# US 9,431,104 B2 · Reconfigurable circuit and method of programming the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,431,104 B2 - Document ID: US9431104B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/884,215 - Filed: 2015-10-15 - Published: 2016-02-04 - Granted: 2016-08-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-11 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Koichiro Zaitsu; Shinichi Yasuda; Kosuke Tatsumura; Mari Matsumoto; Masato Oda; Reika Ichihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9431104B2 ## CPC - G11C 13/0069: {Writing or programming circuits or methods} - G11C 13/0002: {using resistive RAM [RRAM] elements} - G11C 13/0004: {comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells} - G11C 13/0007: {comprising metal oxide memory material, e.g. perovskites} - G11C 13/0023: {Address circuits or decoders} - H03K 19/1776: for memories - G11C 2013/0078: {Write using current through the cell} - G11C 2213/77: Array wherein the memory element being directly connected to the bit lines and word lines without any access device being used - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A reconfigurable circuit according to an embodiment includes: first wiring lines; second wiring lines crossing the first wiring lines; resistive change elements disposed in intersection regions of the first and second wiring lines, each of the resistive change elements including a first terminal connected to the one of the first wiring lines and a second terminal connected to the one of the second wiring lines, and being switchable between a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state; a first control circuit controlling a voltage to be applied to the first wiring lines; a second control circuit controlling a voltage to be applied to the second wiring lines; and current limiting elements corresponding to the second wiring lines, and controlling current flowing through the resistive change elements connected to the corresponding second wiring line. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reconfigurable circuit comprising: a first wiring line group including a plurality of first wiring lines to which signals are inputted; a second wiring line group including a plurality of second wiring lines from which signals are outputted, the second wiring lines crossing the first wiring lines; a plurality of resistive change elements disposed in intersection regions of the first wiring lines and the second wiring lines, each of the resistive change elements including a first terminal connected to one of the first wiring lines and a second terminal connected to one of the second wiring lines, and each of the resistive change elements being switchable between a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state; a first control circuit configured to control a voltage to be applied to the first wiring lines; a second control circuit configured to control a voltage to be applied to the second wiring lines; and a plurality of current limiting elements corresponding to the second wiring lines, and each of the current limiting elements being configured to control current flowing through the resistive change elements connected to the corresponding second wiring line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first inverters corresponding to the first wiring lines, wherein each of the first wiring lines is connected to an output terminal of the corresponding one of the first inverters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second inverters corresponding to the second wiring lines, wherein each of the second wiring lines is connected to an input terminal of the corresponding one of the second inverters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The circuit according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of first transistors corresponding to the first wiring lines, wherein each of the first transistors is connected between the corresponding one of the first wiring lines and one of the first inverters corresponding to the corresponding one of the first wiring lines. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The circuit according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of second transistors corresponding to the second wiring lines, wherein each of the second transistors is connected between the corresponding one of the second wiring lines and one of the second inverters corresponding to the corresponding one of the second wiring lines. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the resistive change elements do not have a rectifying property in the low-resistance state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of the first terminals of the resistive change elements is directly connected to the corresponding one of the first wiring lines, and each of the second terminals is directly connected to the corresponding one of the second wiring lines. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method of programming the reconfigurable circuit according to claim 1, comprising, when switching one of two elements among the resistive change elements connected in common to one of the second wiring lines from the low-resistance state to the high-resistance state and the other from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state: switching the one of the resistive change elements from the low-resistance state to the high-resistance state, followed by switching the other of the resistive change elements from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method of programming the reconfigurable circuit according to claim 1, comprising, when switching one of the resistive change elements from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state: applying a first voltage to the first wiring line to which the first terminal of the one of the resistive change elements is connected, and applying a second voltage to at least one of the first wiring lines other than the one to which the first voltage is applied, by the first control circuit; and applying a third voltage to one of the second wiring lines to which the second terminal of the one of the resistive change elements is connected, and applying a fourth voltage to at least one of the second wiring lines other than the one to which the third voltage is applied, by the second control circuit, a value of the second voltage and a value of the fourth voltage being between a value of the first voltage and a value of the third voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein one of the first voltage and the third voltage is a program voltage, and the other is a ground voltage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the value of the second voltage and the value of the fourth voltage are a middle value between the value of the first voltage and the value of the third voltage. ### Claim 12 A reconfigurable circuit comprising: a first wiring line group including a plurality of first wiring lines to which signals are inputted; a second wiring line group including a plurality of second wiring lines from which signals are outputted, the second wiring lines crossing the first wiring lines; a plurality of resistive change elements disposed in intersection regions of the first wiring lines and the second wiring lines, each of the resistive change elements including a first terminal connected to one of the first wiring lines and a second terminal connected to one of the second wiring lines, and each of the resistive change elements being switchable between a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state; a first control circuit configured to control a voltage to be applied to the first wiring lines; a second control circuit configured to control a voltage to be applied to the second wiring lines; and a current limiting element corresponding to the second wiring line group, and being configured to control current flowing through the resistive change elements connected to the second wiring lines. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The circuit according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of first inverters corresponding to the first wiring lines, wherein each of the first wiring lines is connected to an output terminal of the corresponding one of the first inverters. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The circuit according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of second inverters corresponding to the second wiring lines, wherein each of the second wiring lines is connected to an input terminal of the corresponding one of the second inverters. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The circuit according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of first transistors corresponding to the first wiring lines, wherein each of the first transistors is connected between the corresponding one of the first wiring lines and one of the first inverters corresponding to the corresponding one of the first wiring lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The circuit according to claim 14, further comprising a plurality of second transistors corresponding to the second wiring lines, wherein each of the second transistors is connected between the corresponding one of the second wiring lines and one of the second inverters corresponding to the corresponding one of the second wiring lines. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The circuit according to claim 12, further comprising a decoder connected between the current limiting element and the second wiring lines. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A method of programming the reconfigurable circuit according to claim 12, comprising, when switching one of two elements among the resistive change elements connected in common to one of the second wiring lines from the low-resistance state to the high-resistance state and the other from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state: switching the one of the resistive change elements from the low-resistance state to the high-resistance state, followed by switching the other of the resistive change elements from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A method of programming the reconfigurable circuit according to claim 12, comprising, when switching one of the resistive change elements from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state: applying a first voltage to the first wiring line to which the first terminal of the one of the resistive change elements is connected, and applying a second voltage to at least one of the first wiring lines other than the one to which the first voltage is applied, by the first control circuit; and applying a third voltage to one of the second wiring lines to which the second terminal of the one of the resistive change elements is connected, and applying a fourth voltage to at least one of the second wiring lines other than the one to which the third voltage is applied, by the second control circuit, a value of the second voltage and a value of the fourth voltage being between a value of the first voltage and a value of the third voltage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the value of the second voltage and the value of the fourth voltage are a middle value between the value of the first voltage and the value of the third voltage.