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:
Oct. 02, 2012

Filed:

Nov. 01, 2010
Applicants:

Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;

Masahiro Yoshida, Kanagawa, JP;

Inventors:

Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kanagawa, JP;

Masahiro Yoshida, Kanagawa, JP;

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 7/00 (2006.01); G11C 5/06 (2006.01); G11C 7/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A semiconductor memory device has: memory blocks; and a local bus connected to the memory blocks. Each memory block has: switches respectively provided between bit line pairs and the local bus and each of which is turned ON in response to a selection signal; a dummy local bus; first and second control circuits. The local bus and the dummy local bus are precharged to a first potential before a read operation. In the read operation, the first control circuit outputs the selection signal to a selected switch to electrically connect a selected bit line pair and the local bus, while the second control circuit supplies a second potential lower than the first potential to the dummy local bus. The first control circuit stops outputting the selection signal when a potential of the dummy local bus is decreased to a predetermined set potential that is between the first and second potentials.


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