Semiconductor memory device

Claim 2

A semiconductor memory device comprising: a plurality of memory cell blocks; each of said memory cell blocks having a plurality of memory cells, bit lines, and local data lines for reading out data stored in each of said memory cells; a main data line connected to said local data lines; and a precharge circuit connected to said main data line and not in series with the connection between said local data lines and said main data line, said precharge circuit serving to generate, immediately before producing a reading output, a medium-level voltage intermediate between and high and low levels of said main data line.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said precharge circuit comprises an inverter and a switch interposed between the input and output of said inverter.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, including an equalizing circuit connected to said local pair of data lines and driven by an equalizating signal appearing synchronously with said medium-level voltage.

Claim 5

A semiconductor memory device comprising: a plurality of memory cell blocks, each consisting of a plurality of cells, a pair of bit lines connected to said memory cells, and means for connecting a pair of local data lines to said bit lines, and a differential amplifier connected to said local data lines; a main data line connected to the output of the differential amplifier in each memory cell block; and a precharge circuit connected in parallel to said main data line and serving to generate, immediately before producing a reading output, a medium-level voltage intermediate between high and low levels of said main data line.

Claim 6

A semiconductor memory device comprising: a plurality of memory cell blocks, each consisting of a plurality of cells, a pair of bit lines connected to said memory cells, and means for connecting a pair of local data lines to said bit lines, and a differential amplifier connected to said local data lines; a main data line connected to the output of the differential amplifier in each memory cell block; and a precharge circuit connected in parallel to said main data line and serving to generate, immediately before producing a reading output, a medium-level voltage intermediate between high and low levels of said main data line.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 4, including an equalizing circuit connected to said pair of bit lines, said equalizing circuit being driven with an equalizing signal synchronously with production of said medium-level voltage.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 4, including an equalizing circuit driven synchronously with an equalizing signal, said equalizing circuit being connected to said pair of local data lines.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1 or 4, wherein said memory cells are static memories.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 1 or 4, wherein said main data line is connected to an output terminal via a data hold circuit and an output buffer circuit.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 1 or 4, wherein said memory cell blocks comprise a plurality of memory cells arrayed in rows and columns, each of said rows having a word line connected to said memory cells, and each of said columns having a pair of said bit lines connected to said memory cells, and wherein said memory cells are asymmetrically arrayed with more memory cells disposed in the direction of said word lines than in the direction of said bit lines.