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:
Nov. 28, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 15, 1998
Applicant:
Inventor:
Koji Komatsu, Nara, JP;
Assignee:
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C / ; G01R / ; H03F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
327 56 ; 327 75 ; 36518521 ; 36518907 ; 341135 ;
Abstract
A sense-amplifier circuit comprising a plurality of sub-sense-amplifiers corresponding to respective reference potentials can operate fast when used for a multivalued information memory. The sense amplifier circuit is composed of sub-sense-amplifiers having different polarities according to corresponding reference potentials: a sub-sense-amplifier SN3 having the highest reference potential is of N (polarity) type and a sub-sense-amplifier SP1 having the lowest reference potential is of P (polarity) type. All sub-sense-amplifiers can operate according to improved characteristics assuring a reduced access time.