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.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 14, 2012

Filed:

Apr. 21, 2010
Applicants:

Vikas Chandra, Fremont, CA (US);

Cezary Pietrzyk, Los Gatos, CA (US);

Robert Campbell Aitken, San Jose, CA (US);

Inventors:

Vikas Chandra, Fremont, CA (US);

Cezary Pietrzyk, Los Gatos, CA (US);

Robert Campbell Aitken, San Jose, CA (US);

Assignee:

ARM Limited, Cambridge, GB;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 8/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

An integrated circuit is provided including at least one array of memory cells having a plurality of rows of memory cells and a plurality of columns of bit cells. Each column of the memory cells is coupled to one of a plurality of bit lines. Each row of the memory cells is coupled to one of a plurality of word lines, to control coupling of that row of memory cells to the plurality of bit lines in dependence on a respective word line signal. Word line driver circuitry is configured to group together the word lines of at least three rows of memory calls, such that the word lines of the at least three rows of memory cells share a common word line signal. Thus in a write operation a written data value written into the array of memory cells is written to at least three memory cells having a shared bit line. Read circuitry is coupled to the plurality of bit lines, configured such that in a read operation, in which the at least three memory cells are all coupled to the shared bit line by means of the common word line signal, a read data value is determined in dependence on a voltage of the shared bit line, dependent on data values stored in the at least three memory cells.


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