Memory sensing with global non-regular counter and/or global multiple reference voltages

Abstract

A circuit is provided. The circuit can include sensing circuits configured to sense differences between first and second currents on selected bit lines of an array of memory cells and produce outputs for the bit lines as a function of the difference, and a global programmable non-regular counter configured to continuously provide a count value to each of the sensing circuits in dependence on a clock signal, wherein each sensing circuit, of the sensing circuits, includes (i) a local detector circuit configured to detect a voltage (Vc) generated according to the difference and (ii) a reference voltage selector configured to receive reference voltages from a source and to select a single reference voltage (Vref), and wherein each sensing circuit produces an output according to (i) a difference between Vc and Vref and (ii) a stored count value received from the counter.