Apparatus and method for mapping a redundant memory column to a defective memory column

Claim 2

Apparatus for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to an address of a defective memory column in a memory device that communicates with an external data bus having one or more data-bit lines and an address bus, comprising: an address decoder operable to receive an address signal on said address bus and to generate an enable signal for enabling a redundant cell of said redundant column when the value of said address signal equals said address; a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines and operable to carry a bit-select signal; a plurality of data-bit line selectors, each associated with one of said redundant columns, in communication with said bit-select bus, and, in response to said enable signal, operable to generate said bit-select signal on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; and an interface circuit in communication with said external data and bit-select busses and operable to couple said redundant cell to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select signal.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of column address decoders each associated with one of said redundant columns and each operable to generate an enable signal for enabling an associated redundant column when said value equals an address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said address decoder is programmable.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data-bit line selectors are programmable.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data-bit selectors are wired-logic coupled to said bit-select bus.

Claim 7

Apparatus for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to an address of a defective memory column in a memory device that communicates with an external data bus having one or more data-bit lines and an address bus, comprising: a plurality of enable lines each associated with one of said redundant columns and operable to carry enable active and inactive signal levels; an address decoder operable to receive an address signal on said address bus and to generate said enable active level on an enable line associated with said mapped redundant column when the value of said address signal equals said address; a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines and operable to carry bit-select active and inactive signal levels; a plurality of data-bit line selectors each associated with one of said redundant columns, and, in response to said enable active level on an associated enable line, operable to generate said bit-select active level on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; an interface circuit in communication with said external data and bit-select busses and operable to couple a redundant cell of said mapped redundant column to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select signal; and a driver operable to precharge said plurality of enable lines to said enable inactive level and said one or more bit-select lines to said bit-select inactive level before said address signal becomes valid.

Claim 8

Apparatus for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to an address of a defective memory column in a memory device that communicates with an external data bus having one or more data-bit lines and an address bus, comprising: a plurality of enable lines each associated with one of said redundant columns and operable to carry enable active and inactive signal levels; an address decoder operable to receive an address signal on said address bus and to generate said enable active level on an enable line associated with said mapped redundant column when the value of said address signal equals said address; a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines and operable to carry bit-select active and inactive signal levels; a plurality of data-bit line selectors each associated with one of said redundant columns, and, in response to said enable active level on an associated enable line, operable to generate said bit-select active level on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; an interface circuit in communication with said external data and bit-select busses and operable to couple a redundant cell of said mapped redundant column to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select signal; and a driver operable to precharge said plurality of enable lines to said enable inactive level and said one or more bit-select lines to said bit-select inactive level before said address signal becomes valid.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of address decoders each associated with one of said redundant columns and enable lines and each operable to generate said enable active level on an associated enable line when said value equals an address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said address decoder is programmable.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said data-bit line selectors are programmable.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said data-bit selectors are wired-logic coupled to said bit-select bus.

Claim 13

A circuit for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to a defective memory column having block, relative-subblock, and relative-column addresses, said circuit in a memory device operable to communicate with an external data bus having a plurality of data-bit lines and an address bus, comprising: a plurality of address decoders each associated with one of said redundant columns, each comprising, a block select line operable to carry block active and inactive signal levels; a block selector operable to receive a block address signal and to generate said block active level on said block select line when the value of said block address signal equals a block address to which an associated redundant column is to be mapped; a relative-subblock select line operable to carry subblock active and inactive signal levels; a relative-subblock selector operable to receive a relative-subblock address signal and to generate said subblock active level on said relative-subblock select line when said value of said relative-subblock address signal equals a relative-subblock address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped; a relative-column select line operable to carry column active and inactive signal levels; a relative-column selector operable to receive a relative-column address signal and to generate said column active level on said relative-column select line when said value of said relative-column address signal equals a relative-column address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped; a redundant-column enabler in communication with said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column select lines and operable to generate a redundant-column enable signal when said block, relative-subblock and relative-column select lines concurrently carry said block, subblock, and column active levels respectively; a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines and operable to carry bit-select active and inactive levels; a plurality of data-bit line selectors, each associated with one of said address decoders, in communication with said bit-select bus, and, in response to an enable signal from an associated address decoder, operable to generate said bit-select active level on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; and an interface circuit in communication with said external data and bit-select busses and operable to couple a redundant cell of said mapped redundant column to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select active level.

