Semiconductor memory with programmable bitline multiplexers
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsGerhard Mueller, Toshiaki Kirihata, Dmitry Netis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a semiconductor memory device that includes: a plurality of memory cells arranged in at least two groups; at least one sense amplifier; a first and a second multiplexer; and at least one programmable control device. Each multiplexer is adapted to couple at least one of the groups to the amplifier. The programmable control device is adapted to control the first and said second multiplexers. In one embodiment, the programmable control device is adapted to control the multiplexers independently.
Claims31
A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
- a plurality of memory cells arranged in at least two groups;
- at least one sense amplifier disposed between the at least two groups;
- a first and a second multiplexer, each adapted to couple at least one of said at least two groups to inputs of said at least one amplifier for at least one sensing operation;
- and
- at least one user programmable control device adapted to control said first and said second multiplexer.
A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
- a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of groups;
- a plurality of sense amplifiers disposed between the plurality of groups;
- a plurality of multiplexers, each of the multiplexers being adapted to couple inputs of at least one of said plurality of sense amplifiers to at least one of said plurality of groups for a sensing operation;
- and
- a plurality of user programmable control devices, each device adapted to independently control at least one of said plurality of multiplexers.
A method for controlling multiplexers in a semiconductor memory device, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a predetermined address;
- identifying at least one control signal and associated function, respectively, based upon the predetermined address, both the control signal and the function corresponding to at least one of the multiplexers;
- and
- controlling the at least one of the multiplexers based on the identified control signal and the function.
A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
- a plurality of sense amplifiers;
- a plurality of memory cells arranged in a plurality of groups;
- a plurality of local bitlines, each of the local bitlines being coupled to a memory cell in one of the groups;
- a plurality of hierarchical bitlines, each of the hierarchical bitlines being coupled to at least one of the sense amplifiers and all of the memory cells in one of the groups;
- a first plurality of multiplexers, each of the first plurality of multiplexers being coupled to one of the local bitlines and one of the hierarchical bitlines;
- and
- at least one first user programmable control device adapted to control at least one of the first plurality of multiplexers through a plurality of user programmable functions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.