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:
Apr. 04, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1998
Hua Zheng, Fremont, CA (US);
Yuan-Mou Su, Cupertino, CA (US);
Winbond Electronics Corporation America, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A precharge circuit is operable during a standby mode to drive a word line to a low voltage level and one or more (pairs of) bit lines to a standby voltage level. The precharge circuit comprises a driver for driving the on or more bit lines to the stand by voltage level. The precharge circuit also includes a control circuit connected to a control input of the driver which control circuit receives the standby signal. The control circuit outputs a varying enable signal to the driver for varying the drive of the bit lines by the driver. The precharge circuit can include a first current limiting driver for driving the bit lines to the standby voltage level, and second driver, for driving the bit lines to the standby voltage level. The second driver has a greater switching speed, and a higher current driving capacity, than the first current limiting driver. Tie control circuit enables the second driver for a certain period of time in response to detecting an indication of a beginning of the standby mode of the standby signal.