# US 12,002,537 B2 · Pre-decoder circuity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,537 B2 - Document ID: US12002537B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/831,290 - Filed: 2022-06-02 - Published: 2023-12-07 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-06-02 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Byung S. Moon; Ramachandra Rao Jogu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002537B2 ## CPC - G11C 8/08: Word line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, for word lines - G11C 8/10: Decoders - G11C 13/0023: {Address circuits or decoders} - G11C 13/0026: {Bit-line or column circuits} - G11C 13/0028: {Word-line or row circuits} - G11C 13/0004: {comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells} - G11C 2213/73: Array where access device function, e.g. diode function, being merged with memorizing function of memory element - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract The present disclosure includes apparatuses, methods, and systems for pre-decoder circuitry. An embodiment includes a memory array including a plurality of memory cells, decoder circuitry coupled to the memory array, wherein the decoder circuitry comprises a first n-type transistor having a first gate and a second n-type transistor having a second gate, and pre-decoder circuitry configured to provide a bias condition for the first gate and second gate to provide a selection signal to one of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the bias condition comprises: a positive voltage for the first gate and a negative voltage for the second gate for a positive configuration for the memory cells, and zero volts for the first gate and the negative voltage for the second gate for a negative configuration for the memory cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a memory array including a plurality of memory cells; decoder circuitry coupled to the memory array, wherein the decoder circuitry comprises a first n-type transistor having a first gate and a second n-type transistor having a second gate; and pre-decoder circuitry configured to provide a bias condition for the first gate and second gate to provide a selection signal to one of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the bias condition comprises: a positive voltage for the first gate and a negative voltage for the second gate for a positive configuration for the memory cells; and zero volts for the first gate and the negative voltage for the second gate for a negative configuration for the memory cells. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-decoder circuitry is configured to provide an additional bias condition for the first gate and the second gate to provide a de-selection signal to the one of the plurality of memory cells for the positive configuration, wherein the additional bias condition comprises the negative voltage for the first gate and a different positive voltage for the second gate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a magnitude of the different positive voltage for the second gate is less than a magnitude of the positive voltage for the first gate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-decoder circuitry is configured to provide an additional bias condition for the first gate and second gate to provide a de-selection signal to the one of the plurality of memory cells for the negative configuration, wherein the additional bias condition comprises the negative voltage for the first gate and a different positive voltage for the second gate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the positive voltage for the first gate is greater than a magnitude of a gate threshold voltage value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the negative voltage for the second gate is greater than a magnitude of a gate threshold voltage value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a magnitude of the positive voltage for the first gate is greater than a magnitude of the negative voltage for the second gate. ### Claim 8 A method of operating memory, comprising: providing a first positive configuration pre-decoded address signal to a gate of a first transistor of pre-decoder circuitry, wherein the first positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has a high voltage value or a low voltage value; providing a second positive configuration pre-decoded address signal to a gate of a second transistor of the pre-decoder circuitry, wherein the second positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the high voltage value or the low voltage value; and providing a positive configuration de-selection bias condition for a first gate of a first n-type transistor of decoder circuitry and a second gate of a second n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry when the first positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value or when the second positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes providing the positive configuration de-selection bias condition for the first gate of the first n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry and the second gate of the second n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry when the first positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value and when the second positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes providing a positive configuration selection bias condition to the first gate of the first n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry and the second gate of the second n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry when the first positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the high voltage value and when the second positive configuration pre-decoded address signal has the high voltage value. ### Claim 11 A method of operating memory, comprising: providing a first negative configuration pre-decoded address signal to a gate of a first transistor of pre-decoder circuitry, wherein the first negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has a high voltage value or a low voltage value; providing a second negative configuration pre-decoded address signal to a gate of a second transistor of the pre-decoder circuitry, wherein the second negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the high voltage value or the low voltage value; and providing a negative configuration de-selection bias condition for a first gate of a first n-type transistor of decoder circuitry and a second gate of a second n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry when the first negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value or when the second negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method includes providing the negative configuration de-selection bias condition for the first gate of the first n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry and the second gate of the second n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry when the first negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value and when the second negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the low voltage value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method includes providing a negative configuration selection bias condition for the first gate of the first n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry and the second gate of the second n-type transistor of the decoder circuitry when the first negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the high voltage value and when the second negative configuration pre-decoded address signal has the high voltage value. ### Claim 14 An apparatus, comprising: a memory array including a plurality of memory cells; and decoder circuitry coupled to the array of memory cells, wherein the decoder circuitry comprises a first n-type transistor having a first gate and a second n-type transistor having a second gate; and pre-decoder circuitry configured to provide a bias condition for the first gate and second gate to provide a selection signal to one of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the pre-decoder circuitry includes a decoding portion, a first level shift portion, and a second level shift portion, wherein: a gate of a first transistor of the decoding portion is configured to receive a first pre-decoded address signal having a pre-decoded high voltage value relative to a pre-decoded low voltage value; a gate of a second transistor of the decoding portion is configured to receive a second pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded high voltage value; the first level shift portion is configured to increase the pre-decoded high voltage value to provide a positive voltage for the first gate; the second level shift portion is configured to decrease the pre-decoded high voltage value to provide a negative voltage for the second gate, wherein the bias condition provides a selection signal for a positive configuration for the array of memory cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the gate of the first transistor is configured to receive a third pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded low voltage value; the gate of the second transistor is configured to receive a fourth pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded low voltage value; the first level shift portion is configured to decrease the pre-decoded low voltage value to provide a negative voltage for the first gate; and the second level shift portion is configured to increase the pre-decoded low voltage value to provide a positive voltage for the second gate, wherein the bias condition provides a de-selection signal for the positive configuration for the array of memory cells. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: the gate of the first transistor is configured to receive a fifth pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded high voltage value; the gate of the second transistor is configured to receive a sixth pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded high voltage value; the first level shift portion is configured to decrease the pre-decoded high voltage value to provide zero volts for the first gate; and the second level shift portion is configured to decrease the pre-decoded high voltage value to provide a negative voltage for the second gate, wherein the bias condition provides a selection signal for a negative configuration for the array of memory cells. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the gate of the first transistor is configured to receive a seventh pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded low voltage value; the gate of the second transistor is configured to receive an eighth pre-decoded address signal having the pre-decoded low voltage value; the first level shift portion is configured to decrease the pre-decoded low voltage value to provide a negative voltage for the first gate; and the second level shift portion is configured to increase the negative configuration pre-decoded low voltage value to provide a positive voltage for the second gate, wherein the bias condition provides a de-selection signal for the negative configuration for the array of memory cells. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first transistor of the decoding portion and the second transistor of the decoding portion are serially connected. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a magnitude of the positive voltage is greater than a magnitude of the negative the voltage by at least a gate threshold voltage value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: a gate of a third transistor of the decoding portion is configured to receive an enable signal having an enable high voltage value relative to an enable low voltage value to provide the bias condition that provides the selection signal for the positive configuration or the bias condition that provides the selection signal for the negative configuration; and the gate of the third transistor is configured to receive an enable signal having the enable low voltage value to provide the bias condition that provides the de-selection signal for the positive configuration or the bias condition that provides the de-selection signal for the negative configuration.