Address decoding device
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsMaurizio Francesco Perroni, Giuseppe Castagna
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An address decoding device may include a supply terminal for a supply voltage, a conductive path configured to provide an electric signal, associated with an address of at least one memory cell, and an address terminal connected to the conductive path and structured to receive the electric signal. An address decoder may be connected to the address terminal to receive the electric signal. The decoder may have a decoding operative voltage associated therewith. A switch circuit may be structured to electrically connect the address terminal to the supply terminal when the address terminal takes a threshold voltage imposed by the electric signal, and may bring the address terminal to the decoding operative voltage.
Claims19
An address decoding device comprising:
- a supply terminal;
- a conductive path configured to provide an electric signal associated with an address of at least one memory cell;
- an address terminal coupled to the conductive path and configured to receive the electric signal;
- an address decoder coupled to the address terminal and configured to receive the electric signal, said address decoder having a decoding operative voltage associated therewith;
- and
- a switch circuit configured to electrically couple the address terminal to the supply terminal when the address terminal exceeds a threshold voltage related to the electric signal, and to bring the address terminal to the decoding operative voltage.
A memory comprising:
- a memory matrix comprising a plurality of memory cells;
- a supply terminal;
- a conductive path configured to provide an electric signal associated with an address of at least one memory cell of the plurality thereof;
- an address terminal coupled to the conductive path and configured to receive the electric signal;
- at least one address decoder coupled to the address terminal and configured to receive the electric signal, said at least one address decoder having a decoding operative voltage associated therewith;
- and
- a switch circuit configured to electrically couple the address terminal to the supply terminal when said at least one address terminal exceeds a threshold voltage related to the electric signal, and to bring the address terminal to the decoding operative voltage.
A method of address decoding comprising:
- providing an electric signal associated with an address of at least one memory cell to an address terminal using a conductive path;
- receiving the electrical signal at an address decoder coupled to the address terminal, the address decoder having a decoding operative voltage associated therewith;
- and
- electrically coupling the address terminal to a supply terminal using a switch circuit when the address terminal exceeds a threshold voltage imposed by the electric signal, and bringing the address terminal to the decoding operative voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.