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:
Dec. 07, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 11, 2008
Kuoyuan Peter Hsu, San Jose, CA (US);
Young Suk Kim, San Jose, CA (US);
Bing Wang, Milpitas, CA (US);
Ming Chieh Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Kuoyuan Peter Hsu, San Jose, CA (US);
Young Suk Kim, San Jose, CA (US);
Bing Wang, Milpitas, CA (US);
Ming Chieh Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A circuit and method for a sense amplifier for sensing the charge stored by a memory cell is disclosed. The memory cell is coupled to a bit line, a complementary bit line and a differential sense amplifier is coupled to the bit line and the complementary bit line. A control signal couples a reference voltage to the complementary bit line. A positive precharge voltage is applied to the bit line and complementary bit line prior to the sense amplifier being enabled. The memory cell outputs a voltage to the bit line responsive to a word line, and the sense amplifier senses the differential voltage between the bit line and the complementary bit line responsive to a sense enable signal. A voltage regulator for generating the reference voltage, preferably about 80% of a positive supply voltage, is disclosed. A method of sensing data stored by a memory cell is disclosed.