Abstract: Voltage-boosting device having a supply input receiving a supply voltage, and a high-voltage output. The device is formed by a plurality of charge-pump stages series-connected between the supply input and the high-voltage output. Each charge-pump stage has a respective enabling input receiving an enabling signal. A control circuit formed by a plurality of comparators is connected to the high-voltage output and generates the enabling signals on the basis of the comparison between the voltage on the high-voltage output and a plurality of reference voltages, one for each comparator. The charge-pump stages are grouped into sets of stages, and the stages belonging to a same set receive a same enabling signal; thus, as many comparators as there are sets of stages are present.

Abstract: A method for operating a flash memory device. The memory device includes a matrix of memory cells each one having a programmable threshold voltage defining a value stored in the memory cell. The method includes the steps of erasing a block of memory cells, and compacting the threshold voltages of the memory cells of the block within a predefined compacting range, wherein the step of compacting includes: selecting at least one first memory cell of the block for writing a target value; restoring the threshold voltage of a subset of the memory cells of the block to the compacting range, the subset including the at least one first memory cell and/or at least one second memory cell of the block being adjacent to the at least one first memory cell; and at least partially writing the target value into the at least one first memory cell.

Abstract: A high-voltage switch has a high-voltage input terminal, receiving a high voltage, and an output terminal. A pass transistor, having a control terminal, is connected between the high-voltage input terminal and the output terminal. The output of a voltage-multiplying circuit of the charge-pump type is connected to the control terminal. The voltage-multiplying circuit is of a symmetrical type, has first and second charge-storage means, receiving a clock signal of a periodic type, and has a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch, which are symmetrical to one another and operate in phase opposition with respect to the clock signal.

Abstract: An embodiment of an electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a supplying block for supplying a plurality of operative voltages, one or more operative circuits and a distribution bus for distributing at least part of the operative voltages to each operative circuit. Each operative circuit includes a set of devices for generating a set of output voltages from a set of input ones of the distributed operative voltages. The input and output voltages span an effective range. Each device is capable of sustaining at most a safe voltage between each pair of terminals thereof not higher than the effective range. The devices are controlled by a set of auxiliary ones of the distributed operative voltages spanning an auxiliary range within the effective range, so that a difference between the voltage applied to each pair of terminals thereof is not higher than the safe voltage.

Abstract: A method of electrically programming a memory cell includes: applying at least one electrical programming pulse to the memory cell; verifying the reaching of a target programming state by the memory cell; and repeating the acts of applying and verifying until the reaching of a target programming state by the memory cell is assessed. After the reaching of a target programming state by the memory cells is assessed, at least one further electrical programming pulse is applied thereto, and the memory cell is verified at least one more time after applying the further programming pulse. In case, as a result of said further verifying, the reaching of the target programming state by the memory cell is not assessed, the method provides for applying a still further programming pulse to the memory cell.

Abstract: A circuit includes a first and a second input terminals and an output terminal. A first circuital branch is connected between the first input terminal and the output terminal, and a second circuital branch connected between the second input terminal and the output terminal. The first and second circuital branches are selectively activatable for coupling the first input terminal with the output terminal and the second input terminal with the output terminal, respectively. The first and second circuital branches each include at least one electronic device having at least a first and a second device terminals. Each electronic device can of sustain voltage differences across the first and second device terminals that are up-limited in absolute value by a first predetermined maximum value lower than the maximum of absolute values of voltage differences between the output terminal and the first input terminal, and between the output terminal and the second input terminal, respectively.

Abstract: A circuit comprises at least one memory cell adapted to store data in terms of values of an electrical characteristic thereof, which exhibits a variability with temperature according to a first variation law; a voltage generator is provided for generating a voltage to be supplied to the at least one memory cell for retrieving the data stored therein, the voltage generator including first means adapted to cause the generated voltage take a value in a set of target values including at least one target value, corresponding to an operation to be performed on the memory cell. The voltage generator comprises second means for causing the value taken by the generated voltage vary with temperature according to a prescribed second variation law exploiting a compensation circuit element having said electrical characteristic.

Abstract: A boot method for a data control unit downloads boot information from a nonvolatile memory into a temporary buffer of a boot-activation unit. A processing unit is activated by the boot-activation unit; a boot code is executed by the processing unit; and an operating code is downloaded from the nonvolatile memory into a volatile memory through the boot-activation unit. To correct possible errors in the block of the nonvolatile memory containing information and boot codes, the boot-activation unit verifies whether the boot information downloaded into its volatile memory has a critical-error condition and activates a spare memory portion of the nonvolatile memory in presence of the critical-error condition.

Abstract: A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a matrix of memory cells adapted to store data and arranged in a plurality of bit lines, the bit lines extending along a first direction; a page buffer adapted to interface the matrix with a downstream circuitry, the page buffer comprising a plurality of read/program units. Each read/program unit is associated with at least one bit line. The memory device further includes at least two groups each including at least two respective read/program units, wherein the read/program units of a generic one of said groups are generically aligned along the first direction. Each group comprises at least one signal track shared by the at least two read/program units of the group.

