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:
Oct. 15, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 12, 2001
Masayuki Koizumi, Yokohama, JP;
Hiroyuki Shibayama, Kawasaki, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A semiconductor memory has paired first and second bit lines one of which passes a current representing data stored in a selected memory cell. If the first bit line transfers the current representing the data stored in the memory cell, the second bit line transfers a current representing data stored in a dummy cell. If the second bit line transfers the current representing the data stored in the memory cell, the first bit line transfers the current representing the data stored in the dummy cell. The current transferred through the first bit line is divided into partial currents, and the current transferred through the second bit line is also divided into partial currents. It is determined whether or not the current representing the data stored in the memory cell is passed through the first bit line. If it is determined that the first bit line passes the current representing the data stored in the memory cell, the partial currents from the first bit line are recombined to provide an output and one of the partial currents from the second bit line is selected to provide another output. If it is determined that the first bit line does not pass the current representing the data stored in the memory cell, i.e., the first bit line passes the current representing the data stored in the dummy cell, the partial currents from the second bit line are recombined to provide an output and one of the partial currents from the first bit line is selected to provide another output.