Read/write memory architecture employing closed ring elements

Claim 1

An addressable array of non-volatile ferromagnetic random access annular memory elements, comprising: a first sense row in the array of at least two non-volatile ferromagnetic random access memory elements; each of said non-volatile ferromagnetic random access memory elements having upper and lower surfaces and including: (i) at least a first ferromagnetic ring and a second ferromagnetic ring, wherein one of said ferromagnetic rings is hard or antiferromagnetically-pinned and the other ferromagnetic ring is magnetically softer than said hard or antiferromagnetically-pinned ring; and (ii) a non-magnetic layer sandwiched between said first and second ferromagnetic rings; a first conducting lead made up of a series of conductive strips along the first sense row of the array, each of said strips connects two adjacent memory elements at either their upper surface or at their lower surfaces, except at the ends of a sense row, said strips of the sense line being staggered so that each memory element is connected through its upper surface to the memory element on one side, and through its lower surface to the memory element on the other side, whereby a meandering conductive pathway through the sense line from one side of the array to the other in series is formed containing as many elements as desired; a first word line transverse to said first sense row, and made up of a series of wires passing in magnetic field producing proximity to the memory elements along a column of the array and not being in electrical contact with the memory elements; a second conducting lead made up of a series of conductive strips along the first word line of the array, each of said strips connects two adjacent wires at either their top contacts or at their bottom contacts, said strips of the word line are staggered so that each wire is connected through its top contact to the wire on one side, and through its bottom contact to the wire on the other side, whereby a meandering conductive pathway through the word line from one side of the array to the other in series is formed; said first word line defining a conductive path for flowing a current through the wire passing in magnetic field producing proximity to the memory elements, and said conductive paths being perpendicular to closed magnetic circuits in said ferromagnetic rings.