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. 22, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 27, 2002
Roy E. Scheuerlein, Cupertino, CA (US);
Matthew P. Crowley, San Jose, CA (US);
Roy E. Scheuerlein, Cupertino, CA (US);
Matthew P. Crowley, San Jose, CA (US);
Matrix Semiconductor, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A tree decoder organization particularly useful for a three-dimensional memory array or any array having very small array line pitch is configured to provide a plurality of top-level decode nodes, each of which, when selected, simultaneously selects a block of array lines and couples each array line of a selected block to a respective intermediate node. Each of the top-level decode signals has a range of control which is substantially less than the extent of the intermediate nodes. In some embodiments each selected block includes more than one array line on each of at least two memory layers having array lines which exit to one side of the memory array. As a result, the large layout area requirement to generate each top-level decode node is supported by a contiguous block of array lines of the memory array.