Patent ID: 7706178

Claim:
A method of operating an apparatus, said apparatus comprising a programmable interconnect matrix array, said array comprising a plurality of first conductive lines, a plurality of second conductive lines, and a plurality of programmable connections, each of said programmable connections comprising a phase-change material and having a closed connection state, an intermediate resistance connection state, and an open connection state, each of said programmable connections being electrically coupled between one of said first conductive lines and one of said second conductive lines, said electrical coupling occurring without an active selection device in series with the phase-change material between said lines, said method comprising the step of: applying energy to a first of said programmable connections, said energy transforming said first programmable connection to a first connection state between a first of said first conductive lines and a first of said second conductive lines, said first connection state being a first closed connection or a first intermediate resistance connection; and applying energy to a second of said programmable connections, said energy transforming said second programmable connection to a second connection state between a second of said first conductive lines and a second of said second conductive lines, said second connection state being a second closed connection or a second intermediate resistance connection; said second connection state coexisting with said first connection state in said array.