Patent · US Expired

Low power high voltage switch with gate bias circuit to minimize power consumption

US5604711A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
4References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 19, 1995
Grant dateFeb 18, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 19, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C8/08
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A memory circuit with a low power programming voltage switch for reduced leakage current during a read operation. The apparatus includes a high voltage switch which, in a programming mode receives a high (e.g. programming) voltage and in another mode (reading) receives a normal range voltage, and a line driver which drivers a selection or non-selection voltage into word lines or column select lines into a memory array. During a read mode, the deselected line drivers and high voltage switches are operated in a reduced leakage current mode such that leakage current is forced through selected line drivers and their high voltage switches before being forced through the deselected line drivers such that the leakage current is limited to the number of selected line drivers.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.