US5521864A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Non-volatile semiconductor memory device allowing fast verifying operation
Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corp
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Filing: 1995-02-09
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Granted: 1996-05-28
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Expires: 2015-02-09
Abstract
Abstract A bit line reset transistor resets every second bit line of a plurality of bit lines to be write-verified. At this time, a transfer gate disconnects a column latch from the unreset bit line. Then, the unreset bit line is precharged in accordance with data of the column latch, while applying a verify voltage to a word line. Then, a source line transistor grounds a source line, and the bit line is connected to the column latch, so that data corresponding to a value of a threshold voltage of the memory cell is held by the column latch, and a write verifying operation is performed.
Inventors
- 👤 Shinichi Kobayashi
- 👤 Hiroaki Nakai
- 👤 Motoharu Ishii
- 👤 Atsushi Ohba
- 👤 Tomoshi Futatsuya
- 👤 Akira Hosogane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 09:07
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/06; G11C16/34; G11C16/3436; G11C16/3454; G11C16/3459; G11C29/00; G11C29/04; G11C29/50; G11C29/50004; G06; G06F; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/81; G11C16/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device wherein a write verifying operation is performed to check written states of a plurality of memory cells each connected to a bit line, a source line and a word line, comprising: voltage fixing means for fixing every second bit line to a predetermined voltage; and write verifying means for effecting the write verifying operation on memory cells connected to the bit lines not fixed to said predetermined voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device wherein a write verifying operation is performed to check written states of a plurality of memory cells each connected to a bit line, a source line and a word line, comprising: voltage fixing means for fixing every second bit line to a predetermined voltage; and write verifying means for effecting the write verifying operation on memory cells connected to the bit lines not fixed to said predetermined voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined voltage includes a ground voltage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein said voltage fixing means includes, a plurality of first transistors each having one end connected to said bit line, the other end receiving the ground potential, and a gate receiving a first bit line reset signal, and a plurality of second transistors each having one end connected to said bit line, the other end receiving the ground potential, and a gate receiving a second bit line reset signal, said bit lines connected to said plurality of first transistors being located alternately to said bit lines connected to said second transistors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
155 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein said write verifying means includes, column latches provided correspondingly to said bit lines, respectively, for latching data of memory cells connected to said bit lines, disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting a column latch from said bit line after application of a write voltage, precharging means for precharging said bit line disconnected by said disconnecting means to a predetermined voltage in accordance with the data latched by said column latch, write verify voltage setting means for setting the word line connected to the memory cell to be write-verified to a write verify voltage, and grounding means for temporarily grounding the source line connected to the memory cell to be write-verified after said write verify voltage setting means sets said word line to the write verify voltage, said disconnecting means electrically connecting said bit line to said column latch after said grounding means grounds said source line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said column latch includes, a first inverter having an output end connected to said disconnecting means, and a second inverter having an input end connected to said disconnecting means and an output end connected to said first inverter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said precharging means includes, a plurality of first transistors provided correspondingly to said bit lines, having gates connected to the corresponding column latches, and each having an end receiving a high voltage higher than a power supply voltage, and a plurality of second transistors provided correspondingly to said first transistors, each having one end connected to the other end of the corresponding first transistor and the other end connected to the corresponding bit line, and having gates receiving a precharge control signal for controlling a precharging operation; said precharge control signal includes first and second precharge control signals; and said first and second precharge control signals are alternately supplied to the gates of said plurality of second transistors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein said write verifying means includes, detecting means for detecting a write verify result by wired-OR of data latched by said column latches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
157 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein said detecting means includes, a plurality of first transistors provided correspondingly to said column latches and having gates connected to said column latches, a second transistor having one end connected to one end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the other end receiving the ground potential, a third transistor having one end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the other end receiving the power supply voltage, a first inverter having an input end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the one end of said third transistor, and a second inverter having an input end connected to an output end of said first inverter and an output end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the one end of said third transistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
115 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein said non-volatile semiconductor memory device performs a write suspend operation of temporarily suspending writing and performing reading during the writing operation; and said non-volatile semiconductor memory device further comprises, column latches provided correspondingly to said bit lines, respectively, for latching data of memory cells connected to said bit lines, first disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting said column latch from said bit line during said write suspend operation, resetting means for resetting the bit line disconnected by said first disconnecting means, and reading means for reading data from the memory cell other than the memory cell for performing the writing after resetting by said resetting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 9, wherein said non-volatile semiconductor memory device performs a write resume operation of shifting a process to the writing after said write suspend operation; and said non-volatile semiconductor memory device further comprises, second disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting said bit line from said reading means after the reading by said reading means, and precharging means for precharging the bit line disconnected by said second disconnecting means to a predetermined voltage in accordance with the data latched by said column latch, said disconnecting means electrically connecting said bit line to said column latch after precharging by said precharging means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein said write verifying means effects a write verifying operation on all the memory cells connected to the bit lines other than the bit line fixed by said voltage fixing means to the predetermined voltage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
