Patent · US Expired

Current sense amplifier circuit

US6351416B2 · kind B2 · utility

17Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 2, 2001
Grant dateFeb 26, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 2, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2211/5634
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A current sense amplifier circuit is provided with a reference current generator for generating a reference current according to the characteristics of a memory cell, and a current comparator, and the current comparator compares the memory cell current with the reference current. Thereby, the range of the operating power supply voltage is increased. Further, a current sense amplifier circuit is provided with plural sets of reference current generators and current comparators, and the reference current generators generate reference currents of different amounts corresponding to plural states the memory cell can take, and the current comparators compare the respective reference currents with the memory cell current. Therefore, it is possible to detect the current in the memory cell that is set in multiple states.

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