Method and system for controlling MRAM write current to reduce power consumption

US7110289B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignees

• WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC · US
• STMicroelectronics SA

Inventors

• Kyusik Sin · Palo Alto, US
• Hugh C. Hiner · Fremont, US
• Xizeng Shi · Fremont, US
• William D. Jensen · Fremont, US
• Hua-Ching Tong · San Jose, US
• Matthew R. Gibbons · San Jose, US
• Roberto Bez · Milano, IT
• Giulio Casagrande · Vignate, IT
• Paolo Cappeletti · Milano, IT
• Marco Pasotti · Pavia, IT

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 31, 2004
• Grant date: Sep 19, 2006
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G11C11/15
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

In a method and system for reducing power consumed by a magnetic memory, magnetic memory cells are coupled to a bit line and are associated with a plurality of digit lines. A bit line current is provided in the bit line. Digit currents are provided in parallel in the digit lines at substantially the same time as the bit line current. The digit and bit line currents allow the magnetic memory cells to be written to a plurality of states in parallel.