Patent US5875128A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5875128A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor memory
Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1997-06-30
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Granted: 1999-02-23
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Expires: 2017-06-30
Abstract
Abstract In a semiconductor memory including NOR type cells in which memory cell transistors are located between adjacent bit lines and virtual ground lines, the connection pattern of bit line selecting transistors included, in each of adjacent bit line selection circuits SEL1 and SEL2, to bit line selecting lines, is inverted to that in an adjacent bit line selection circuit. When a memory cell transistor M05 is selected, D6 becomes the bit line and D5 becomes the virtual GND line. At this time, however, since D3 is brought to the precharge level, a current flows through the non-selected transistors M03 and M04 to the virtual GND line D5. But, since this current flows through the two non-selected transistors M03 and M04 to the virtual GND line D5, this current is smaller than the prior art semiconductor memory in which the current flows through only one non-selected transistor.
Inventors
- 👤 Nobuhiko Ishizuka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:35
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C11/40; G11C16/00; G11C16/02; G11C16/04; G11C16/0491
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
281 words
A semiconductor memory including: a plurality of memory cell transistors arranged in the form of an array; a plurality of bit lines and virtual ground lines connected to drains and sources of plural memory cell transistors in a column direction, of said plurality of memory cell transistors; a plurality of word lines orthogonal to said bit lines and virtual ground lines and each connected to gates of plural memory cell transistors in a row direction; a plurality of bit line selecting lines and a plurality of virtual ground line selecting lines in parallel to said plurality of word lines; a plurality of bit line selection circuits, each provided for plural memory cell transistors included in a plurality of columns, for selecting, in units of a column, as a bit line, one of the bit lines and virtual ground lines connected to said plural memory cell transistors of said plurality of columns, in accordance with the potential of said bit line selecting lines, each of the plurality of bit line selection circuits being composed of a plurality of bit line selecting transistors; and a virtual ground line selection circuit for selecting, in units of a column, as a virtual ground line, one of the bit lines and virtual ground lines connected to said plural memory cell transistors, in accordance with the potential of said virtual ground line selecting lines, the connection pattern of said plurality of bit line selecting transistors, included in each bit line selection circuit, to said bit line selecting lines, being inverted in comparison with that in an adjacent bit line selection circuit; each said bit line selection circuits being electrically isolated from said adjacent bit line selection circuits.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
281 words
A semiconductor memory including: a plurality of memory cell transistors arranged in the form of an array; a plurality of bit lines and virtual ground lines connected to drains and sources of plural memory cell transistors in a column direction, of said plurality of memory cell transistors; a plurality of word lines orthogonal to said bit lines and virtual ground lines and each connected to gates of plural memory cell transistors in a row direction; a plurality of bit line selecting lines and a plurality of virtual ground line selecting lines in parallel to said plurality of word lines; a plurality of bit line selection circuits, each provided for plural memory cell transistors included in a plurality of columns, for selecting, in units of a column, as a bit line, one of the bit lines and virtual ground lines connected to said plural memory cell transistors of said plurality of columns, in accordance with the potential of said bit line selecting lines, each of the plurality of bit line selection circuits being composed of a plurality of bit line selecting transistors; and a virtual ground line selection circuit for selecting, in units of a column, as a virtual ground line, one of the bit lines and virtual ground lines connected to said plural memory cell transistors, in accordance with the potential of said virtual ground line selecting lines, the connection pattern of said plurality of bit line selecting transistors, included in each bit line selection circuit, to said bit line selecting lines, being inverted in comparison with that in an adjacent bit line selection circuit; each said bit line selection circuits being electrically isolated from said adjacent bit line selection circuits.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
114 words
A semiconductor memory claimed in claim 1 further including a first selection circuit for selectively connecting one of a sense amplifier and a first precharge circuit to a first bit line connected to one of a pair of adjacent bit line selection circuits, and also for selectively connecting the other of said sense amplifier and said first precharge circuit to a second bit line connected to the other of said pair of adjacent bit line selection circuits, and a second selection circuit for connecting the virtual ground line selected by said virtual ground line selection circuit to the virtual ground and also for connecting a non-selected virtual ground line to a second precharge circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor memory as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory cell transistors being arranged eight to a row, corresponding to one of said word lines.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A semiconductor memory as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source region of said memory cell transistors being connected to said virtual ground line selection circuits, and a drain region of said memory cell transistors being connected to said bit line selection circuits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A semiconductor memory as claimed in 1, wherein said bit line selection circuits and said virtual ground line selection circuits being arranged alternatively with respect to one another.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A semiconductor memory as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said bit line selecting circuit comprises three transistors for each column of four memory cell transistors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor memory as claimed in claim 1, wherein said array of said memory cell transistors comprising NOR-type memory cells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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JPH0668683A
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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) | 2002-02-22 | 2002-08-24 | 2003-02-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-22 | 2006-08-24 | 2007-02-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-22 | 2010-08-24 | 2011-02-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |