Patent · US Expired

Storage device

US7116593B2 · kind B2 · utility

34Cited by
6References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 13, 2002
Grant dateOct 3, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N70/8828
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The object of the invention is to avoid an unselected data line being driven in a memory array composed of memory cells each of which uses a storage element depending upon variable resistance and a selection transistor when the selection transistors in all memory cells on a selected word line conduct. To achieve the object, a source line parallel to a data line is provided, a precharge circuit for equipotentially driving both and a circuit for selectively driving the source line are arranged. Owing to this configuration, a current path is created in only a cell selected by a row decoder and a column decoder and a read-out signal can be generated. Therefore, a lower-power, lower-noise and more highly integrated nonvolatile memory such as a phase change memory can be realized, compared with a conventional type.

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