Monotonic counter using memory cells
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorLuc Wuidart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A monotonous counter formed as an integrated circuit, each counting bit being provided by a memory cell containing at least one memorization element formed of a polysilicon resistor, programmable by irreversible decrease in its value.
Claims18
A monotonic counter formed as an integrated circuit, each counting bit being provided by a memory cell containing at least one storage element formed of a polysilicon resistor, programmable by irreversible decrease in its resistance value;
- wherein the programming of said resistor is performed by temporarily submitting it to a constraint current greater than a current for which its resistance value exhibits a maximum, the maximum resistance value being greater than a nominal resistance value exhibited by the polysilicon resistor prior to submitting it to the constraint current.
A monotonic counter having a plurality of counting bits provided by a memory cell that includes at least one storage element comprising a resistor, programmable by decreasing the resistor's value;
- wherein the programming of said resistor is performed by temporarily submitting the resistor to a programming current greater than a current for which the resistor's value exhibits a maximum, the maximum resistance value being greater than a nominal resistance value exhibited by the resistor prior to submitting the resistor to the programming current.
A method of programming a monotonic counter having a resistor as a storage element, the method of comprising:
- applying a programming current to the resistor such that a resistance value of the resistor is irreversibly decreased, thereby programming the monotomic counter;
- wherein the programming current is greater than an current for which the resistance value exhibits a maximum resistance value, the maximum resistance value being greater than a nominal resistance value exhibited by the resistor prior to applying the programming current to the resistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.