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US4499560A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Non-volatile flip-flop with a dynamic resetting

Assignee: POUR L'ETUDE ET LA FABRICATION DE CIRCUITS INTEGRES SPECIAUX Ste
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Filing: 1982-09-28
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Granted: 1985-02-12
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Expires: 2002-09-28
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Abstract

Abstract A flip-flop further comprising two branches with MNOS elements serially connected with P channel MOS transistors for permitting a non-volatile storing of the information contained in a flip-flop at a chosen memorizing time. The memorizing of the state of the flip-flop can be made in a single cycle by raising the supply voltage of the device. In the same way, the resetting can be made in a single cycle by restoring abruptily the power voltage.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jean-Michel Brice

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 09:24
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K3/00; H03K3/02; H03K3/353; H03K3/356; H03K3/356008

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop with a dynamic resetting comprising a classical MOS transistor flip-flop with complementary nodes Q and Q* connected between a supply voltage and a reference voltage, further comprising at least one storing branch, each of which comprises the serial connection of a non-volatile storing element (electrically programmable threshold voltage MOS transistor) and a capacitor, a terminal of each capacitor being connected to the supply voltage, one of the main terminals and the control terminal of the storing element of the first branch being connected respectively to the node Q and the node Q* and reciprocally as regards the storing elements of the second branch; and further comprising means for modifying the supply voltage between a first level permitting the normal operation of the flip-flop and a second level permitting to condition the storing elements for memorizing the state of the flip-flop, said means also permitting to modify abruptly the power voltage from zero to the first level, thereby automatically resetting the flip-flop in the memorized state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop with a dynamic resetting comprising a classical MOS transistor flip-flop with complementary nodes Q and Q* connected between a supply voltage and a reference voltage, further comprising at least one storing branch, each of which comprises the serial connection of a non-volatile storing element (electrically programmable threshold voltage MOS transistor) and a capacitor, a terminal of each capacitor being connected to the supply voltage, one of the main terminals and the control terminal of the storing element of the first branch being connected respectively to the node Q and the node Q* and reciprocally as regards the storing elements of the second branch; and further comprising means for modifying the supply voltage between a first level permitting the normal operation of the flip-flop and a second level permitting to condition the storing elements for memorizing the state of the flip-flop, said means also permitting to modify abruptly the power voltage from zero to the first level, thereby automatically resetting the flip-flop in the memorized state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop according to claim 1 wherein the classical flip-flop comprises complementary transistors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A non-volatile storage flip-flop according to claim 1 wherein the classical flip-flop comprises enhanced/depleted transistors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop according to claim 2 wherein the storing elements are of the MNOS type, with their substrate connected to their source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop according to claim 3 wherein the storing elements are of the floating gate MOS type.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop according to claim 1 comprising two storing branches, the flip-flop being symmetrical.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
A non-volatile storing flip-flop according to claim 1 comprising only one storing branch connected with one of the nodes of the flip-flop, the elements of the flip-flop connected to the other node by their drain/source connection occupying a larger surface than the elements connected to the first node.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3676717A Cited
DE2622307A1 Cited
US4128773A Cited
US4207615A Cited
US4403306A Cited
US4400799A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-02-12 1988-08-13 1989-02-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-02-12 1992-08-13 1993-02-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-02-12 1996-08-13 1997-02-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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