Patent Grant
8422311
The invention generally relates to an EPROM data erasing apparatus and method for erasing the data stored on an EPROM.
It is to be understood that the foregoing and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not to be viewed as being restrictive of the invention, as claimed. Further advantages of this invention will be apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments, which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings and in the appended claims.
An erasable programmable read only memory (“EPROM”) is a type of memory chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. In other words, it is “non-volatile”. As used herein, the term EPROM includes electrically erasable programmable read only memory.
Apparatus 10 embodiments of the invention include an EPROM that is housed in an EPROM package 2. The EPROM package 2 has an aperture (through which light emitting from the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 enters) that is in some embodiments covered by a transparent quartz window 6; in other embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 covers the aperture (in which case a transparent quartz window 6 is not used).
Apparatus embodiments of the invention also include an ultraviolet light emitting diode 4. The ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 can be any ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 capable of emitting sufficient light (photons) at a wavelength(s) to cause erasure of data stored on the EPROM.
In some embodiments, the wavelength of the light emitted from the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is about 254 nanometers; however, in other embodiments, the wavelength of the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 can be a wavelength other than about 254 nanometers as long as the wavelength of the light emitted from the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is less than about 400 nanometers.
The ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is oriented and located such that the EPROM receives sufficient photons (emitted from the ultraviolet light emitting diode) to cause erasure of data stored on said EPROM.
In some embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is physically associated with the EPROM package 2, such as, for example, by affixing the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 to the EPROM package 2 using: 1) an adhesive, for example, epoxy; 2) a fastener; and/or 3) mechanically securing the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 to the EPROM package 2, such as, for example, using a clamp. In other embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is not physically associated with the EPROM package 2.
In some embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is in direct physical contact with the transparent quartz window 6 of the EPROM package 2. In another embodiment(s), in which the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 covers the aperture in the EPROM package 2, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 provides the dual utility of providing light and covering the aperture in the EPROM package 2, in which case a transparent quartz window 6 is not used. In other embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is not in direct physical contact with the EPROM package 2 at all.
In some embodiments (not illustrated), a focusing means (such as, for example a quartz lens, micro-lens array, or polycarbonate lens) is used to focus the light emitted from the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 through the aperture onto the EPROM.
Method embodiments of the invention include providing an EPROM housed in an EPROM package 2. The EPROM package 2 has an aperture (through which light emitting from the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 enters) that is in some embodiments covered by a transparent quartz window 6; in other embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 covers the aperture (in which case a transparent quartz window 6 is not used).
Method embodiments of the invention also include providing an ultraviolet light emitting diode 4. The ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 can be any ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 capable of emitting sufficient light (photons) at a wavelength(s) to cause erasure of data stored on the EPROM.
The ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is oriented and located such that the EPROM receives sufficient photons (emitted from the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4) to cause erasure of data stored on the EPROM. Some method embodiments of the invention include physically associating the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 with the EPROM package 2; however, in some other method embodiments of the invention, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is not physically associated with the EPROM package 2.
Some method embodiments of the invention include locating the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 in direct physical contact with the transparent quartz window 6 of the EPROM package 2. Other method embodiments of the invention include physically associating the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 with the EPROM package 2 such that the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 covers the aperture in the EPROM package 2. In yet other embodiments, the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 is not in direct physical contact with the EPROM package 2 (including a transparent quartz window 6).
Some embodiments of the invention further include fixedly mounting the EPROM package 2 on a circuit board by any known means, such as, for example, soldering. However, in some embodiments, the EPROM package 2 is not fixedly mounted on a circuit board.
Some method embodiments of the invention include causing the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 to emit sufficient light to erase data stored on the EPROM by providing electric current to the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4. The electric current can be supplied from any source that provides an electric current sufficient to cause the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 to emit light at a frequency below about 400 nanometers for a sufficient amount of time to cause erasure of the data stored on the EPROM. A few possibilities for an electric power source (that could be used to provide electric current to the ultraviolet light emitting diode) include, but are not limited to: 1) integrating the LED within the EPROM package, 2) power from the circuit board, and 3) battery power.
In some method embodiments of the invention, erasure of data stored on the EPROM is accomplished by providing electric current to the ultraviolet light emitting diode 4 and without removing the EPROM package 2 from contact with the circuit board; however, in other method embodiments of the invention, erasure of data stored on the EPROM is accomplished by providing electric current to the ultraviolet emitting diode 4 while the EPROM is not physically associated with a circuit board.
While embodiments of the invention have been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4858219 | Yoshikawa | Aug 1989 | A |
| 6686097 | Lahrichi | Feb 2004 | B2 |
| 7898873 | Chen et al. | Mar 2011 | B2 |
