Semiconductor memory having a current balancing circuit

Details Semiconductor memory having a current balancing circuit Semiconductor memory having a current balancing circuit

1997-05-21

1999-06-29

Nelms, David

Static information storage and retrieval

Floating gate

Particular biasing

365210, G11C 1606

Patent

active

059177543

ABSTRACT:
A memory device includes a memory cell whose data state is sensed by a sense amplifier. A balance amplifier having the same construction as the sense amplifier is utilized to sense a balance cell having the same construction as the memory cell. The balance cell is maintained in an erased (conductive) state. The balance cell is gated by the output of the sense amplifier. Such a device operates in a way to consume the same amount of power regardless of the data state of the memory cell. In one embodiment of the invention, a memory device consisting of a memory array includes a balance circuit associated with each of the sense amplifiers in the memory device. In another embodiment of the invention, a trim circuit is used to adjust the conductivity of the of the balance circuit. This allows the balance circuit to be fine tuned during manufacture to compensate for process variations, thus allowing the balance circuit to be matched to the memory cells.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4223394 (1980-09-01), Pathak et al.
patent: 5025417 (1991-06-01), Miyamoto et al.
patent: 5053998 (1991-10-01), Kannan et al.
patent: 5113372 (1992-05-01), Johnson
patent: 5197028 (1993-03-01), Nakai
patent: 5301149 (1994-04-01), Jinbo
patent: 5410506 (1995-04-01), Ferrent et al.

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