Reconfigurable circuit and the method for using the same

Abstract

A reconfigurable circuit comprising: a first line; a first switch element disposed between the first line and a first power source line of first voltage; a second line; a second switch element disposed between the second line and a second power source line of second voltage which is different from the first voltage; and a resistive switch assembly disposed between the first line and the second line. The resistive switch assembly including a first non-volatile resistive switch, and a second non-volatile resistive switch whose first end is coupled to a first end of the first non-volatile resistive switch. The second end of the first non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the first line, and the second end of the second non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the second line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reconfigurable circuit comprising:
 a first line;   a first switch element disposed between the first line and a first power source line of first voltage;   a second line;   a second switch element disposed between the second line and a second power source line of second voltage which is different from the first voltage; and   a resistive switch assembly disposed between the first line and the second line, the resistive switch assembly including a first non-volatile resistive switch and a second non-volatile resistive switch whose first end is coupled to a first end of the first non-volatile resistive switch,   wherein a second end of the first non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the first line, and a second end of the second non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the second line.   
     
     
         2 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the first voltage and the second voltage is a power supply voltage, and the other of the first voltage and the second voltage is ground potential. 
     
     
         3 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch comprises an active electrode, an inert electrode, and a solid-electrolyte sandwiched between the active electrode and the inert electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 3 , wherein the active electrodes of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch are coupled to each other, or the inert electrodes of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch are coupled to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first switch element and the second switch element comprises a MOS transistor. 
     
     
         6 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first switch element and the second switch element are turned on in accordance with a memory enable signal. 
     
     
         7 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first program driver applying a first program voltage to the first line;   a second program driver applying a second program voltage to the second line; and   a third program driver applying a third program voltage to a coupling part of the first ends of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch.   
     
     
         8 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the resistive switch assemblies are disposed between the first line and the second line, and a pass transistor is arranged in each of the plurality of the resistive switch assemblies such that the pass transistor is inserted in a section between a coupling position of the first non-volatile resistive switch to the first line and a coupling position of the second non-volatile resistive switch to the second line. 
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 8 , wherein a time control signal is applied to a gate of the pass transistor. 
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a plurality of first lines and a plurality of second lines are arranged, and   the resistive switch assembly is disposed at each of cross-points between the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines.   
     
     
         11 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 10 , wherein the first switch element is provided for each of the plurality of the first lines and the second switch element is provided for each of the plurality of the second lines. 
     
     
         12 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of the resistive switch assemblies are disposed at each of the cross-points, and a pass transistor is arranged in each of the plurality of the resistive switch assemblies such that the pass transistor is inserted in a section between a coupling position of the first non-volatile resistive switch to the first line and a coupling position of the second non-volatile resistive switch to the second line. 
     
     
         13 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 12 , wherein a time control signal is applied to a gate of the pass transistor. 
     
     
         14 . A reconfigurable circuit comprising:
 a plurality of first lines;   a plurality of first selection transistors respectively connected to the plurality of first lines and controlled by first address,   a plurality of second lines;   a plurality of second selection transistors respectively connected to the plurality of second lines and controlled by second address,   a resistive switch assembly disposed at each of cross-points between the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines, the resistive switch assembly including a first non-volatile resistive switch and a second non-volatile resistive switch whose first end is coupled to a first end of the first non-volatile resistive switch,   a first switch element connecting at least one of the first lines to a first power source line of first voltage in response to a memory enable signal; and   a second switch element connecting at least one of the second lines to a second power source line of second voltage in response to the memory enable signal, the second voltage being different from the first voltage,   wherein, in each resistive switch assembly, a second end of the first non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the first line, and a second end of the second non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the second line.   
     
     
         15 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of third lines respectively provided for the plurality of the first lines;   a control transistor provided for each cross-point, one end of the control transistor being connected to a coupling part of the first end of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the first end of the second non-volatile resistive switch, the other end of the control transistor being connected to one of the third lines corresponding to the each cross-point, a address signal of the second address corresponding to the each cross-point being applied to a gate of the control transistor;   a fourth line;   a plurality of third selection transistors respectively connecting the plurality of third lines to the fourth line;   a first program driver applying a first program voltage to the plurality of first lines through the plurality of first selection transistors;   a second program driver applying a second program voltage to the plurality of second lines through the plurality of second selection transistors; and   a third program driver applying a third program voltage to the fourth line.   
     
     
         16 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 15 , wherein stored values associated with the cross-points are serially read through the fourth line in response to the memory enable signal. 
     
     
         17 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 15 , wherein stored values associated with the cross-points are read in parallel through the plurality of the third lines in response to the memory enable signal. 
     
     
         18 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 14 , wherein one of the first voltage and the second voltage is a power supply voltage, and the other of the first voltage and the second voltage is ground potential. 
     
     
         19 . The reconfigurable circuit according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch comprises an active electrode, an inert electrode, and a solid-electrolyte sandwiched between the active electrode and the inert electrode. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method for using reconfigurable circuit comprising a first line, a second line, and a resistive switch assembly disposed between the first line and the second line, wherein the resistive switch assembly includes a first non-volatile resistive switch and a second non-volatile resistive switch whose first end is coupled to a first end of the first non-volatile resistive switch, a second end of the first non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the first line, and a second end of the second non-volatile resistive switch is coupled to the second line, the method comprising:
 using the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch as a data routing switch between the first line and the second line, by selectively making one of a first state in which the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch are in ON-state, and a second state in which the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch are in Off-state; and   using the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch as a memory element, by making one of the first non-volatile resistive switch and the second non-volatile resistive switch the ON-state and the other the OFF-state.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)