Motorola Corporation

Mediatek Corporation

Analog Devices,inc.

Paul William Hollis

George McNeil Lattimore

Matthew B Rutledge

Ruey J Yu

Renny Lee Eisele

Chia-Wei Wang

Kari Ann O'Brien

Daniel M McCarthy

Joseph Patrick Geisler

Joern Soersensen

An apparatus includes a first processor that accesses memory according to a first clock frequency, a second processor that accesses memory according to a second clock frequency, and a memory device is configurable to selectively operate according to the first clock frequency or the second clock frequency. A memory controller enables dynamic configuration of organization of the memory device to allow a first portion of the memory device to be accessed by the first processor according to the first clock frequency and a second portion of the memory device to be accessed by the second processor according to the second clock frequency.

Shared memory having multiple access configurations

A dual power rail word line driver for driving a word line of a memory array according to a predecode signal from a decoder powered by a first supply voltage is provided. A signal buffering unit is coupled between the word line and a node. A pull-down unit is coupled between the node and a ground. A pull-up unit is coupled between the node and a second supply voltage higher than or equal to the first supply voltage. The signal buffering unit provides a word line signal corresponding to the predecode signal to the memory array via the word line when the pull-down unit is turned on by the predecode signal and a first pulse signal and the pull-up unit is turned off by a second pulse signal. There is no level shifter on a critical timing path of the dual power rail word line driver.

Dual power rail word line driver and dual power rail word line driver array

A de-coupled memory access system including a memory access control circuit is configured to generate first and second independent, de-coupled time references. The memory access control circuit includes a read initiate circuit responsive to the first time reference and a read signal for generating a read enable signal, and a write initiate circuit responsive to the second time reference and a write signal for generating a write enable signal independent of the read enable signal for providing independent, de-coupled write access to a memory array.

Memory access system and method using de-coupled read and write circuits

A memory write timing system includes a modified memory bitcell including a storage device and a write/read circuit for writing/reading data to/from the storage device; and an output circuit for detecting the current state of the storage device.

Memory write timing system

A method and circuit for optimally controlling memory array bit line precharge timing to increase memory frequency of operation by generating a precharge output (110) for memory array bit lines in response to the earliest asserted control input among precharge control inputs. A write precharge signal (218) early enables a write precharge operation by enabling the precharge signal (110) a delayed period after an enabling falling dock edge of clock (104), as indicated by a write precharge enable signal (210), and during a write cycle, as indicated by a write precharge trigger (212). Thereafter, a default precharge trigger (216) is enabled to ensure that write precharging operation continues for an extended and optimal duration. A read precharge trigger (214) enables precharging after a read operation by enabling the precharge signal (110) in close proximity to the disabling of read sense amplifiers within the memory array to enhance post-read precharging. Thereafter, the default precharge trigger (216), is enabled to ensure that the read precharging operation continues for an extended and optimal duration.

Method and circuit for controlling a precharge cycle of a memory device

Accurate delay testing of integrated circuits containing memory arrays embedded in combinational logic utilizes actual memory array timing. Actual memory timing signals provide the timing for bypassing the memory in SCAN Mode. The result is that simulated memory accesses during SCAN Mode testing have the same timing as actual memory accesses have during functional mode operation. Thus delay testing during SCAN Mode through paths containing both combinational logic and memory arrays accurately determines path delays.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Paul William Hollis