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Low power voltage detector circuit including a flash memory cell

  • US 5,495,453 A
  • Filed: 10/19/1994
  • Issued: 02/27/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A voltage detector circuit for detecting when an input voltage exceeds a trip-point voltage, comprising:

  • a nonvolatile memory cell including a select gate coupled to the input voltage, a drain coupled to a first node, a source coupled to a first voltage, and a floating gate, wherein the nonvolatile memory cell has a programmable threshold voltage and the threshold voltage is programmed such that the nonvolatile memory cell is switched on to set the first node to the first voltage if the input voltage exceeds the trip-point voltage; and

    a first transistor including a control electrode coupled to a biasing voltage, a first terminal coupled to the first node, and a second terminal coupled to the input voltage, the control electrode for coupling the first terminal to the second terminal in response to the biasing voltage, wherein the first transistor sets the first node to the input voltage if the input voltage is less than the trip-point voltage; and

    an output circuit coupled to the first node, the output circuit being operative to indicate whether the input voltage exceeds the trip-point voltage in response to the voltage of the first node.

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