# US 6,724,672 B2 · Integrated memory having a precharge circuit for precharging a bit line

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- Number: US 6,724,672 B2
- Document ID: US6724672B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/325,349
- Filed: 2002-12-18
- Published: 2003-06-19
- Granted: 2004-04-20
- Earliest claimed: 2001-12-18
- Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG
- Inventors: Thomas Nirschl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6724672B2

## CPC

- G11C 7/12: Bit line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, equalising circuits, for bit lines
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

An integrated memory having a memory cell array: including word lines for selecting memory cells, bit lines for reading out or writing data signals of the memory cells, a precharge circuit for precharging at least one of the bit lines to a precharge voltage that differs from a supply voltage of the memory. The precharge circuit has a loop regulating circuit for setting the precharge voltage using an actual voltage of the one of the bit lines. The precharge circuit makes it possible to reduce the power loss of the memory in conjunction with low area consumption.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated memory, comprising:
a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of word lines for selecting said plurality of said memory cells and a plurality of bit lines for reading out or writing data signals of said plurality of said memory cells; and
a precharge circuit connected to at least one of said plurality of said bit lines, said precharge circuit for precharging said one of said plurality of said bit lines to a precharge voltage generated from a supply voltage being different from said precharge voltage;
said precharge circuit having a loop regulating circuit for setting said precharge voltage using an actual voltage of said one of said plurality bit lines.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The integrated memory according to claim 1, wherein said precharge circuit has a regulator exhibiting hysteresis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The integrated memory according to claim 2, wherein said precharge circuit has a Schmitt trigger.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The integrated memory according to claim 1, comprising:
a terminal for obtaining a supply voltage;
said precharge circuit including a precharge transistor having a controlled path connected to said terminal for obtaining the supply voltage;
said precharge transistor being turned on or off depending on an actual voltage of said one of said plurality of said bit lines.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The integrated memory according to claim 4, wherein said precharge transistor is of a conductivity type selected from a group consisting of a p conductivity type and an n conductivity type.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The integrated memory according to claim 1, comprising:
a plurality of precharge circuits; and
a plurality of switches;
said plurality of said bit lines being organized into a plurality of bit line pairs;
each one of said plurality of precharge circuits provided for a respective one of said plurality of said bit line pairs; and
each one of said plurality of said switches for connecting together respective ones of said plurality of said bit lines associated with a respective one of said plurality of said bit line pairs.