Patent ID: 7388273

Claim:
A reprogrammable fuse structure, comprising: a phase-change material that has a higher resistivity state and a lower resistivity state, having a center point and end regions contacted at a plurality of locations with via contacts, wherein one set of at least two via contacts at two end regions are connected to control circuitry for programming the fuse and a second set of at least two via contacts at two end regions are in contact with sense-circuitry for sensing the fuse; provided that said first set and said second set of at least two via contacts at two end regions are connected through a path that crosses the center point; control circuitry to change the state of the phase change material from the higher resistivity state to the lower resistivity state or from the lower resistivity state to the higher resistivity state; and appropriate sense-circuitry similarly integrated to read the information stored in the fuses, wherein said sense circuitry is used to enable or disable circuitry.