Method for providing a faster ones voltage level restore operation in a DRAM
AssigneeMicron Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsMichael W. Starkweather, Stephen L. Casper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is a DRAM which provides for a faster non-accessed memory cell ones voltage level refresh or restore process. Specifically, the DRAM does not shut down a digit line's voltage pull-up circuitry (PSA) during a write operation. By leaving on the PSA, the digit lines being pulled to a ones voltage level will continue to be pulled up during the write operation. Thus, digit line will reach the ones voltage level in a shorter time than if the PSA were turned off during the write operation.
Claims5
A method of operation for a DRAM device, comprising:
- providing digit line voltage pull-up amplifying circuitry (PSA 20);
- reading a selected DRAM memory cell;
- performing a write operation, for writing a signal back to the selected cell;
- and
- maintaining current to the pull-up circuitry (20) during the write operation at a lower current than during the reading of the memory cell.
A method of operating a DRAM's read write back, and recharge operations to accessed and non-accessed memory cells, where the operation of writing back, or restoring similar charge to the cells, to the non-accessed cells comprises the step of:
- while performing a write back operation to the selected cell, simultaneously maintaining a current through pull up circuitry to the non-accessed cells during the write back operation of the accessed cells, where the current is lower than during the read and recharge operations to the non-accessed cells.
A method of operating a DRAM's read write back, and recharge operations to accessed and non-accessed memory cells, where the operation of writing back, or restoring a digital charge to the non-accessed cells comprises the step of:
- maintaining a current through pull up circuitry to the non-accessed cells during the write operation to accessed cell, where the current is lower than during the read and recharge operations to the non-accessed cells.
A method of operating a DRAM's read write back, and recharge operations to addressed and non-addressed memory cells, where the operation of writing back, or restoring a digital charge to the non-addressed cells comprises the step of:
- providing a plurality of P-channel sense amplifiers electrically coupled to all digit lines and memory cells of the DRAM;
- providing a first and second transistor linearly coupled between power supply and the P-channel sense amplifiers for providing power thereto;
- performing a read operation in the DRAM to selected addressed cells, by turning on both the first and second transistors, thereby providing a full current supplied to the P-channel sense amplifiers;
- and
- performing a write operation in the DRAM, where the voltage to the second transistor gate is lowered than during the read and recharge operations, thus lowering the current to an amount less than full current to all of the non-addressed cells via the P-channel sense amplifiers, thereby allowing non-addressed cells to continue charging to a ones level during the write operation to the addressed cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.