The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 2021
Filed:
Feb. 20, 2020
Applicant:
Sandisk Technologies Llc, Addison, TX (US);
Inventors:
Assignee:
SanDisk Technologies LLC, Addison, TX (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 19/06 (2006.01); G11C 16/26 (2006.01); G11C 16/04 (2006.01); G11C 16/24 (2006.01); G11C 11/56 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 16/26 (2013.01); G11C 16/0483 (2013.01); G11C 16/24 (2013.01); G11C 11/5642 (2013.01); G11C 11/5671 (2013.01);
Abstract
A sense amplifier for a memory circuit is presented that can reduce sensing times by introduction of a local reference generator. The sense amplifier includes two capacitors that are pre-charged prior to a sensing operation. A first of the capacitors is connected so that it can discharge through a selected memory cell at a rate dependent on the conductivity of the selected memory cell. After a sensing interval in which the first capacitor can discharge through the selected memory cell, the voltage level on the first capacitor is compared with the voltage level on the second capacitor to determine the result of the sensing operation.