High speed single ended sense amplifier
US6507222B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 14, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/356008
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for processing a data input signal with a single ended sense amplifier. The single ended sense amplifier includes a transmission gate circuit and a control circuit coupled between a feedback inverter circuit and an output signal that is fed back to the feedback inverter circuit. An inverter circuit is coupled between an enable signal and the transmission gate and control circuits. During pre-charge operation, the input to the feedback inverter circuit is driven to a first state. The feedback inverter correspondingly drives the input signal to a sensing inverter to a state that is complementary to the input to the feedback inverter circuit, thereby assisting the pre-charge mode and substantially reducing time delay due to the input signal contending with the feedback inverter circuit. One advantage of the present invention is that sense amplifiers can be sized for faster sensing than would other-wise be feasible due to the excessive contention during the pre-charge mode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.