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US 7,548,448 B2Granted
Integrated circuit having a switch
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsJan Boris Philipp, Thomas Happ
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reprogrammable switch includes a first phase-change element, a first reference element, and a second reference element. The switch includes a sense amplifier for outputting a first signal based on a comparison of a signal from the first phase-change element to a signal from the first reference element and for outputting a second signal based on a comparison of the signal from the first phase-change element to a signal from the second reference element.
Claims28
An integrated circuit having a switch comprising:
- a first resistivity changing element;
- a first reference element;
- a second reference element;
- and
- a sense amplifier, the sense amplifier configured to compare a signal from the first resistivity changing element to a signal from the first reference element and to output a first signal based on the comparison for configuring the integrated circuit, the sense amplifier further configured to compare the signal from the first resistivity changing element to a signal from the second reference element and to output a second signal based on the comparison for configuring the integrated circuit.
2 more elements
A reprogrammable switch comprising:
- phase-change material;
- and
- a sense amplifier coupled to the phase-change material, a first reference signal, and a second reference signal, the sense amplifier configured to compare a signal from the phase-change material to the first reference signal to provide a first output signal for deactivating a failing portion of a chip, the sense amplifier further configured to compare the signal from the phase-change material to the second reference signal to provide a second output signal for deactivating a failing portion of the chip.
A reprogrammable switch comprising:
- a first phase-change element;
- a first reference element directly coupled to the first phase-change element;
- a second reference element directly coupled to the first reference element;
- a first transistor directly coupled to the first phase-change element and the first reference element, the first transistor turning on based on a state of the first phase-change element;
- and
- a second transistor directly coupled to the first reference element and the second reference element, the second transistor turning on based on a state of the first phase-change element.
3 more elements
A reprogrammable switch comprising:
- phase-change material;
- a first reference element;
- a second reference element;
- and
- means for deactivating a first failing portion of an integrated circuit based on a state of the first reference element and a state of the phase-change material and for deactivating a second failing portion of the integrated circuit based on a state of the second reference element and the state of the phase-change material.
2 more elements
A method for using a reprogrammable switch, the method comprising:
- applying a write pulse to a first phase-change material to switch a state of the first phase-change material;
- applying a first signal to the first phase-change material, a first reference element, and a second reference element;
- sensing a second signal from the first phase-change material, a third signal from the first reference element, and a fourth signal from the second reference element;
- comparing the second signal to the third signal to provide a fifth signal;
- configuring an integrated circuit based on the fifth signal;
- comparing the second signal to the fourth signal to provide a sixth signal;
- and
- configuring the integrated circuit based on the sixth signal.
5 more elements
A method for using a reprogrammable switch, the method comprising:
- applying a write pulse to first phase-change material to program the first phase-change material;
- dividing a first voltage between the first phase-change material, a first reference element, and a second reference element to provide a second voltage and a third voltage;
- turning on a first switch based on the second voltage;
- configuring an integrated circuit with the first switch;
- turning on a second switch based on the third voltage;
- and
- configuring the integrated circuit with the second switch.
4 more elements
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a resistivity changing element;
- a reference element;
- and
- a sense amplifier continuously electrically coupled to the resistivity changing element and continuously providing an output signal based on a state of the resistivity changing element and a state of the reference element for deactivating a failing portion of the integrated circuit.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.