# US 6,721,207 B2 · Non-volatile memory system including a control device to control writing, reading and storage and output operations of non-volatile devices including memory cells and data latches

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- Number: US 6,721,207 B2
- Document ID: US6721207B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/211,342
- Filed: 2002-08-05
- Published: 2002-12-19
- Granted: 2004-04-13
- Earliest claimed: 1998-02-16
- Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp.; Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tetsuya Tsujikawa; Atsushi Nozoe; Michitaro Kanamitsu; Shoji Kubono; Eiji Yamamoto; Ken Matsubara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6721207B2

## CPC

- G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series}
- G11C 11/5621: {using charge storage in a floating gate}
- G11C 11/5628: {Programming or writing circuits; Data input circuits}
- G11C 11/5635: {Erasing circuits}
- G11C 11/5642: {Sensing or reading circuits; Data output circuits}
- G11C 16/10: Programming or data input circuits
- G11C 16/3463: {Circuits or methods to detect overprogrammed nonvolatile memory cells, usually during program verification}
- G11C 2211/5642: Multilevel memory with buffers, latches, registers at input or output
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

A non-volatile memory system is provided with a control device and non-volatile memory devices, each including memory cells and data latches. The control device supplies commands to the non-volatile memory devices, including a write command, and first and second read commands. When the control device supplies the write command with write address information and data for storing in the non-volatile memory device, it stores the data to the data latches and then to the memory cells, and then verifies storage. When the control device supplies the first read command with read address information, the nonvolatile memory device reads data stored in the memory cells to the data latches and then outputs the data in the data latches to the control device. When the control device supplies the second read command, the non-volatile memory device outputs data in the data latches to the control device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nonvolatile memory system comprising:
a control device; and
a plurality of nonvolatile memory devices each of which has a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of data latches;
wherein said control device supplies a plurality of commands to said nonvolatile memory devices, which commands comprise a write command, a first read command and a second read command,
wherein, when said control device supplies said write command with write address information and data for storing in said nonvolatile memory device, said nonvolatile memory device stores data to said data latches, stores said data in said data latches to ones of said memory cells and verifies whether said write data has been stored in said memory cells or not,
wherein, when said control device supplies said first read command with read address information, said nonvolatile memory device reads data stored in ones of said memory cells to said data latches and outputs said data in said data latches to said control device, and
wherein, when said control device supplies said second read command, said nonvolatile memory device outputs data in said data latches to said control device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A nonvolatile memory system according to claim 1,
wherein, in an operation of said write command, said nonvolatile memory device supplies information to said control device as to whether the data storing is a success or a failure, and
wherein said control device is capable of supplying said second read command when said control device is supplied with said information indicating the data storing being a failure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A nonvolatile memory system according to claim 2,
wherein said control device is capable of supplying said write command and received data from said nonvolatile memory device by said second read command to another nonvolatile memory device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

A nonvolatile memory system according to claim 2,
wherein said control device is capable of supplying said write command with address information different from said write address information and received data from said nonvolatile memory device by said second read command.