US5161124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bond programmable integrated circuit
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1991-06-10
•
Granted: 1992-11-03
•
Expires: 2011-06-10
Abstract
Abstract The described embodiments of the present invention provide a circuit and method for programming the mode options of an integrated circuit. The embodiment described provides this function for a dynamic random access memory but is applicable to any integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes programming bonding pads which are either connected to a selected reference potential or left unconnected. Circuitry on the integrated circuit determines whether the pad is connected to the reference potential or is unconnected, and provides logical signals on the integrated circuit which select the operational mode of the integrated circuit. An additional feature of the described embodiment is a continuous checking to determine if the appropriate connected or unconnected state is being detected. This feature provides stray fields and other erroneous signals from altering the mode operation of the integrated circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew M. Love
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:56
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/02; H03K19/173; H03K19/1733; H03K19/1735; H03K19/1736; G; G11; G11C; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C11/40; G11C11/401; G11C11/4063; G11C11/407; G11C11/4074; G11C5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
An integrated circuit having selectable programmable features, comprising: a plurality of programming bond pads, said programming bond pads selectably being connected to a reference potential; and programming mode circuitry connected to said plurality of programming bond pads for determining which pads are connected to the reference potential and which pads are left unconnected, said programming mode circuitry further providing logical signals on the integrated circuit that select the operational mode of the integrated circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
An integrated circuit having selectable programmable features, comprising: a plurality of programming bond pads, said programming bond pads selectably being connected to a reference potential; and programming mode circuitry connected to said plurality of programming bond pads for determining which pads are connected to the reference potential and which pads are left unconnected, said programming mode circuitry further providing logical signals on the integrated circuit that select the operational mode of the integrated circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The integrated circuit of claim 1 including checking circuitry for determining if the appropriate connected or unconnected state is being detected, said determining action being in response to a detected change in said state.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of sensing the selected programmable features in an integrated circuit having programming bond pads and a reference voltage, comprising the steps of: selectably connecting programming bond pads, from a plurality of programming bond pads, to a reference potential; and connecting programming mode circuitry to said plurality of programming bond pads for determining which pads are connected to the reference potential and which pads are left unconnected, said programming mode circuitry further providing logical signals on the integrated circuit for selecting the operational mode of the integrated circuit.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of sensing the selected programmable features in an integrated circuit having programming bond pads and a reference voltage, comprising the steps of: selectably connecting programming bond pads, from a plurality of programming bond pads, to a reference potential; and connecting programming mode circuitry to said plurality of programming bond pads for determining which pads are connected to the reference potential and which pads are left unconnected, said programming mode circuitry further providing logical signals on the integrated circuit for selecting the operational mode of the integrated circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
An integrated circuit device, comprising: a first voltage source corresponding to a first option of the device; a second voltage source corresponding to a second option of the device; and a bond pad selectively connectable to the first voltage source and coupled to the second voltage source, wherein the device operates in the second option when the bond pad is unconnected to the first voltage source and the device operates in the first option when the bond pad is connected to the first voltage source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
85 words
An integrated circuit device, comprising: a first voltage source corresponding to a first option of the device; a second voltage source corresponding to a second option of the device; and a bond pad selectively connectable to the first voltage source and coupled to the second voltage source, wherein the device operates in the second option when the bond pad is unconnected to the first voltage source and the device operates in the first option when the bond pad is connected to the first voltage source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein a transistor couples the bond pad to the second voltage source.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The integrated circuit device of claim 5, wherein said transistor is a pull-up transistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The integrated circuit device of claim 4, including option circuitry, responsive to voltage, to operate the device in a first mode corresponding to a first option and a second mode corresponding to a second option.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The integrated circuit device of claim 4, wherein said first and second options are options of semiconductor memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The integrated circuit device of claim 8, wherein said first option configures the memory device as a X1 memory and the second option configures the memory as a X4 memory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein at least one of said first and second voltage sources is generated within the circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The integrated circuit of claim 8, wherein the first option configures the memory device to have a cycle refresh, and the second option configures the device to have a cycle refresh.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
97 words
A mode selection circuit for a semiconductor memory device; comprising: a first voltage source corresponding to a first mode of operation for the semiconductor memory device; a second voltage source corresponding to a second mode of operation for the semiconductor memory device; and a bond pad selectively connectable to the first voltage source and coupled to the second voltage source such that the semiconductor memory device operates in the second mode of operation unless the bond pad is connected to said first voltage source, wherein the semiconductor memory device then operates in the first mode of operation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
