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:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 10, 2001
James Robert Brown, Idaho Falls, ID (US);
AMI Semiconductor, Inc., Pocatello, ID (US);
Abstract
A memory initialization circuit includes one or more duplicated pairs of bit lines, which may be used to initialize the memory cells of a memory array to different logical values. When an initialization signal is asserted on the initialization circuit, the individual bit lines in the pair of bit lines are set to opposite logical values, for instance setting one bit line to a logical zero and the other to a logical one. This occurs without regard to external data values received by the circuit. When the initialization signal is removed, individual bit lines in a duplicated pair carry identical values, which may be equal to external data values that are received by the circuit. Thus, after initialization, memory cells function as if duplicated pairs were not included in the circuit. A memory array may be initialized to a predetermined pattern by coupling different combinations of memory cells to different bit lines from duplicated pairs.