Abstract:
The present invention provides a flash memory integrated circuit with multi-selected modes. The flash memory integrated circuit comprises a base, a plurality of flash memory dies, and a transformation device. The plurality of flash memory dies and the transformation device are disposed on the base. And the multi-selected modes can be switched by inputting control signals to the transformation device for controlling the flash memory dies to perform such a transformation procedure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (IC) with a multi-selected modes, and more particularly, to a flash memory integrated circuit with a multi-selected modes which is selected from an 8-bit mode, a 16-bit mode, a 32-bit mode, and so on.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Comparing with general memories, the flash memory can maintain stored data without power supply such that the written data can still be stored in the memory after turning off the power. Further, with the characteristics of small volume and large capacity, the flash memory is widely applied in various portable 3C (communication, computer, and consumer electronics) products, including personal digital assistants (PDA), wireless mobile communication devices such as mobile phones and personal handy-phone systems (PHS), and digital memory cards (like compact flash (CF) cards, multimedia cards (MMC), and smart media (SM) cards) compatible with digital cameras, movable drives, and switch cards. Usually, the flash memory is adapted for the 8-bit mode. However, with the improvement of technology, not only 8-bit mode, but also 16-bit mode, 32-bit mode, and even 64-bit mode are gradually developed. Since the memory mode of general flash memory integrated circuits cannot be modified after being packaged, it brings about many usage limitations for users. And the inventory problem may come to the manufacturers because the usage of the same flash memory die cannot be transformed after being packaged.  
         [0005]     Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved flash memory integrated circuit with multi-selected modes to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The flash memory integrated circuit with multi-selected modes of the present invention comprises a base, a plurality of flash memory dies, and a transformation device. The plurality of flash memory dies and the transformation device are disposed on the base, and the aforementioned transformation device has at least one input and a plurality control lines each corresponding connected to each flash memory die. The above input receives an input control signal for switching to a plurality of memory modes of the flash memory dies according to the control lines, such that the user adjusts the flash memory integrated circuit with multi-selected modes to a required memory mode, such as an 8-bit mode, a 16-bit mode, a 32-bit mode, and so on.  
         [0007]     The plurality of flash memory dies and the transformation device can also share the same body for packaging.  
         [0008]     Further, the flash memory dies are disposed on the base, or independently disposed on the base.  
         [0009]     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic drawing of a package structure of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic drawing of a circuit structure of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flash memory integrated circuit with multi-selected modes of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0013]     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic drawing of a package structure of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , there are four flash memory dies  11  each mutually superimposed on a base  10 , and packaged within a body  13 . A transformation device  120  is also disposed on the base  10 , and packaged within the same body  13 . In this embodiment, the transformation device  120  has two inputs  121  for receiving input control signals so as to decide the memory mode by decoding the input control signals. The transformation device  120  further comprises four control lines  122  each correspondingly connected to four flash memory dies  11  so as to control each flash memory die  11  to switch to multiple memory modes.  
         [0014]     With reference to  FIG. 2 , it illustrates a schematic drawing of a circuit structure of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. In  FIG. 2 , each flash memory die  11  is configured as an 8-bit mode, and has CE pins  110  and a set of input/output (IO)  0 - 7 . Consequently, these four flash memory dies  11  can be combined for being configured as a maximum of a 32-bit mode. The transformation device  120  receives input control signals through the input  121  for switching the flash memory mode. If the input control signals of the input line M 1  and the input line M 2  are respectively logic ‘0’ and logic ‘0’, the flash memory integrated circuit is configured as an 8-bit (=8&gt;2 2 ) mode; if the input control signals of the input line M 1  and the input line M 2  are respectively logic ‘0’ and logic ‘1’, the flash memory integrated circuit is configured as a 16-bit (=8×2 1 ) mode; if both input control signals are logic ‘1’, the flash memory integrated circuit is then configured as a 32-bit (=8×2 2 ) mode. The transformation device  120  further includes a CE pin set  20 , wherein each CE pin CE 1 -CE 4  of the CE pin set  20  is correspondingly connected to the CE pin  110  of each flash memory die  11  for respectively driving the CE pin  110 . Moreover, there are four external IO&#39;s TIO  0 - 7 , TIO  8 - 15 , TIO  16 - 23  and TIO  24 - 31  each correspondingly connected to the IO  0 - 7  of the aforementioned four flash memory dies  11  according to different bit modes. Therefore, users can provide different input control signals based on their requirements or selections for accomplishing switching to different modes.  
         [0015]     Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a flash memory integrated circuit with multi-selected modes of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Those multi-selected modes comprise a first mode (the 8-bit mode), a second mode (the 16-bit mode), and a third mode (the 32-bit mode) for the transformation device  120  to process a corresponding transformation procedure. When the input status is configured as the first mode, the TIO  0 - 7  of the external TIO  0 - 31  of the transformation device  120  is correspondingly connected to the IO  0 - 7  of the first flash memory die  11 , the external TIO  8 - 15  is correspondingly connected to the IO  0 - 7  of the second flash memory die  11 , the external TIO  16 - 23  is correspondingly connected to the IO  0 - 7  of the third flash memory die  11 , and the external TIO  24 - 31  is correspondingly connected to the IO  0 - 7  of the fourth flash memory die  11 . Therefore, it can be regarded as four independent 8-bit flash memory dies  11 .  
         [0016]     If the input status is configured as the second mode (16-bit mode), the first flash memory die  11  and the second flash memory die  11  are regarded as the same memory unit, while the third flash memory die  11  and the fourth flash memory die  11  are regarded as another memory unit. The connection between the transformation device  120  and the two memory units is shown in  FIG. 3 . TIO  0  is connected to IO  0  of the first flash memory die  11 ; TIO  1  is connected to IO  0  of the second flash memory die  11 ; TIO  2  is connected to IO  1  of the first flash memory die  11 ; TIO  3  is connected to IO  1  of the second flash memory die  11 ; and son on. Likewise, the connection between TIO  16 - 31  and the third and fourth flash memory dies  11  is similar to that between TIO  0 - 15  and the first and second flash memory dies  11 . That is, TIO  16  is connected to IO  0  of the third flash memory die  11 ; TIO  17  is connected to IO  0  of the fourth flash memory die  11 , and so forth. Briefly, the connection between the transformation device  120  and two flash memory dies  11  is mutually interlaced under the second mode.  
         [0017]     If the input status is configured as the third mode (32-bit mode), the first, second, third and fourth flash memory dies  11  are all configured as a whole memory unit, and the connection between the transformation device  120  and the memory unit is also mutually interlaced. As shown in  FIG. 3 , while in the 32-bit mode, TIO  0  is connected to IO  0  of the first flash memory die; TIO  1  is connected to IO  0  of the second flash memory die  11 ; TIO  2  is connected to IO  0  of the third flash memory die  11 ; TIO  3  is connected to IO  0  of the fourth flash memory die  11 , and so on. Consequently, the transformation device  120  is capable of switching the aforesaid three memory modes for complying with user&#39;s requirement or selection.  
         [0018]     Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.