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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 07, 1998
Kouichi Morikawa, Tokyo, JP;
Jiro Ida, Tokyo, JP;
OKI Electric Industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A semiconductor memory device has two complementary pairs of bit lines coupled to the same memory cells. According to a first aspect of the invention, the bit lines in one complementary pair cross over, so that each bit line in the first pair runs adjacent to one bit line in the second pair for one part of its length, and adjacent to the other bit line in the second pair for another part of its length. Coupling noise is thereby neutralized. Data-inverting circuitry is provided to compensate for the inversion of data that results from the cross-over of the bit lines. According to a second aspect of the invention, the two complementary pairs of bit lines are placed in separate interconnecting layers, to reduce coupling noise by reducing the capacitive coupling between the bit lines.