Differential read-only memory (ROM) device
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsKuoyuan Hsu, Jacklyn Chang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A read-only memory (ROM) device includes a memory cell that is electrically coupled to a bitline (BL) or to a BL which represents a complement of the BL. The ROM device precharges the BL and the BL to a first logical value. The ROM device activates the memory cell which discharges the BL when the memory cell is coupled to the BL or discharges the BL when the memory cell is coupled to the BL. The ROM device reads the first logical value as being stored within the memory cell when the BL is less than the BL. Otherwise, the ROM device reads the second logical value as being stored within the memory cell when the BL is greater than the BL.
Claims20
A read-only memory (ROM) device, comprising:
- pre-charge circuitry configured to charge a bitline (BL) and a complementary bitline (BL) to a first logical value;
- a first ROM cell, coupled to the BL, configured to discharge the BL from the first logical value toward a second logical value different from the first logical value;
- a second ROM cell, coupled to the BL, configured to discharge the BL from the first logical value toward the second logical value;
- and
- a sense amplifier configured to:
- read the first logical value as being stored within the first ROM cell in response to the BL being less than the BL, and
- read the second logical value as being stored within the second ROM cell in response to the BL being greater than the BL.
A read-only memory (ROM) device, comprising:
- pre-charge circuitry configured to charge a first bitline (BL), a second BL, a first complementary bitline (BL), and a second BL to a first logical value;
- a first ROM cell, coupled to the first BL, configured to discharge the first BL from the first logical value toward a second logical value different from the first logical value;
- a second ROM cell, coupled to the second BL, configured to discharge the second BL from the first logical value toward the second logical value;
- and
- a sense amplifier configured to:
- read the first logical value as being stored within the first ROM cell in response to the first BL being less than the first BL, and
- read the second logical value as being stored within the second ROM cell in response to the second BL being greater than the second BL.
A read-only memory (ROM) device, comprising:
- pre-charge circuitry configured to charge a bitline (BL) and a complementary bitline (BL) to a first logical value;
- a ROM cell configured to discharge the BL from a first logical value toward a second logical value, different from the first logical value, in response to being coupled to the BL or to discharge the BL from the first logical value toward the second logical value in response to being coupled to the BL;
- and
- a sense amplifier configured to:
- read the first logical value as being stored within the ROM cell in response to the BL being less than the BL, and
- read the second logical value as being stored within the ROM cell in response to the BL being greater than the BL.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.