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US5446700A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Decoder circuit having CMOS inverter circuits

Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1994-03-17
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Granted: 1995-08-29
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Expires: 2014-03-17
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Abstract

Abstract A decoder circuit comprises a plurality of input word select lines, a plurality of input block select lines, a main decoder, and a plurality of CMOS inverters each having a first power source node, a second power source node applied with a predetermined potential, an input node connected to one of the input word select lines, and a decoder output line. The main decoder activates/deactivates each CMOS inverter by applying an output signal to the first power source node of each CMOS inverter, thereby driving each decoder output line according to the logic level of the respective input word select line when the CMOS inverter is activated. The decoder circuit also includes means for controlling the logic level of the output block select lines according to the logic levels of the input block select lines.

Inventors

  • 👤 Taira Iwase

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 17:54
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C17/00; G11C17/14; G11C17/18; G11C8/00; G11C8/10; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C17/08; G11C17/10; G11C17/12; G11C17/123

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 308 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of memory cell blocks arranged in pairs, each memory cell block including a plurality of memory cell transistors constituting a NOR-type mask ROM having gates which are coupled to word lines, each memory cell block further including a block selecting enhancement type MOS transistor and a block selecting depletion type MOS transistor connected in series with said memory cell transistors, wherein a gate of the block selecting enhancement type MOS transistor in one memory cell block of a given pair and a gate of the block selecting depletion type MOS transistor in the other memory cell block of said given pair are commonly connected to one of a plurality of block selection lines; and a decoder circuit for selecting one of said memory cells of one of said memory cell blocks by driving said block selection lines and said word lines, said decoder circuit comprising: a main decoder portion for outputting a main decoder portion output signal; block selection line drive logic having a plurality of input nodes applied with said main decoder portion output signal and block selection signals, for driving one of said block selection lines in accordance with said main decoder portion output signal and said block selection signals; and a plurality of CMOS inverters, each CMOS inverter comprising a P channel MOS transistor and an N channel MOS transistor, a source of said P channel MOS transistor applied with said main decoder portion output signal, a source of said N channel MOS transistor applied with a predetermined potential, gates of said P channel MOS transistor and said N channel MOS transistor connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of word line selection signal lines, and drains of said P channel MOS transistor and said N channel MOS transistor connected to a corresponding one of said word lines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 308 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of memory cell blocks arranged in pairs, each memory cell block including a plurality of memory cell transistors constituting a NOR-type mask ROM having gates which are coupled to word lines, each memory cell block further including a block selecting enhancement type MOS transistor and a block selecting depletion type MOS transistor connected in series with said memory cell transistors, wherein a gate of the block selecting enhancement type MOS transistor in one memory cell block of a given pair and a gate of the block selecting depletion type MOS transistor in the other memory cell block of said given pair are commonly connected to one of a plurality of block selection lines; and a decoder circuit for selecting one of said memory cells of one of said memory cell blocks by driving said block selection lines and said word lines, said decoder circuit comprising: a main decoder portion for outputting a main decoder portion output signal; block selection line drive logic having a plurality of input nodes applied with said main decoder portion output signal and block selection signals, for driving one of said block selection lines in accordance with said main decoder portion output signal and said block selection signals; and a plurality of CMOS inverters, each CMOS inverter comprising a P channel MOS transistor and an N channel MOS transistor, a source of said P channel MOS transistor applied with said main decoder portion output signal, a source of said N channel MOS transistor applied with a predetermined potential, gates of said P channel MOS transistor and said N channel MOS transistor connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of word line selection signal lines, and drains of said P channel MOS transistor and said N channel MOS transistor connected to a corresponding one of said word lines.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPS59155954A Cited
US4723229A Cited
US4837747A Cited
US4972373A Cited
US4951259A Cited
US4939696A Cited
US4843261A Cited
JPH02226595A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-08-28 1999-02-27 1999-08-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-08-28 2003-02-27 2003-08-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-08-28 2007-02-27 2007-08-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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