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US 10,095,574 B2Granted
Apparatuses and methods for comparing a current representative of a number of failing memory cells
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorJae-Kwan Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for comparing a sense current representative of a number of failing memory cells of a group of memory cells and a reference current representative of a reference number of failing memory cells is provided. One such apparatus includes a comparator configured to receive the sense current and to receive the reference current. The comparator includes a sense current buffer configured to buffer the sense current and the comparator is further configured to provide an output signal having a logic level indicative of a result of the comparison.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- receiving a sense current representative of a number of failing memory cells of a group of memory cells, including buffering the sense current to generate a buffered sense current;
- receiving a reference current representative of a reference number of failing memory cells;
- amplifying a difference between the buffered sense current and the reference current;
- and
- generating an output signal indicative of a magnitude of the buffered sense current relative the reference current.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a sense node buffer configured to receive a sense current representative of a number of failing memory cells of a group of memory cells and buffer the sense current to generate a buffered sense current;
- and
- an amplifier having a sense node and a reference node, the sense node coupled to the sense node buffer to receive the buffered sense current, the reference node configured to receive a reference current representative of a reference number of failing memory cells, the amplifier configured to amplify a difference between the buffered sense current and the reference current and provide an output signal indicative of a magnitude of the buffered sense current relative the reference current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.