High speed low power fuse circuit
AssigneeGlobalfoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.
InventorsZhihong Luo, On Au Yeung, Bai Yen Nguyen, Benjamin Lau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuse circuit having a fuse unit cell containing two fuses. In the program/write mode, only one of the fuses in the fuse unit cell will be blown. In read mode, since only one fuse is blown, the current that goes through the two fuses in the fuse unit cell will be very small. Hence, the read power consumption for the fuse circuit is also very small and its sensing speed is also very high.
Claims20
A fuse circuit comprising a fuse unit cell, wherein the fuse unit cell comprises:
- first and second fuses;
- a fuse controller for programming the fuse unit cell, the fuse controller receiving fuse programming control input signals for programming the fuse unit cell, the fuse controller programs the fuse unit cell by blowing one of the first and second fuses while the other of the first and second fuses remain unblown;
- wherein the blown fuse always exists in a sensing path and the blown fuse produces a high resistance in the sensing path thereby resulting in a small sensing current;
- and
- wherein when the first fuse is blown and the second fuse is unblown, the fuse unit cell represents a first state;
- and when the first fuse is unblown and the second fuse is blown, the fuse unit cell represents a second state.
A method of programming fuse circuits comprising:
- providing a fuse circuit having a fuse unit cell with two fuses;
- and
- programming/writing the fuse unit cell by blowing only one of the two fuses while the other fuse always remain unblown, wherein the blown fuse always exists in a sensing path and the blown fuse produces a high resistance in the sensing path thereby resulting in a small sensing current, wherein depending on which fuse is blown, this represents a first or second state.
A fuse circuit comprising a fuse unit cell, wherein the fuse unit cell comprises:
- first and second fuses;
- a fuse controller for programming the fuse unit cell, the fuse controller for receiving fuse programming control input signals for programming the fuse unit cell, the fuse controller programs the fuse unit cell by blowing one of the first and second fuses while the other of the first and second fuses remain unblown, wherein the blown fuse always exists in a sensing path and the blown fuse produces a high resistance in the sensing path thereby resulting in a small sensing current;
- a sensing unit coupled to the fuse unit cell;
- and
- wherein when the first fuse is blown and the second fuse is unblown, the fuse unit cell represents a first state;
- and when the first fuse is unblown and the second fuse is blown, the fuse unit cell represents a second state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.