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US 5,291,437 AGranted
Shared dummy cell
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorRobert N. Rountree
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention describes a circuit and method for utilizing a single dummy cell for each sense amplifier in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device. A precharge transistor connects a dummy cell capacitor to a reference potential and decoded selection transistors. The use of decoded selection transistors provides a means to share the dummy cell capacitor between either input of a differential or sense amplifier thereby reducing required area and circuit complexity.
Claims20
A dummy cell circuit, comprising:
- a capacitive element;
- a means for charging said capacitive element to a reference potential;
- and
- a means for selectively connecting said capacitive element to a selected one of two or more terminals.
1 more element
A method of forming a dummy cell circuit, comprising:
- forming a capacitive element;
- forming a means for charging said capacitive element to a reference potential;
- and
- forming a means for selectively connecting said capacitive element to a selected one or two or more terminals.
1 more element
A dummy cell circuit, comprising:
- a single capacitive element;
- a single switching means for selectively connecting said capacitive element to a reference potential;
- and
- a means for selectively connecting said capacitive element to a selected one of two or more terminals.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.