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US 4,973,864 AGranted
Sense circuit for use in semiconductor memory
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorKazutaka Nogami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sense circuit includes first and second input nodes, first and second output nodes, first to fifth MOSFETs of N-channel type, and first and second potential setting circuits, and the first and second output nodes are precharged to a power source potential by the first and second potential setting circuits before the sensing operation is started. After this, the first MOSFET is turned on by a control signal to start the sensing operation. After the sensing operation is started, the potentials of the first and second input nodes are respectively amplified by the second and third MOSFETs and the fourth and fifth MOSFETs and the amplified potentials are derived from the first and second output nodes.
Claims19
A sense circuit comprising:
- first and second input nodes;
- first and second output nodes;
- a first MOSFET of a first conductivity type having a drain, a source connected to a first potential terminal and a gate connected to receive a control signal;
- second and third MOSFETs of the first conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said second and third MOSFETs being respectively connected to said second output node and said first input node, and the source-drain paths of said second and third MOSFETs being serially connected between said /first output node and the drain of said first MOSFET;
- fourth and fifth MOSFETs of the first conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said fourth and fifth MOSFETs being respectively connected to said first output node and said second input node, and the source-drain path of said fourth and fifth MOSFETs being serially connected between said second output node and the drain of said first MOSFET;
- first potential setting means connected between a second potential terminal and said first output node, for setting said first output node to a second potential in response to the control signal;
- and
- second potential setting means connected between said second potential terminal and said second output node, for setting said second output node to a second potential in response to the control signal.
5 more elements
A sense circuit comprising:
- first and second input nodes;
- first and second output nodes;
- a first MOSFET of a first conductivity type having a drain, a source connected to a first potential terminal and a gate connected to receive a first control signal;
- second and third MOSFETs of the first conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said second and third MOSFETs being respectively connected to said second output node and said first input node, and the source-drain paths of said second and third MOSFETs being serially connected between said first output node and the drain of said first MOSFET;
- fourth and fifth MOSFETs of the first conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said fourth and fifth MOSFETs being respectively connected to said first output node and said second input node, and the source-drain paths of said fourth and fifth MOSFETs being serially connected between said second output node and the drain of said first MOSFET;
- a sixth MOSFET of a second conductivity type having a source connected to a second potential terminal, a drain and a gate connected to receive a second control signal;
- seventh and eighth MOSFETs of the second conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said seventh and eighth MOSFETs being respectively connected to said first input node and said second output node, and the source-drain paths of said seventh and eighth MOSFETs being serially connected between said first output node and the drain of said sixth MOSFET;
- ninth and tenth MOSFETs of the second conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said ninth and tenth MOSFETs being respectively connected to said second input node and said first output node, and the source-drain paths of said ninth and tenth MOSFETs being serially connected between said second output node and the drain of said sixth MOSFET;
- and
- potential setting means connected between said first and second output nodes, for setting the potentials of said first and second output nodes to a preset potential.
7 more elements
A sense circuit comprising:
- first and second input nodes;
- first and second output nodes;
- a first MOSFET of a first conductivity type having a drain, a source connected to a first potential terminal and a gate connected to receive a control signal;
- second and third MOSFETs of the first conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said second and third MOSFETs being respectively connected to said second output node and said first input node, and the source-drain paths of said second and third MOSFETs being serially connected between said first output node and the drain of said first MOSFET;
- fourth and fifth MOSFETs of the first conductivity type each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gates of said fourth and fifth MOSFETs being respectively connected to said first output node and said second input node, and the source-drain paths of said fourth and fifth MOSFETs being serially connected between said second output node and the drain of said first MOSFET;
- a first load circuit connected between a second potential terminal and said second output node;
- a second load circuit connected between said second potential terminal and said second output node;
- first potential setting means connected between said second potential terminal and said first output node, for setting said first output node to a second potential in response to the control signal;
- and
- second potential setting means connected between said second potential terminal and said second output node, for setting said second output node to the second potential in response to the control signal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.