97 words
A mode selection circuit for a semiconductor memory device; comprising: a first voltage source corresponding to a first mode of operation for the semiconductor memory device; a second voltage source corresponding to a second mode of operation for the semiconductor memory device; and a bond pad selectively connectable to the first voltage source and coupled to the second voltage source such that the semiconductor memory device operates in the second mode of operation unless the bond pad is connected to said first voltage source, wherein the semiconductor memory device then operates in the first mode of operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The mode selection circuit of claim 12, wherein the first mode of operation configures the device as a X1 memory device and the second mode of operation configures the device as a X4 memory device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The mode selection circuit of claim 12, wherein the first mode of operation configures the memory device to have a cycle refresh, and the second mode of operation configures the device to have a cycle refresh.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
A configuration selection system for a semiconductor device, comprising: a bond pad that is conditionally coupled to a first configuration selection voltage; and a pull-up transistor coupled between the bond pad and a second configuration voltage, operable to bias the bond pad towards the second configuration voltage when the bond pad is not selectively coupled to the first configuration voltage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
A configuration selection system for a semiconductor device, comprising: a bond pad that is conditionally coupled to a first configuration selection voltage; and a pull-up transistor coupled between the bond pad and a second configuration voltage, operable to bias the bond pad towards the second configuration voltage when the bond pad is not selectively coupled to the first configuration voltage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The configuration selection system of claim 15, wherein the second configuration voltage is internally generated by the semiconductor device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The configuration selection system of claim 15, wherein the pull-up transistor is a MOS transistor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The configuration selection system of claim 15, including: a latch, having an input coupled to the bond pad, and having an output for transmitting the selected mode voltage to the semiconductor device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
123 words
A semiconductor memory device integrated into a single semiconductor substrate that is bond programmable to select different options, comprising: an array of memory cells; support circuitry to read information from the memory cells and write information to the memory cells; option circuitry, responsive to voltage, to operate the array and support circuitry in different modes; a bond pad connected to the option circuitry, coupled to a first voltage, and bondable to a second voltage; and wherein the option circuitry operates the array and support circuitry in one mode when the bond pad is not bonded to the second voltage and wherein the option circuitry operates the array and support circuitry in another mode when the bond pad is bonded to the first voltage.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
123 words
A semiconductor memory device integrated into a single semiconductor substrate that is bond programmable to select different options, comprising: an array of memory cells; support circuitry to read information from the memory cells and write information to the memory cells; option circuitry, responsive to voltage, to operate the array and support circuitry in different modes; a bond pad connected to the option circuitry, coupled to a first voltage, and bondable to a second voltage; and wherein the option circuitry operates the array and support circuitry in one mode when the bond pad is not bonded to the second voltage and wherein the option circuitry operates the array and support circuitry in another mode when the bond pad is bonded to the first voltage.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 19, wherein said first voltage is a positive voltage.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 20, wherein the second voltage is ground voltage.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 20, wherein the first option is X4 memory and the second option is X1 memory.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
48 words
A method for providing a mode control to a semiconductor device; comprising the steps of: coupling a bond pad to a first voltage to operate the device in a first mode; and coupling the bond pad to a second voltage to operate the device in a second mode.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
48 words
A method for providing a mode control to a semiconductor device; comprising the steps of: coupling a bond pad to a first voltage to operate the device in a first mode; and coupling the bond pad to a second voltage to operate the device in a second mode.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said coupling is by means of bonding the bond pad.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 23, wherein said coupling is by means of a scheduled bonding step in production of a device of the second option.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said scheduled bonding step is omitted in production of a device of the first option.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
54 words
A method for providing a mode control to a semiconductor device; comprising the steps of: bonding a bond pad to a first voltage to operate the semiconductor device in a first mode; and operating the device in a second mode of operation when the bond pad is not selectively bonded to the first voltage.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
54 words
A method for providing a mode control to a semiconductor device; comprising the steps of: bonding a bond pad to a first voltage to operate the semiconductor device in a first mode; and operating the device in a second mode of operation when the bond pad is not selectively bonded to the first voltage.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
The integrated circuit device of claim 2 wherein said checking circuitry refreshes the sensing of the programmed state.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein said determining action is performed continuously or repetitively.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3 including circuitry for determining if the appropriate connected or unconnected state is being detected, said determining action being in response to a detected change in said state.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 30 wherein said determining action is performed continuously or repetitively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-11-03 | 1996-05-04 | 1996-11-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-11-03 | 2000-05-04 | 2000-11-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-11-03 | 2004-05-04 | 2004-11-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |