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US 8,526,226 B2Granted
Current control apparatus and phase change memory having the same
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorsSang Kug Lym, Yoon Jae Shin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A current control apparatus of a phase change memory includes a temperature sensing block having an output voltage level which varies depending on temperature of an internal circuit and a write driver configured to control an amount of program current provided to a memory cell in response to the output voltage level of the temperature sensing block.
Claims14
A current control apparatus of a phase change memory, comprising:
- a temperature sensing block configured to provide a different level of output voltage that is proportional to temperature;
- a reset control unit coupled to the temperature sensing block and configured to be driven during a reset mode;
- a set control unit coupled to the temperature sensing block and configured to be driven during a set mode;
- a write driver enable unit directly coupled to a output node of the output voltage, and having a switch configured to provide a high voltage to the output node in response to a write driver enable signal;
- and
- a write driver directly coupled between the output node and a memory cell, and configured to provide current that is inversely proportional to the level of the output voltage to the memory cell.
3 more elements
A phase change memory comprising:
- a phase change memory cell comprising a variable resistor having a resistance value which varies depending on temperature;
- and
- a current control apparatus configured to sense the temperature, and output current to the phase change memory cell that is inversely proportional to temperature,
- wherein the current control apparatus comprises:
- a temperature sensing block configured to provide a different level of output voltage that is proportional to temperature;
- a write driver enable unit directly coupled to a output node of the output voltage, and having a switch configured to provide a high voltage to the output node in response to a write driver enable signal;
- and
- a write driver directly coupled between the output node and the phase change memory cell, and configured to provide current that is inversely proportional to the level of the output voltage to the phase change memory cell.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.