Power-saving reading of magnetic memory devices
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsKenneth Kay Smith, Frederick A. Perner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Power-saving reading of magnetic memory devices. In one arrangement, a method includes pulsing a voltage on the array, and obtaining a voltage value indicative of a memory state of the target memory cell from the voltage pulse using a sensing circuit that is electrically connected to the target memory cell. In another arrangement, a method includes pulsing an array voltage on a plurality of row and column conductors of the array, connecting a sensing circuit to a conductor that is electrically coupled to the target memory cell, the sensing circuit including a sense element, and determining the voltage drop across the sense element of the sensing circuit during the voltage pulse, the voltage drop being indicative of a memory state of the target memory cell.
Claims40
A method for reading data from a target memory cell of an array of memory cells, comprising:
- pulsing a voltage on the array for a duration less than 5 microseconds;
- and
- obtaining a voltage value indicative of a memory state of the target memory cell from the voltage pulse using a sensing circuit that is electrically connected to the target memory cell.
A method for reading data from a target memory cell of an array of memory cells, comprising:
- pulsing an array voltage on a plurality of row and column conductors of the array;
- connecting a sensing circuit to a conductor that is electrically coupled to the target memory cell, the sensing circuit including a sense element;
- and
- ascertaining the voltage drop across the sense element of the sensing circuit during the voltage pulse, the voltage drop being indicative of a memory state of the target memory cell.
A sensing circuit for sensing a memory state of a target memory cell of an array of memory cells, comprising:
- an operational amplifier that is configured to receive an array voltage and output a sense voltage to a conductor of the array that is electrically coupled to the target memory cell;
- a voltage source that generates a sense current;
- and
- a sense element that is electrically coupled to the operational amplifier and the voltage source.
A method for reading data from a target memory cell of an array of memory cells, comprising:
- pulsing an array voltage on a first conductor electrically coupled to the target memory cell;
- connecting a sensing circuit to a second conductor that is electrically coupled to the target memory cell;
- and
- determining the voltage on the second conductor during the voltage pulse by storing the voltage within the sensing circuit, the voltage being indicative of a memory state of the target memory cell.
A sensing circuit for sensing a memory state of a target memory cell of an array of memory cells, comprising:
- a voltage source that generates a sense current;
- a capacitor that is configured to store a voltage equal to a voltage on a conductor electrically coupled to the target memory cell;
- and
- a switch associated with the capacitor that is configured to connect and disconnect the capacitor to and from the array.
A sensing circuit for sensing a memory state of a target memory cell of an array of memory cells, comprising:
- an operational amplifier that is configured to receive an array voltage and output a sense voltage to a conductor of the array that is electrically coupled to the target memory cell;
- a capacitor that is configured to store a voltage indicative of a memory state of the target memory cell;
- and
- a switch associated with the capacitor that is configured to connect and disconnect the capacitor to and from the array such that a voltage can be stored on the capacitor after an array voltage is pulsed on and off the array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.