Integrated circuit with precharged internal data bus

An integrated circuit comprising:

• functional circuitry;
• a data bus having a data conductor and a dummy data conductor;
• a data driver, having an input coupled to said functional circuitry for receiving information therefrom, having a first output for driving said data conductor with a digital value corresponding to said information, and having a second output for driving said dummy data conductor with a complementary digital value, relative to said digital value;
• a output stage coupled to said data conductor for receiving said digital value from said data conductor;
• and
• means for generating a control signal;
• and
• a transistor having a conduction path connected between said data conductor and said dummy data conductor, and having a control terminal receiving said control signal, for connecting said data conductor and said dummy data conductor together responsive to said control signal;
• wherein said data bus comprises a plurality of data conductors and a plurality of dummy data conductors, each of said dummy data conductors associated with one of said data conductors;
• wherein said circuit comprises a plurality of data drivers, each having an input coupled to said functional circuitry for receiving information therefrom, having a first output for driving one of said plurality of data conductors with a digital value corresponding to said information, and having a second output for driving an associated one of said plurality of dummy data conductors with a complementary digital value, relative to said digital value;
• wherein said circuit comprises a plurality of said output stages, each coupled to one of said plurality of data conductors for receiving said digital value therefrom;
• and wherein said circuit comprises a plurality of said transistors, each of said plurality of transistors having a conduction path connected between one of said plurality of data conductors and an associated one of said plurality of dummy data conductors, and each having a control terminal receiving said control signal.

An integrated circuit, comprising:

• functional circuitry;
• a data bus having a data conductor and a dummy data conductor;
• a data driver, having an input coupled to said functional circuitry for receiving information therefrom, having a first output for driving said data conductor with a digital value corresponding to said information, and having a second output for driving said dummy data conductor with a complementary digital value, relative to said digital value;
• a output stage coupled to said data conductor for receiving said digital value from said data conductor;
• and
• means for generating a control signal;
• a transistor having a conduction path connected between said data conductor and said dummy data conductor, and having a control terminal receiving said control signal, for connecting said data conductor and said dummy data conductor together responsive to said control signal;
• and
• a parallel data driver, having an input coupled to said functional circuitry for receiving information therefrom, having a first output for driving said data conductor with a digital value corresponding to said information, and having a second output for driving said dummy data conductor with a complementary digital value, relative to said digital value;
• wherein said data driver and said parallel data driver are controlled by said functional circuitry so as to not simultaneously drive said data conductor with a digital value.

A method of operating an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit including functional circuitry coupled to a data bus having a data conductor therein upon which said functional circuitry presents a digital value resulting from an operation by said functional circuitry, said data conductor connected to an output stage, comprising:

• driving a dummy data conductor with a complementary digital value from that presented on said data conductor;
• after said driving step, isolating said data conductor from said functional circuitry;
• after said isolating step, connecting said data conductor to said dummy data conductor;
• after said connecting step, responsive to another operation by said functional circuitry, disconnecting said data conductor from said dummy data conductor so that another digital value may be presented thereon;
• and
• after said connecting step, biasing said data conductor to a voltage between first and second voltages corresponding to first and second digital values, respectively.

A method of operating an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising a memory having a plurality of memory cells, a data bus having a data conductor, said data conductor connected to an output stage, comprising:

• selecting a memory cell in said array;
• sensing the stored state in said selected memory cell;
• driving said data conductor with a digital value corresponding to the sensed stored state, and a dummy data conductor with a complementary digital value from that presented on said data conductor;
• after said driving step, isolating said data conductor from said functional circuitry;
• after said isolating step, connecting said data conductor to said dummy data conductor;
• after said connecting step, responsive to another operation by said functional circuitry, disconnecting said data conductor from said dummy data conductor so that another digital value may be presented thereon.