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. 14, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 03, 2008
Shine Chung, Taipei, TW;
Jonathan Hung, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Shine Chung, Taipei, TW;
Jonathan Hung, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A circuit and method for a sense amplifier for sensing the charge stored when a select signal couples a memory cell to the sense amplifier. A pull up voltage and a pull down voltage are instantaneously supplied to the sense amplifier to sense the small signal differential input on the complementary bit lines and to simultaneously restore the value stored in the memory cell. A differential output signal generator circuit is provided to instantaneously supply the pull up and pull down voltages. In another preferred embodiment the signal generator provides the pull up and pull down voltages at a first level and subsequently increases the pull up voltage to a voltage greater than the positive supply voltage and decreases the pull down voltage. A method of sensing is disclosed wherein the sense and restore actions are performed instantaneously to provide memory cell sensing with greater tolerance of device mismatches.