Method and apparatus for sensing resistance values of memory cells
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorR. Jacob Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for sensing the resistance value of a resistor-based memory cell. A current is driven through all unused row lines of a memory array while grounding the row line associated with the selected cell, thereby forcing the current through a comparatively low equivalent resistance formed by the parallel coupling of all unselected memory cells and also through a comparatively high resistance of the selected memory cell. The voltage on a column line corresponding to the selected memory cell is then measured to ground. The voltage level corresponds to either one of two resistance values (i.e., signifying either a logic “HIGH” or a logic “LOW”).
Claims6
A memory array comprising:
- a first reference cell containing a first resistor of a first resistance value;
- a second reference cell containing a second resistor of a second resistance value, wherein a current source is coupled to said first and second reference cells for passing a current through said first and second reference cells, and wherein
- said first and second reference cells are coupled to each other so as to enable a detection of a reference voltage to be fed into an input of a comparator for comparing said reference voltage with a voltage sensed from a selected memory cell of said memory array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.