Reconfiguring storage modes in a memory
AssigneesAgilent Technologies, Inc., Texas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsJurgen Thomas Rickes, Ralph Hurley Raymer Lanham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A memory which is capable of reconfiguration between a first mode in which each storage cell is capable of storing a pair of data bits and a second mode in which each storage cell is capable of storing a single data. A memory according to the present teachings includes a storage cell having a first structure and a second structure each capable of a storage state and mechanisms for reconfiguring the memory between a first mode in which the storage states of the first and second structures indicate a first and a second data bit, respectively, and a second mode in which the storage states combine to indicate a data bit.
Claims15
A memory, comprising:
- storage cell having a first structure and a second structure each capable of a storage state;
- means for reconfiguring the memory between a first mode in which the storage states of the first and second structures indicate a first and a second data bit, respectively, and a second mode in which the storage states combine to indicate a data bit.
A method for reconfiguring a storage mode of a memory, comprising the steps of:
- determining whether a reference for reading a set of storage cells in the memory is obtainable;
- if the reference is obtainable, then programming the memory into a first mode in which each storage cell is capable of storing a pair of data bits;
- if the reference is not obtainable, then programming the memory into a second mode in which each storage cell is capable of storing a single data bit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.