Patent ID: 8570787

Claim:
A storage apparatus comprising: a plurality of storage elements configured to have the resistance state thereof changed in accordance with an applied voltage; and a drive portion configured to perform a resistance change operation and a read operation, said resistance change operation involving writing or erasing information to or from said storage elements by changing the resistance state thereof, said read operation involving reading the information from said storage elements; wherein said drive portion includes an amplifier configured to output a read signal upon execution of said read operation, a constant current load, and a control portion configured to perform said resistance change operation and a direct verify operation on said storage elements, said direct verify operation involving carrying out, subsequent to said resistance change operation, said read operation for verifying whether the writing or erasing of the information to or from said storage elements has been normally accomplished, and said control portion exercises control, during a period in which said direct verify operation is carried out, in such a manner that said constant current load functions as a load on said amplifier and that said read signal is output based on a current flowing through said storage elements and on the current of said constant current load.