DUAL FUNCTION DATA REGISTER

• US 20090290434A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sidense Corporation (Synopsys Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kurjanowicz, Wlodek
• Granted Patent: US 8,023,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/189.05
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3454 Arrangements for verifying correct programming or for detecting overprogrammed cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/3459 Circuits or methods to verify correct programming of nonvolatile memory cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/14 in which contents are determined by selectively establishing, breaking or modifying connecting links by permanently altering the state of coupling elements, e.g. PROM
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/16 using electrically-fusible links
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/165 Memory cells which are electrically programmed to cause a change in resistance, e.g. to permit multiple resistance steps to be programmed rather than conduct to or from non-conduct change of fuses and antifuses digital stores using resistance random access memory elements G11C13/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 19/00 Digital stores in which the information is moved stepwise, e.g. shift registers
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2029/0407 on power on
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/027 in fuses
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/52 Protection of memory contents; Detection of errors in memory contents
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/143 Detection of memory cassette insertion or removal; Continuity checks of supply or ground lines; Detection of supply variations, interruptions or levels G11C5/148 takes precedence; Switching between alternative supplies G11C5/141 takes precedence

Abstract

A dual function serial and parallel data register with integrated program verify functionality. The master and slave latching circuits of the dual function data register can concurrently store two different words of data. In a program verify operation, the master latch stores program data and the slave latch will receive and store read data. Comparison logic in each register stage will compare the data of both latches, and integrate the comparison result to that of the previous register stage. The final single bit result will indicate the presence of at least one bit that has not been programmed. Automatic program inhibit logic in each stage will prevent successfully programmed bits from being re-programmed in each subsequent reprogram cycle. Either data word can be serially clocked out by selectively starting the shift operations on either the low or high active logic level of a clock signal.

Claims

1. A data register stage, comprising:

a data storage circuit having a first latch and a second latch arranged in a master-slave flip-flop configuration for shifting in data serially from a serial input terminal and for shifting out data from a serial output terminal, the shifting operations being controlled by phase adjustable clock signals; and

a status circuit for detecting opposite logic states stored in the first latch and the second latch, and for combining an output corresponding to the detected opposite logic states with a previous local status signal to provide a local status signal, the previous local status signal corresponding to detected opposite logic states stored in a previous data register stage.

2. The data register stage of claim 1, wherein the data storage circuit further includes a parallel data input circuit for coupling parallel data to an input of the first latch in response to a write signal, and a parallel data output terminal coupled to an output of the second latch.

3. The data register stage of claim 1, further including a program inhibit circuit for reversing the logic state stored in the first latch if the second latch stores a specific logic state.

4. The data register stage of claim 3, wherein the program inhibit circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor serially connected between a voltage supply and an input of the first latch, the first transistor gate receiving an enable signal and the second transistor gate being coupled to an output of the second latch.

5. The data register stage of claim 1, wherein the status circuit includes an XOR gate for comparing the logic state of the second latch to an inverted logic state of the first latch, and an AND gate for combining the XOR gate output with the previous local status signal to provide the local status signal.

6. The data register stage of claim 1, wherein the status circuit further detects matching logic states stored in the first latch and another first latch of the previous data register stage for providing a second local status signal.

7. The data register stage of claim 6, wherein the status circuit includes an AND gate for combining the logic state of the first latch with a second previous local status signal corresponding to the logic state of a second first latch of the previous data register stage, for providing the second local status signal.

8. The data register stage of claim 1, wherein the first latch output is coupled to a sense amplifier input and the second latch input is coupled to a sense amplifier output.

9. The data register stage of claim 1, wherein the phase adjustable clock signals include first and second clock signals generated by a clock controller in response to a source clock and an active logic level of a shift enable signal.

10. The data register stage of claim 9, wherein the clock controller includes

a first AND gate for generating the first clock signal in response to the source clock and the active logic level of the shift enable signal, and

a second AND gate for generating the second clock signal in response to an inverted source clock and the active logic level of the shift enable signal.

11. A non-volatile memory device, comprising:

a memory array having non-volatile memory cells connected to wordlines and bitlines;

bitline sense amplifiers coupled to the columns for biasing the bitlines in response to program data in a program operation and for sensing a read voltage of the bitlines in a read operation to provide read data; and

a data register for concurrently storing the program data and the read data, the data register comparing the stored program data to the stored read data and providing a status signal corresponding to a successful program operation when the stored program data and the stored read data are opposite logic levels.

12. The non-volatile memory device of claim 11, wherein the data register includes a first register stage and a second register stage serially connected to each other for serially shifting one of the program data and the read data through a serial output port coupled to the second register stage.

13. The non-volatile memory device of claim 12, wherein the first register stage and the second register stage each include:

a data storage circuit having a first latch and a second latch arranged in a master-slave flip-flop configuration for shifting in data serially from a serial input terminal and for shifting out data from a serial output terminal, the shifting operations being controlled by phase adjustable clock signals, and

a status circuit for detecting opposite logic states stored in the first latch and the second latch, and for combining an output corresponding to the detected opposite logic states with a previous local status signal to provide a local status signal, the previous local status signal corresponding to detected opposite logic states stored in a previous data register stage.

14. The non-volatile memory device of claim 13, further including a clock controller for generating the phase adjustable clock signals in response to a source clock and a shift enable signal, the program data being shifted out through the serial output port when the shift enable signal is activated while the source clock is at a first logic level, and the read data being shifted out through the serial output port when the shift enable signal is activated while the source clock is at a second logic level.

15. The non-volatile memory device of claim 13, wherein the data storage circuit further includes a parallel data input circuit for coupling parallel data to an input of the first latch in response to a write signal, and a parallel data output terminal coupled to an output of the second latch.

16. The non-volatile memory device of claim 13, wherein the status circuit includes a data match circuit for detecting opposite logic states stored in the first latch and the second latch, the data match circuit including,

an XOR gate for comparing the logic state of the second latch to an inverted logic state of the first latch, and

an AND gate for combining the XOR gate output with the previous local status signal to provide the local status signal.

17. The non-volatile memory device of claim 16, further including a program inhibit circuit for changing the logic state stored in the first latch to a program inhibit logic state if the second latch stores read data corresponding to a successfully programmed memory cell.

18. The non-volatile memory device of claim 17, wherein the status circuit includes a reprogram verify circuit for providing a second local status signal when the first latch and a previous second local status signal have logic states corresponding to the program inhibit logic state, the previous second local status signal being provided by the previous data register stage.

19. The non-volatile memory device of claim 18, wherein the data register includes program verify logic for providing the status signal corresponding to a successful program operation when the local status signal is at a logic level corresponding to the detected opposite logic states.

20. The non-volatile memory device of claim 18, wherein the data register includes program verify logic for providing the status signal corresponding to a successful program operation when the second local status signal is at a logic level corresponding to the program inhibit logic state.

21. The non-volatile memory device of claim 18, wherein the data register includes program verify logic for providing the status signal corresponding to a successful program operation when the local status signal is at a logic level corresponding to the detected opposite logic states and the second local status signal is at a logic level corresponding to the program inhibit logic state.

22. The non-volatile memory device of claim 17, wherein the program inhibit circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor serially connected between a voltage supply and an input of the first latch, the first transistor gate receiving an enable signal and the second transistor gate being coupled to an output of the second latch.

23. The non-volatile memory device of claim 18, wherein the reprogram verify circuit includes an AND gate for combining the logic state of the first latch with the previous second local status signal to provide the second local status signal.