Patent · US Expired

Self-tracking sense amplifier strobing circuit and method

US5724294A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
3References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 1996
Grant dateMar 3, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C7/14
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A self-tracking sense amplifier strobing circuit and process to provide a sense amplifier enable signal in order to reliably control memory read operations over a wide variety of processing conditions. An array of self-tracking memory cells is configured to store a fixed value and includes at least a first tracking cell coupled to receive a wordline enable signal. First and second bitlines are coupled to the first array with the first bitline to be coupled to a power source. An output coupled to the second bitline is asserted to provide a sense amplifier enable signal when the second bitline reaches a predetermined voltage in response to the wordline enable signal being received by the tracking cell.

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