystalline-insulator-polycrystalline (PIP) or metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor manufactured with dimensions that can be fabricated using current low voltage logic integrated circuit process. The PIP or MIM capacitor is a coupling capacitor with a first plate connected to a floating gate of the storage MOS transistor to form a floating gate node. The coupling PIP or MIM capacitor couples the voltage level applied to a second plate of the PIP or MIM capacitor to the floating gate node with a large coupling ratio approximately 90% so as to initiate Fowler-Nordheim tunneling effect for erasing or programming the memory device. The memory device may also have another PIP or MIM capacitor with a first pate connected to the floating gate of the storage MOS transistor for serving as a tunneling capacitor.

Abstract: A modular external defibrillator system in embodiments of the teachings may include one or more of the following features: a base containing a defibrillator to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, (b) one or more pods each connectable to a patient via patient lead cables to collect at least one patient vital sign, the pods operable at a distance from the base, (c) a wireless communications link between the base and a selected one of the two or more pods to carry the at least one vital sign from the selected pod to the base, the selection being based on which pod is associated with the base.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory array having FLOTOX-based memory cells connected by a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines is disclosed. In the memory array, the FLOTOX-based memory cells in a common word line do not share a common source line. Instead, the FLOTOX-based memory cells associated with a bit line are provided with a source line laid out in parallel with the bit line to avoid punch-through leakage. The FLOTOX-based memory cells may be 2T FLOTOX-based EEPROM cells or 1T FLOTOX-based flash cells. The byte-alterable and page-alterable functions of a 2T EEPROM array and the block-alterable function of a 1T flash array are preserved. In addition, a novel bit-alterable function is added to both 2T FLOTOX-based EEPROM array and 1T FLOTOX-based flash array to reduce the unnecessary high voltage over-stress in a write operation to improve program/erasure endurance cycles.

Abstract: Two-transistor FLOTOX EEPROM cells are collected to form an alterable unit such as a byte. Each of the two-transistor FLOTOX EEPROM cells has a bit line connected to a drain of a select transistor of each of the two-transistor FLOTOX EEPROM cells and a source line placed in parallel with the bit line and connected to a source of a floating gate transistor of each of the two-transistor FLOTOX EEPROM cells. In a program operation, the bit lines are connected to a very large programming voltage level and the source lines are connected to a punch through inhibit voltage level. The punch through inhibit voltage level is approximately one half the very large programming voltage level. The lower drain-to-source voltage level permits the select transistor and the floating gate transistor to have smaller channel lengths and therefore a lower drain-to-source breakdown voltage.

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 modular external defibrillator system in embodiments of the teachings may include one or more of the following features: a base containing a defibrillator to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, (b) one or more pods each connectable to a patient via patient lead cables to collect at least one patient vital sign, the pods operable at a distance from the base, (c) a wireless communications link between the base and a selected one of the two or more pods to carry the at least one vital sign from the selected pod to the base, the selection being based on which pod is associated with the base.