Self-timed bootstrap decoder
AssigneesUnited Memories, Inc., Nippon Steel Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsKim C. Hardee, Kenneth J. Mobley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A row decoder that includes circuitry to provide a self-timed bootstrap signal. The self-timed bootstrap signal is generated in response to the selection of the row decoder. At the same time, a capacitive device is charged in order to bootstrap a word line. The self-timed bootstrap signal causes a clock generator circuit to output a clock signal that will be used to bootstrap the word line. The self-timed bootstrap signal may be generated by other row decoders. The generation of the self-timed bootstrap signal by a row decoder is responsive to any variations in that decoder, thus always providing an accurate and precise timing of the clock signal to be used for the bootstrapping.
Claims13
A bootstrap decoder circuit comprising:
- at least one word line driver circuit having an input for receiving at least one input signal;
- and
- at least one clock generator circuit coupled to said at least one word line driver circuit;
- said word line driver circuit providing a bootstrap enable signal to said at least one clock generator circuit and at least one word line signal in response to receiving sad at least one input signal;
- said at least one clock generator circuit providing, in response to the bootstrap enable signal, a clock signal to said at least one word line driver circuit,
- said at least one word line driver circuit basing said word line signal further on the clock signal.
A bootstrap decoder circuit comprising:
- a row decoder circuit coupled to receive at least one select signal and at least one control signal, and including at least one output terminal;
- a clock generator circuit coupled to receive at least another select signal and at least another control signal, and including at least another output terminal;
- and
- a bootstrap enable signal circuit coupled to said row decoder circuit and said clock generator circuit, said bootstrap enable signal circuit generating a bootstrap signal in response to the at least one select signal, said clock generator circuit generating a clock signal in response to the bootstrap signal and providing the clock signal at the at least another output terminal, and said row decoder circuit generating a word line signal in response to the clock signal, the word line signal being output from the at least one output terminal.
A method of operating a bootstrap decoder circuit comprising the steps of:
- charging at least one capacitance device in response to at least one select signal;
- generating at least one bootstrap enable signal in response to the at least one select signal at substantially a same time as the preceding step;
- generating at least one clock signal in response to the at least one bootstrap signal;
- and
- generating at least one word line signal in response to the at least one clock signal, the at least one clock signal being timely provided in response to the at least one bootstrap signal at substantially a same time that the at least one capacitance device is fully charged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.