Abstract: A NAND flash memory device includes a matrix of memory cells each having a threshold voltage. The matrix includes an individually erasable sector and is arranged in plural rows and columns with the cells of each column arranged in plural strings of cells connected in series. The memory device includes logic that erases the cells of a selected sector, and restoring logic that restores the threshold voltage of the erased cells. The restoring logic acts in succession on each of plural blocks of the sector, each block including groups of one or more cells. The restoring logic reads each group with respect to a limit value exceeding a reading reference value, programs only each group wherein the threshold voltage of at least one cell does not reach the limit value, and stops the restoring in response to reaching the limit value by at least one set of the groups.

Abstract: Multi-level programming allows for writing a first and a second bit in selected cells by separately programming the first bit from the second bit. Programming of the first bit determines a shifting from a first threshold level to a second threshold level. Programming of the second bit requires a preliminary reading to detect whether the first bit has been modified, performing a first writing step to bring the cell to a third threshold voltage if the first bit has been modified and performing a second writing step to bring the selected cell to a fourth threshold voltage different from the third threshold level if the first bit has not been modified. For increasing reading and program reliability, during preliminary reading of the second portion a reading result is forced to correspond to the first threshold level.

Abstract: A page buffer for an electrically programmable memory is provided. The page buffer includes a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of distinct programming states defined for each memory cell, corresponding to a number N>=2 of data bits storable in each memory cell, wherein the data bits include at least a first data bits group and a second data bits group and at least one read/program unit having a coupling line operatively associable with selected memory cells. The read/program unit is adapted to at least temporarily store data bits read from or to be written into selected memory cells and comprises programming state change enabling means for selectively enabling a change in programming state of a selected memory cell by causing the coupling line to take one among a program enabling potential and a program inhibition potential.

Abstract: A method and system for making error corrections on digital information coded as symbol sequences, for example digital information stored in electronic memory systems or transmitted from and to these systems is described, provides the transmission of sequences incorporating a portion of error corrector code allowing the sequence which is more probably the original transmitted through the calculation of an error syndrome using a parity matrix to be restored when received. Advantageously according to embodiments of the invention, the error code incorporated in the original sequence belongs to a non Boolean group.

Abstract: A method for programming an electrically programmable memory including a plurality of memory cells arranged in individually-selectable memory cell sets each including at least one memory cell. The programming method includes causing the memory cells of a selected memory cells set to be brought into a predetermined, starting programming state. Receiving a target value for the first data bits groups of the memory cells of the selected memory cells set. Receiving a target value for the second data bits groups of the memory cells of the selected memory cells set. After having received the target values of both the first and the second data bits groups, applying to the memory cells of the selected memory cells set a programming sequence adapted to cause the memory cells of the selected memory cells sets to be brought into a target programming state jointly determined by the target values of the first and second data bits groups.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device is proposed.

Abstract: An embodiment of a non-volatile memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory matrix comprising a plurality of memory cells, arranged according to a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. The memory device further includes a plurality of word lines; each word line is associated with one respective row of said plurality and is connected to the memory cells of the row; the word lines are grouped into at least one packet. The memory device includes a row selector coupled to the word lines and adapted to selectively biasing them. The row selector includes, for each packet of word lines, a plurality of first paths, wherein each first path is adapted to apply a first biasing voltage to a corresponding word line of the packet depending on an operation to be performed on the memory cells connected to the corresponding word line. Each first path includes at least a first and a second selection transistors series-connected between a first terminal and a second terminal of the first path.

Abstract: A reading method of a NAND memory device includes the steps of first connecting a first end terminal of a stack of cells to a reference line, second connecting a second end terminal of the stack of cells to a respective bitline, and charging the bitline to a predetermined bitline read voltage, where one of the steps of first connecting and second connecting is carried out before charging the bitline and the other of the steps of first connecting and second connecting is carried out after charging the bitline. An order of carrying out the steps of first connecting and second connecting is determined based on an address of a selected cell.

Abstract: Basic redundancy information is non-volatily stored in a reserved area of an addressable area of a memory array, and is copied to volatile storage therein at every power-on of the memory device. The unpredictable though statistically inevitable presence of failed array elements in such a reserved area of the memory array corrupts the basic redundancy information established during the test-on wafer (EWS) phase of the fabrication process. This increases the number of rejects, and lowers the yield of the fabrication process. This problem is addressed by writing the basic redundancy data in the reserved area of the array with an ECC technique using a certain error correction code. The error correction code may be chosen among majority codes 3, 5, 7, 15 and the like, or the Hamming code for 1, 2, 3 or more errors, as a function of the fail probability of a memory cell as determined by the EWS phase during fabrication.

Abstract: The evaluation time or the difference between the read charge voltage and the read discrimination voltage of the programmed or erased state of a cell of a NAND memory array is set for the individual memory device. This is done in such a way that at least partially compensates the generally large spread of parasitic capacitance values of the array bitlines in the mass production fabrication process of the NAND memory array.

Abstract: A voltage regulator integrated in a chip of semiconductor material is provided.