150 words
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, wherein a write verifying operation is performed to check written states of a plurality of memory cells each connected to a bit line, a source line and a word line, comprising: column latches provided correspondingly to said bit lines, respectively, for latching data of said memory cells connected to said bit lines; disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting a column latch from said bit line after application of a write voltage; write verify voltage setting means for setting the word line connected to the memory cell to be write-verified to a write verify voltage; and grounding means for temporarily grounding the source line of the memory cell to be write-verified after said write verify voltage setting means sets said word line to said write verify voltage, said disconnecting means electrically connecting said bit line to said column latch after said grounding means grounds said source line.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
150 words
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, wherein a write verifying operation is performed to check written states of a plurality of memory cells each connected to a bit line, a source line and a word line, comprising: column latches provided correspondingly to said bit lines, respectively, for latching data of said memory cells connected to said bit lines; disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting a column latch from said bit line after application of a write voltage; write verify voltage setting means for setting the word line connected to the memory cell to be write-verified to a write verify voltage; and grounding means for temporarily grounding the source line of the memory cell to be write-verified after said write verify voltage setting means sets said word line to said write verify voltage, said disconnecting means electrically connecting said bit line to said column latch after said grounding means grounds said source line.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, wherein said column latch includes, a first inverter having an output end connected to said disconnecting means, and a second inverter having an input end connected to said disconnecting means and an output end connected to said first inverter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, further comprising: detecting means for detecting a write verify result by wired-OR of data latched by said column latches.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
157 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 14, wherein said detecting means includes, a plurality of first transistors provided correspondingly to said column latches and having gates connected to said column latches, a second transistor having one end connected to one end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the other end receiving the ground potential, a third transistor having one end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the other end receiving the power supply voltage, a first inverter having an input end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the one end of said third transistor, and a second inverter having an input end connected to an output end of said first inverter and an output end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the one end of said third transistor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, wherein said column latch includes, a first inverter having an output end connected to said disconnecting means, and a second inverter having an input end connected to said bit line and an output end connected to said first inverter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
163 words
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, wherein an erase verifying operation is performed to check erased states of a plurality of memory cells each connected to a bit line, a source line and a word line, comprising: column latches provided correspondingly to said bit lines, respectively, for latching data of said memory cells connected to said bit lines; disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting a column latch from said bit line during erase verify; precharging means for precharging the bit line disconnected by said disconnecting means to a predetermined voltage; erase verify voltage setting means for setting the word line connected to the memory cell to be erase-verified to an erase verify voltage; and grounding means for temporarily grounding the source line of the memory cell to be verified after said erase verify voltage setting means sets said word line to the erase verify voltage, said disconnecting means electrically connecting said bit line to said column latch after said grounding means grounds said source line.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
163 words
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, wherein an erase verifying operation is performed to check erased states of a plurality of memory cells each connected to a bit line, a source line and a word line, comprising: column latches provided correspondingly to said bit lines, respectively, for latching data of said memory cells connected to said bit lines; disconnecting means for electrically disconnecting a column latch from said bit line during erase verify; precharging means for precharging the bit line disconnected by said disconnecting means to a predetermined voltage; erase verify voltage setting means for setting the word line connected to the memory cell to be erase-verified to an erase verify voltage; and grounding means for temporarily grounding the source line of the memory cell to be verified after said erase verify voltage setting means sets said word line to the erase verify voltage, said disconnecting means electrically connecting said bit line to said column latch after said grounding means grounds said source line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 17, wherein said column latch includes, a first inverter having an output end connected to said disconnecting means, and a second inverter having an input end connected to said disconnecting means and an output end connected to said first inverter.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 17, further comprising: detecting means for detecting an erase verify result by wired-OR of data latched by said column latches.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
158 words
The non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to claim 19, wherein said detecting means includes, a plurality of first transistors provided correspondingly to said column latches and each having an gate connected to said column latch, a second transistor having one end connected to one end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the other end receiving the ground potential, a third transistor having one end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the other end receiving the power supply voltage, a first inverter having an input end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and the one end of said third transistor, and a second inverter having an input end connected to an output end of said first inverter and an output end connected to the other end of each of said plurality of first transistors and one end of said third transistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5297096A
Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-05-28 | 1999-11-27 | 2000-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-05-28 | 2003-11-27 | 2004-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-05-28 | 2007-11-27 | 2008-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |