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:
Jul. 31, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 09, 2005
Stanley Jeh-chun MA, Gloucester, CA;
Peter P. MA, Ottawa, CA;
Valerie Lines, Ottawa, CA;
Peter Gillingham, Kanata, CA;
Robert Mckenzie, Ottawa, CA;
Abdullah Ahmed, Scarborough, CA;
Stanley Jeh-Chun Ma, Gloucester, CA;
Peter P. Ma, Ottawa, CA;
Valerie Lines, Ottawa, CA;
Peter Gillingham, Kanata, CA;
Robert McKenzie, Ottawa, CA;
Abdullah Ahmed, Scarborough, CA;
Mosaid Technologies Incorporated, Ottawa, Ontario, CA;
Abstract
A matchline sense circuit for detecting a rising voltage on a matchline of a CAM array is disclosed. The circuit initially precharges a matchline to ground before turning on a current source to supply current to the matchline and raise the voltage of the matchline. A reference matchline sense circuit generates a self-timed control signal to keep the current supply turned on for a predetermined duration of time. Sensed data on the matchlines are latched after the current source is turned off and the matchlines are precharged to ground. Because the matchline sense circuit of the present invention precharges the matchlines to ground instead of the supply voltage, VDD, less power is consumed. By sensing the rise of the matchline voltage to an n-channel transistor threshold potential, the matchline sensing operation speed is increased.