Claim 14

A circuit for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to a defective memory column having block, relative-subblock, and relative-column addresses, said circuit in a memory device operable to communicate with an external data bus having a plurality of data-bit lines and an address bus, comprising: a plurality of address decoders each associated with one of said redundant columns, each comprising, a block select line operable to carry block active and inactive signal levels; a block selector operable to receive a block address signal and to generate said block active level on said block select line when the value of said block address signal equals a block address to which an associated redundant column is to be mapped; a relative-subblock select line operable to carry subblock active and inactive signal levels; a relative-subblock selector operable to receive a relative-subblock address signal and to generate said subblock active level on said relative-subblock select line when said value of said relative-subblock address signal equals a relative-subblock address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped; a relative-column select line operable to carry column active and inactive signal levels; a relative-column selector operable to receive a relative-column address signal and to generate said column active level on said relative-column select line when said value of said relative-column address signal equals a relative-column address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped; a redundant-column enabler in communication with said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column select lines and operable to generate a redundant-column enable signal when said block, relative-subblock and relative-column select lines concurrently carry said block, subblock, and column active levels respectively; a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines and operable to carry bit-select active and inactive levels; a plurality of data-bit line selectors, each associated with one of said address decoders, in communication with said bit-select bus, and, in response to an enable signal from an associated address decoder, operable to generate said bit-select active level on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; and an interface circuit in communication with said external data and bit-select busses and operable to couple a redundant cell of said mapped redundant column to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select active level.

Claim 15

The circuit of claim 11 wherein each of said address decoders comprises a driver for precharging said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column select lines respectively to said block, subblock, and column inactive levels during an interval when said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column address signals are invalid.

Claim 16

The circuit of claim 12 wherein said driver comprises: a block driver for precharging said block select line; a subblock driver for precharging said relative-subblock select line; and a column driver for precharging said relative-column select line.

Claim 17

The circuit of claim 12, further comprising a precharge controller operable to generate control signals for controlling said driver.

Claim 18

The circuit of claim 11 wherein said block, relative-subblock, relative-column, and bit-line selectors are programmable.

Claim 19

The circuit of claim 15 wherein said block, relative-subblock, relative column, and bit-line selectors include fuses that are operable to be selectively blown to program said selectors.

Claim 20

The circuit of claim 11, further comprising a driver operable to precharge said bit-select lines to said bit-select inactive level during an interval when said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column address signals are invalid.

Claim 21

The circuit of claim 11, further comprising an address separator operable to generate said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column address signals from an external column address signal.

Claim 22

The circuit of claim 11 wherein each of said address decoders further comprises an address separator operable to generate said block, relative-subblock, and relative-column address signals from an external column address signal.

Claim 23

The circuit of claim 11 wherein said bit-line selectors are wired-logic coupled to said bit-select bus.

Claim 24

The circuit of claim 11 wherein said bit-line selectors are wired-NOR coupled to said bit-select bus, wherein said bit-line selectors include multiples fuses each coupled to an associated bit-select line, and wherein said bit-line selectors are programmed by opening fuses associated with unselected bit-select lines to decouple said bit-line selectors therefrom.

Claim 25

Method for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to an address of a defective memory column in a memory device that communicates with an external data bus having one or more data-bit lines, comprising: receiving an address signal; generating an enable signal to enable a redundant cell of said redundant column when the value of said address signal equals said address; providing a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines; providing a plurality of data-bit line selectors, each associated with one of said redundant columns, in communication with said bit-select bus, and, in response to said enable signal, operable to generate a bit-select signal on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; and coupling said redundant cell to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select signal.

Claim 26

Method for mapping one of a plurality of redundant memory columns, each having a redundant memory cell, to an address of a defective memory column in a memory device that communicates with an external data bus having one or more data-bit lines, comprising: receiving an address signal; generating an enable signal to enable a redundant cell of said redundant column when the value of said address signal equals said address; providing a bit-select bus having one or more bit-select lines each associated with one of said data-bit lines; providing a plurality of data-bit line selectors, each associated with one of said redundant columns, in communication with said bit-select bus, and, in response to said enable signal, operable to generate a bit-select signal on a bit-select line associated with a desired data-bit line; and coupling said redundant cell to said desired data-bit line in response to said bit-select signal.

Claim 27

The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a plurality of column address decoders each associated with one of said redundant columns and each operable to generate an enable signal to enable an associated redundant column when said value equals an address to which said associated redundant column is to be mapped.

Claim 28

The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a programmable address decoder to receive said address signal.

Claim 29

The method of claim 22 wherein said providing data-bit line selectors comprises providing programmable data-bit line selectors.

Claim 30

The method of claim 22, further comprising providing said data-bit selectors wired-OR coupled to said bit-select bus.