Dummy cell arrangement for an MOS memory
US4363111A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 1980 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 6, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C11/4099
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A dummy cell arrangement is described for sensing the logic state of an accessed memory cell in an MOS memory in which a memory cell capacitor of a given size is associated with each memory cell. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of dummy cells are included, each of which has a dummy capacitor of substantially the same given size as a memory cell capacitor. When the state of an accessed memory cell is to be sensed, its memory cell capacitor is coupled to a bit line to change the voltage thereon and a selected dummy cell capacitor is coupled to a pair of bit lines so as to effect substantially equal transfers of charge between the dummy capacitor and the bit lines to which it is coupled. The resulting voltage on the memory cell capacitor's bit line is compared to the voltage on one of the dummy capacitor's bit lines so as to determine the logic state of the accessed memory cell.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.