Patent ID: 6222776
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: G11C,H03K

Abstract:
A programmable latch comprising:a first terminal for receiving a first voltage which is a non-ground voltage;a second terminal for receiving a second voltage;a terminal T1 for providing a signal indicating a state of the programmable latch;a non-volatile programmable element connected to the terminal T1 and the first terminal, the programmable element providing a conductive path between the terminal T1 and the first terminal when the programmable element is conductive, the programmable element isolating the terminal T1 from the first terminal when the programmable element is non-conductive;a variable-impedance electrical path connected between the terminal T1 and the second terminal, the variable-impedance path having a control terminal for controlling the impedance of the variable impedance path; andone or more serially connected inverters IV.sub.1, . . . , IV.sub.n (n.gtoreq.1), wherein the terminal T1 is connected to an input of inverter IV.sub.1, and the control terminal is connected to an output of inverter IV.sub.n ;wherein during operation of the latch the signal on the terminal T1 is completely determined by the state of the programmable element and the first and second voltage; andwherein no capacitor is provided between an input of any inverter IV.sub.i (i=1, . . . , n) and the second terminal.