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:
Aug. 27, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2001
Hirokazu Nagashima, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A semiconductor memory device having serial access read mode including a latency period and a serial access period is provided. Semiconductor memory device ( ) can include sense amplifier ( ), a reference voltage generator ( ), and a period detection circuit ( ). Period detection circuit ( ) can provide a control signal (RCL) indicating the latency period or the serial access period. Reference voltage generator ( ) can provide a reference voltage (REF) having a first potential during the latency period and a second potential during the serial access period. In this manner, it may be possible to increase the speed of reading memory cell data by reducing the timing differences between reading a memory cell having a first data state and a memory cell having a second data state.