Patent ID: 7508716

Claim:
A sense amplifier for nonvolatile memory cells comprising: a reference cell; a first load for connection between a supply terminal and an input terminal of an output comparator, said first load being connected to said reference cell via a first conduction terminal; a second load, connectable to a nonvolatile memory cell, said first load and said second load each having a controllable resistance; and a control circuit controlling said first load and said second load and feeding said first load and said second load with a control voltage independent of an operating voltage between the first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal of said first load; wherein the first load is controlled by the control circuit in response to a voltage of the first conduction terminal of the first load to provide a reading current to the reference cell during a reading of the nonvolatile memory cell, wherein the reading current passes through both the reference cell and the first load at the same time.