Apparatuses and methods for controlling word drivers
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorToshiyuki Sato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for controlling the discharge of subword lines are described. The rate of discharge and/or the voltage level discharged to may be controlled. In some embodiments, a main word line may be driven to multiple low potentials to control a discharge of a subword line. In some embodiments, a first word driver line signal and/or a second word driver line signal may be reset to control a discharge of a subword line. In some embodiments, a combination of driving the main word line and the first word driver line signal and/or the second word driver line signal resetting may be used to control a discharge of the subword line.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a subword driver configured to drive a subword line, wherein the subword driver includes a transistor coupled to the subword line at a first node;
- a word driver control circuit configured to provide a first control signal and a second control signal;
- and
- a word driver configured to receive the first and second control signals and provide a first driving signal to a second node of the transistor of the subword driver, the word driver configured to provide the first driving signal in an active state based on the first control signal and provide the first driving signal in an inactive state having a potential based on the second control signal.
A method, comprising:
- driving a subword line to an active potential of a word driver line responsive to an activation command;
- discharging the subword line to a first inactive potential of the word driver line responsive to a precharge command and an active reset signal;
- changing the first inactive potential of the word driver line to a second inactive potential responsive to an inactive reset signal, wherein the second inactive potential is greater than the first inactive potential;
- and
- discharging the subword line toward the second low potential.
A method, comprising:
- driving a word driver line to an active potential responsive to an activation command;
- providing the active potential of the word driver line to a subword line;
- driving the word driver line to a first inactive potential responsive to a precharge command and an active reset signal;
- providing the first inactive potential to the subword line;
- driving the word driver line to a second inactive potential that is greater than the first inactive potential responsive to an inactive reset signal;
- and
- providing the second inactive potential to the subword line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.