Method of operating a system-on-a-chip including entering a standby state in a non-volatile memory while operating the system-on-a-chip from a volatile memory

摘要

A method of operating a system-on-a-chip having a logic circuit and a thin-oxide non-volatile memory embedded or located on a single chip. In this method, the contents of the non-volatile memory cells are read out and stored (with or without data decompression operations) into on-chip or off-chip volatile memory. The data contents of the non-volatile memory cells are then refreshed (through charge injection and removal) with optimum signal condition. The non-volatile memory cells then remain in an idle or standby mode substantially without a significant external electric field, while the system-on-a-chip is operated in response to the data stored in the volatile memory. If a reprogramming operation or a refresh operation is required, then the non-volatile memory cells are reprogrammed or refreshed as required and then returned to the idle or standby mode. As a result, the storage characteristics of the non-volatile memory cells are improved.