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:
Jan. 25, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1998
June Lee, Seoul, KR;
Heung-Soo Im, Kyunggi-do, KR;
Abstract
A mask ROM of the invention discharges bit lines selectively before a bit line precharge operation in response to an externally applied command. A column decoder selects one of bit lines in response to column select signals. A discharge control circuit generates a first discharge control signal in response to the command. A discharge predecoder generates a plurality of second discharge control signals by logically combining the first discharge control signal with the column select signals. A bit line discharge circuit selectively discharges the bit lines in response to the second discharge control signals. The mask ROM is free from bit line coupling due to the selection of particular memory cells, the cell selection sequence and the programmed states of the selected cells, leading to an improvement in read speed.