Patent ID: 8094481

Claim:
A resistance variable memory apparatus comprising: a resistance variable element including a first electrode and a second electrode, the resistance variable element being configured to store data based on a change in an electric resistance between electrodes which is an electric resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode; a controller; a voltage restricting active element which is connected in series with the resistance variable element and is configured to set an upper limit of an absolute value of a voltage between electrodes which is an electric potential of the first electrode based on the second electrode as a reference to a predetermined value, in accordance with control of the controller; and a current restricting active element which is connected in series with the resistance variable element via the voltage restricting active element and is configured to set an upper limit of an absolute value of a current between electrodes which is a current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode to a predetermined value, in accordance with control of the controller; wherein the resistance variable element has a characteristic in which, in a state where the resistance variable element is in a low-resistance state in which the electric resistance between electrodes has a first resistance value, the resistance variable element is switched to a high-resistance state in which the electric resistance between electrodes has a second resistance value larger than the first resistance value when the voltage between electrodes exceeds in absolute value a first voltage, while in a state where the resistance variable element is in the high-resistance state, the resistance variable element is switched from the high-resistance state to the low-resistance state when the voltage between electrodes exceeds in absolute value a second voltage which is identical in polarity to the first voltage and is larger in absolute value than the first voltage.