US5375095A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor memory apparatus with reduced line widths
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1991-06-12
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Granted: 1994-12-20
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Expires: 2011-06-12
Abstract
Abstract A dynamic random access memory is formed with two power supply meshes extending throughout a memory array region in which are formed memory cells and sense amplifier circuits, thereby enabling sense amplifier drive circuits to be distributed throughout that memory array region, with each sense amplifier drive circuit being connected to the nearest points on the two supply meshes. A substantially improved value of read access time, or increased total memory capacity, can thereby be achieved by comparison with a DRAM in which the sense amplifier drive circuits are provided only at the periphery of a memory array region.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshio Yamada
- 👤 Michihiro Inoue
- 👤 Junko Hasegawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:18
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C5/00; G11C5/14; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C11/40; G11C11/401; G11C11/4063; G11C11/407; G11C11/4074; G11C5/06; G11C5/066; G11C8/00; G11C8/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus including a memory array region having formed therein: a plurality of unit memory cell blocks distributed through said memory array region at regular spacings, each formed of an array of memory cells; a plurality of unit sense amplifier blocks distributed among said unit memory cell blocks at regular spacings, each formed of an array of sense amplifier circuits; a plurality of sense amplifier drive circuits for driving said sense amplifier circuits, distributed among said unit sense amplifier blocks at regular spacings; and first and second voltage supply meshes, mutually electrically isolated and each extending throughout said memory array region, respectively coupled to receive first and second supply voltages; each of said sense amplifier drive circuits being coupled to an adjacent point on said first voltage supply mesh to receive said first supply voltage and to an adjacent point on said second voltage supply mesh to receive said second supply voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus including a memory array region having formed therein: a plurality of unit memory cell blocks distributed through said memory array region at regular spacings, each formed of an array of memory cells; a plurality of unit sense amplifier blocks distributed among said unit memory cell blocks at regular spacings, each formed of an array of sense amplifier circuits; a plurality of sense amplifier drive circuits for driving said sense amplifier circuits, distributed among said unit sense amplifier blocks at regular spacings; and first and second voltage supply meshes, mutually electrically isolated and each extending throughout said memory array region, respectively coupled to receive first and second supply voltages; each of said sense amplifier drive circuits being coupled to an adjacent point on said first voltage supply mesh to receive said first supply voltage and to an adjacent point on said second voltage supply mesh to receive said second supply voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 1, in which each of said said first and second voltage supply meshes is formed of a plurality of first supply lines extending in a first direction and formed in an upper layer of a substrate of said semiconductor memory apparatus and a plurality of second supply lines extending in a second direction and formed in a lower layer of said substrate which is electrically isolated from said upper layer, and a plurality of through-hole connections for interconnecting said first and second supply lines at points of intersection thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 2, in which each of said first and second supply lines of said first voltage supply mesh is connected to said first supply voltage by at least one end thereof, and in which each of said first and second supply lines of said second voltage supply mesh is connected to said second supply voltage by at least one end thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 1, in which each of said sense amplifier drive circuits is formed within a portion of said memory array region in which is formed one of said sense amplifier circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of voltage stabilizing capacitors each formed within a portion of said memory array region in which is formed one of said sense amplifier circuits.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
137 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 1, in which said plurality of unit memory cell blocks are configured as a plurality of columns of unit memory cell blocks each extending in a first direction, each column consisting of a plurality of said unit memory cell blocks disposed at regular spacings, and in which each of said memory cells is connected to one of a plurality of word lines which extend in said first direction, each of said word lines being formed of an upper conductor formed in an upper layer of a substrate of said semiconductor memory apparatus and a lower conductor formed in a lower layer of said substrate, said upper and lower conductors being interconnected by through-hole connections in each of a plurality of connection regions provided at intervals throughout each of said columns.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 6, in which each of said sense amplifier drive circuits is disposed in a region between two adjacent ones of said connection regions of two adjacent ones of said columns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of voltage stabilizing capacitors each connected between said first and second voltage supply meshes and disposed within a region between two adjacent ones of said connection regions of two adjacent ones of said columns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A semiconductor memory apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of voltage stabilizing capacitors each formed within a portion of said memory array region in which is formed one of said sense amplifier circuits.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-12-19 | 1998-06-20 | 1998-12-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-12-19 | 2002-06-20 | 2002-12-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-12-19 | 2006-06-20 | 2006-12-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |