Patent ID: 7583527
Filing Date: 2009-09-01
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A tunable resistor, comprising: a resistor input terminal; a resistor output terminal; at least one current path coupled between the resistor input terminal and the resistor output terminal, wherein the at least one current path runs through at least one memory cell of an arrangement of programmable microelectronic memory cells; and a resistance adjusting means for adjusting the current path resistances of the current paths by programming the memory states of corresponding memory cells or activating/deactivating current paths such that the overall resistance between the resistor input terminal and the resistor output terminal is set to a predetermined resistance target value, wherein each memory cell comprises a current path input terminal and a current path output terminal, said terminals being used by the resistance adjusting means for applying a programming voltage across the memory cell in order to program the memory cell.