Method for detecting erroneous word lines of a memory array and device thereof
AssigneeEtron Technology, Inc.
InventorsTzu-Hao Chen, Jen-Shou Hsu, Lien-Sheng Yang, Yin-Ming Lan
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Abstract
A method detects if a word line of a memory array is broken. The method includes writing a first datum to a memory cell when coupling a corresponding word line to a voltage source, writing a second datum different from the first datum to the memory cell when the coupling between the corresponding word line and the voltage source is decoupled, reading the stored data of the memory cell, and determining if the word line is broken according to the read data, the first datum, and the second datum.
Claims12
A method for detecting if a word line of a memory array is broken, the memory array including a plurality of word lines and a plurality of corresponding memory cells, the plurality of word lines including a first word line and a plurality of second word lines, the method comprising:
- writing a first datum to a first memory cell corresponding to the first word line when the first word line is coupled to a first voltage source;
- writing a second datum different from the first datum to the first memory cell after the first word line is decoupled from the first voltage source;
- reading data stored in the first memory cell;
- and
- determining if the first word line is broken according to the read data stored in the first memory cell.
A detecting device for detecting if a word line of a memory array is broken, the memory array including a plurality of word lines and a plurality of corresponding memory cells, the plurality of word lines including a first word line and a plurality of second word lines, the detecting device comprising:
- a first writing device for writing a first datum to a first memory cell corresponding to the first word line when the first word line is coupled to a first voltage source;
- a second writing device for writing a second datum different from the first datum to the first memory cell after the first word line is decoupled from the first voltage source;
- a reading device for reading data stored in the first memory cell;
- and
- a determining device for determining if the first word line is broken according to the read data stored in the first memory cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.