Patent · US Expired

Sense amplifier circuit

US6271687A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
10References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 21, 2000
Grant dateAug 7, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 21, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C7/065
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A sense amplifier, which is intended to reduce the output response time after it has received a small voltage difference until it delivers amplified output signals, consists of a latch circuit made up of a pair of CMOS inverters, a pair of NMOS transistors connected in parallel to the latch circuit, and a current source connected in series to the latch circuit and NMOS transistor pair. The NMOS transistors amplify a small voltage difference of input signals, and the inverters of the latch circuit further amplify the resulting voltage difference to produce the output signals. Based on a small voltage difference of input signals being amplified in two stages and the amplifying circuit being 2-stage serial connection of the current source and the NMOS transistor or CMOS inverter, the delay time of output response can be reduced.

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