Memory circuit for pre-charging and write driving

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016012881-A1
Application number	US-201414326124-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A memory includes a word line, a bit line and a complementary bit line. A memory cell has a data node coupled to the bit line and a complementary data node coupled to the complementary bit line. The word line controls access to the memory cell. A circuit is coupled to the bit line and the complementary bit line. The circuit is configured to pull up to a high voltage, pull down to a low voltage, or float the bit line and the complementary bit line based on a first timing of pre-charging and a second timing of write driving. The first timing and the second timing are synchronized.

First claim

1 . A memory, comprising:
a word line; a bit line and a complementary bit line; a memory cell having a data node coupled to the bit line and a complementary data node coupled to the complementary bit line, wherein the word line controls access to the memory cell; and a circuit coupled to the bit line and the complementary bit line, wherein the circuit is configured to pull up to a high voltage, pull down to a low voltage, or float the bit line and the complementary bit line based on a first timing of pre-charging and a second timing of write driving, wherein the first timing and the second timing are synchronized by control signals and further wherein the circuit comprises a first PMOS transistor coupled between a high voltage node and the bit line, a second PMOS transistor coupled between the high voltage node and the complementary bit line, a first NMOS transistor coupled between a low voltage node and the bit line, a second NMOS transistor coupled between the low voltage node and the complementary bit line, and wherein the circuit is configured to turn on the first PMOS transistor and the second PMOS transistor for pre-charging.

2 . The memory of claim 1 , wherein ending of the first timing of pre-charging and starting of the second timing of write driving are performed simultaneously.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The memory of claim 14 , wherein the first PMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor are turned on when writing a high logic value to the data node.

5 . The memory of claim 14 , wherein the second PMOS transistor and the first NMOS transistor are turned on when writing a low logic value to the data node.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The memory of claim 14 , wherein the first PMOS transistor, the second PMOS transistor, the first NMOS transistor, and the second NMOS transistor are turned off to float the bit line and the complementary bit line.

8 . The memory of claim 7 , wherein the memory cell is in a reading operation or in a power down mode.

9 . The memory of claim 14 , wherein a gate of the first PMOS transistor is coupled to a signal TP, and TP is expressed in a logic equation, wherein “+” is an OR logic operator, “·” is an AND logic operator, “PWRDN” is a power down mode signal that has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a power down mode and a low logic value otherwise, “SEG” has a high logic value when a memory segment including the memory cell is selected and a low logic value otherwise, “Read” has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a read operation and a low logic value otherwise, and “W0” has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a write operation to write a low logic value to the data node and a low logic value otherwise.

10 . The memory of claim 1 , wherein a gate of the second PMOS transistor is coupled to a signal CP, and CP is expressed in a logic equation, wherein “+” is an OR logic operator, “·” is an AND logic operator, “PWRDN” is a power down mode signal that has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a power down mode and a low logic value otherwise, “SEG” has a high logic value when a memory segment including the memory cell is selected and a low logic value otherwise, “Read” has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a read operation and a low logic value otherwise, and “W1” has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a write operation to write a high logic value to the data node and a low logic value otherwise.

11 . The memory of claim 1 , wherein a gate of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to a signal TN, and TN is expressed in a logic equation, wherein “·” is an AND logic operator, “SEG” has a high logic value when a memory segment including the memory cell is selected and a low logic value otherwise, and “W0” has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a write operation to write a low logic value to the data node and a low logic value otherwise.

12 . The memory of claim 1 , wherein a gate of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to a signal CN, and CN is expressed in a logic equation, wherein “·” is an AND logic operator, “SEG” has a high logic value when a memory segment including the memory cell is selected and a low logic value otherwise, and “W1” has a high logic value when the memory cell is in a write operation to write a high logic value to the data node and a low logic value otherwise.

13 . A method, comprising:
coupling a circuit to a bit line and a complementary bit line of a memory cell; and the circuit pulling up to a high voltage, pulling down to a low voltage, or floating the bit line and the complementary bit line based on a first timing of pre-charging and a second timing of write driving, wherein the first timing and the second timing are synchronized, and further the circuit turns turning on a first PMOS transistor of the circuit and a second PMOS transistor of the circuit for pre-charging, wherein the first PMOS transistor is coupled between a high voltage node and the bit line, and the second PMOS transistor is coupled between the high voltage node and the complementary bit line.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein ending the first timing of pre-charging and starting the second timing of write driving is performed simultaneously.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the circuit turns on a PMOS transistor of the circuit and an NMOS transistor of the circuit when writing a high logic value to a data node, the data node of the memory cell is coupled to the bit line, a complementary data node of the memory cell is coupled to the complementary bit line, the PMOS transistor is coupled between a high voltage node and the bit line, and the NMOS transistor is coupled between a low voltage node and the complementary bit line.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the circuit turns on a PMOS transistor of the circuit and an NMOS transistor of the circuit when writing a low logic value to a data node, the data node of the memory cell is coupled to the bit line, a complementary data node of the memory cell is coupled to the complementary bit line, the PMOS transistor is coupled between a high voltage node and the complementary bit line, and the NMOS transistor is coupled between a low voltage node and the bit line.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the circuit turns off a first PMOS transistor of the circuit, a second PMOS transistor of the circuit, a first NMOS transistor of the circuit, and a second NMOS transistor of the circuit to float the bit line and the complementary bit line, the first PMOS transistor is coupled between a high voltage node and the bit line, and the second PMOS transistor is coupled between the high voltage node and the complementary bit line, the first NMOS transistor is coupled between a low voltage node and the bit line, and the second NMOS transistor is coupled between the low voltage node and the complementary bit line.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the memory cell is in a reading operation or in a power down mode.

20 . A memory, comprising:
a word line; a bit line and a complementary bit line; a memory cell comprising cross-coupled inverters and having a data node coupled to the bit line and a complementary data node coupled to the complementary bit line, wherein the word line controls access to the memory cell; and a circuit comprising a first PMOS transistor coupled between a high voltage node and the bit line, a second PMOS transistor coupled between the high voltage node and the complementary bit line, a first NMOS transistor coupled between a low vo

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg

Inventors

• Kuo Ming-Zhang
• Lin Cheng-Chung
• Hsieh Ho-Chieh
• Tseng Kuo Feng
• Dhong Sang Hoo

Classifications

• G11C7/12

  Bit line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, equalising circuits, for bit lines · CPC title

• G11C5/148

  Details of power up or power down circuits, standby circuits or recovery circuits · CPC title

• G11C7/08

  Control thereof · CPC title

• G11C5/025

  Geometric lay-out considerations of storage- and peripheral-blocks in a semiconductor storage device (geometrical lay-out of the components in integrated circuits, geometrical lay-out of the components in integrated circuits H10D89/10) · CPC title

• G11C11/4094

  Bit-line management or control circuits · CPC title