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AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorsPaul D. Shannon, Hiroyuki Oka, Paul E. Grimme, Robert W. Sparks
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for post-packaging testing of one-time programmable memories provided means for assuring that each cell of the memory will appear to a customer to be erased and that it is capable of being programmed. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a microcomputer including one-time programmable memory, but the invention also includes memory-only devices. Marginal reading method and apparatus provide for detecting the threshold voltage of memory cells below the level at which the cell appears to the customer to be erased and marginal programming method and apparatus provide for slightly increasing the threshold voltage of cells in order to ensure their programmability.
A method of post-packaging testing of one-time programmable memories comprising the steps of:
A method of testing a semiconductor memory having a memory cell which has a variable threshold voltage which may be increased, but not decreased after packaging, and which is designed to be operated by a user with a supply voltage in the range of V.sub.DDmin to V.sub.DDmax, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.