Patent US5901088A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5901088A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sense amplifier utilizing a balancing resistor
Assignee: Ramtron International Corp
•
Filing: 1998-02-11
•
Granted: 1999-05-04
•
Expires: 2018-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A cross-coupled sense amplifier includes a voltage-compensating balancing resistor serially connected between the drain of one of the P-channel transistors in the sense amplifier and the corresponding sensing/bit line node. The value of the balancing resistor is optimized so that the voltage imbalance between the P-channel transistor is minimized and sense amplifier sensitivity is maximized. A balancing resistor can also be placed in the N-channel transistors in the sense amplifier if desired. The balancing resistor in a typical application is about 100 to 200 ohms and fabricated from polysilicon.
Inventors
- 👤 William F. Kraus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:31
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C7/00; G11C7/06; G11C7/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
A sense amplifier comprising: a pair of cross-coupled transistors coupled between a power node and first and second bit nodes; and a balancing resistor coupled in series between one of the bit nodes and the corresponding transistor, the balancing resistor having a resistance value that is optimized such that the voltage offset between the sense amplifier transistors is minimized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
A sense amplifier comprising: a pair of cross-coupled transistors coupled between a power node and first and second bit nodes; and a balancing resistor coupled in series between one of the bit nodes and the corresponding transistor, the balancing resistor having a resistance value that is optimized such that the voltage offset between the sense amplifier transistors is minimized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 1 in which the balancing resistor has a resistance value between about 100 and 200 ohms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 1 in which the balancing resistor comprises polysilicon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
133 words
A sense amplifier for coupling to an unbalanced column of memory cells comprising: first and second P-channel transistors each having a source, drain, and a gate, the sources of the first and second P-channel transistors being coupled to a power node, the gate of the first P-channel transistor being coupled to the drain of the second P-channel transistor to form a first bit node, and the gate of the second P-channel transistor being coupled to the drain of the first P-channel transistor to form a second bit node; and a balancing resistor coupled in series between the drain of one of the P-channel transistors and the corresponding bit node, the balancing resistor having a resistance value that is optimized such that the voltage offset between the first and second P-channel transistors is minimized.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
133 words
A sense amplifier for coupling to an unbalanced column of memory cells comprising: first and second P-channel transistors each having a source, drain, and a gate, the sources of the first and second P-channel transistors being coupled to a power node, the gate of the first P-channel transistor being coupled to the drain of the second P-channel transistor to form a first bit node, and the gate of the second P-channel transistor being coupled to the drain of the first P-channel transistor to form a second bit node; and a balancing resistor coupled in series between the drain of one of the P-channel transistors and the corresponding bit node, the balancing resistor having a resistance value that is optimized such that the voltage offset between the first and second P-channel transistors is minimized.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 4 in which the balancing resistor has a resistance value between about 100 and 200 ohms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 4 in which the balancing resistor comprises polysilicon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
84 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 4 further comprising first and second N-channel transistors each having a source, drain, and a gate, the sources of the first and second N-channel transistors being coupled to a ground node, the gate of the first N-channel transistor being coupled to the drain of the second N-channel transistor and to the first bit node, and the gate of the second P-channel transistor being coupled to the drain of the first N-channel transistor and to the second bit node.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 7 further comprising a balancing resistor coupled in series between the drain of one of the N-channel transistors and the corresponding bit node, the balancing resistor having a resistance value that is optimized such that the voltage offset between the first and second N-channel transistors is minimized.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 8 in which the balancing resistor has a resistance value between about 100 and 200 ohms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A sense amplifier as in claim 8 in which the balancing resistor comprises polysilicon.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
58 words
A method for balancing a sense amplifier including at least a pair of cross-coupled transistors having a power or ground node and first and second bit nodes, the method comprising: inserting a balancing resistor between one of the transistors and the associated bit node; optimizing the resistor value so that the voltage offset between the transistors is minimized.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
58 words
A method for balancing a sense amplifier including at least a pair of cross-coupled transistors having a power or ground node and first and second bit nodes, the method comprising: inserting a balancing resistor between one of the transistors and the associated bit node; optimizing the resistor value so that the voltage offset between the transistors is minimized.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of balancing a sense amplifier including at least a pair of cross-coupled transistors having a power or ground node and first and second bit nodes coupled to an unbalanced column of memory cells, the method comprising: determining the parasitic resistance and current load associated with each bit node; inserting a balancing resistor between one of the transistors and the bit node determined to have the lesser of the two bit node resistances; setting the resistor value so that the voltage offset between the transistors is minimized.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of balancing a sense amplifier including at least a pair of cross-coupled transistors having a power or ground node and first and second bit nodes coupled to an unbalanced column of memory cells, the method comprising: determining the parasitic resistance and current load associated with each bit node; inserting a balancing resistor between one of the transistors and the bit node determined to have the lesser of the two bit node resistances; setting the resistor value so that the voltage offset between the transistors is minimized.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3739365A
Cited
US4247791A
Cited
US4158241A
Cited
US4541006A
Cited
US4261044A
Cited
US4318187A
Cited
US4514828A
Cited
US4883985A
Cited
US4521703A
Cited
US4948993A
Cited
US5017815A
Cited
US5336242A
Cited
US5498984A
Cited
US5619467A
Cited
US5696726A
Cited
US5627494A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-03 | 2002-11-02 | 2003-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-03 | 2006-11-02 | 2007-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-03 | 2010-11-02 | 2011-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |