Nonvolatile memory with a current sense amplifier having a precharge circuit and a transfer gate coupled to a sense node
US7957197B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jun 7, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C2211/5634
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Sensing circuits for sensing a conduction current of a memory cell among a group of non-volatile memory cells being sensed in parallel and providing the result of the sensing to a data bus are presented. A precharge circuit is coupled to a node for charging the node to an initial voltage. An intermediate circuit is also coupled to the node and connectable to the memory cell, by which current from the precharge circuit can be supplied to the memory cell. The circuit also includes a comparator circuit to perform a determination of the conduction current by a rate of discharge at the node; a data latch coupled to the comparator circuit to hold the result of this determination; and a transfer gate coupled to the data latch to supply a latched result to the data bus independently of the node. This arrangement improves sensing performance and can help to eliminate noise on the analog sensing path during sensing and reduce switching current.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.