IP Library Granted Patent US 6,839,270
Granted Patent B2
US 6,839,270 · App. 10/346,494 · Granted Jan 4, 2005

System for and method of accessing a four-conductor magnetic random access memory

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,839,270
App. No.
10/346,494
Granted
Jan 4, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control circuit for writing to and reading from MRAMs comprising a row decoder; a first read/write row driver connected to the row decoder; a plurality of global row write conductors connected to the first read/write row driver; a plurality of row taps connected to each of the global row write conductors; and a second read/write row driver connected to the global row write conductors.

Claims (36)

1. A control circuit for writing to and reading from Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) cells comprising:

a row decoder;

a first read/write row driver connected to said row decoder;

a plurality of global row write conductors connected to said first read/write row driver;

a plurality of row taps connected to each of said global row write conductors, each row tap comprising a select transistor for controlling voltage potentials of local row sense lines; and

a second read/write row driver connected to said global row write conductors.

2. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein each of said global row write conductors is connected to respective control gates in a row tap support circuit, the control gates connect a selected local row sense line to a read potential and said control gate further connects all unselected local row sense lines to a second potential.

3. The control circuit of claim 2 wherein said global row write conductor is a first conductor of a four-conductor memory cell in the MRAM cells.

4. A circuit for writing to and reading from four-conductor Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM) comprising:

a row decoder;

a first read/write row driver connected to said row decoder;

a plurality of global row write conductors connected to said first read/write row driver;

a plurality of row taps connected to respective global row write conductor signal lines;

a second read/write row driver connected to said global row write conductors;

a column decoder;

a first read/write column driver connected to said column decoder;

a plurality of global column write conductors connected to said first read/write column driver;

a plurality of column taps connected to each of said global column write conductors, each row tap comprising a select transistor for controlling voltage potentials of local row sense lines; and

a second read/write column driver connected to said global column write conductors.

5. The circuit of claim 4 wherein one of said global row write conductors is connected to a control gate in a row tap support circuit, wherein the control gate connects a selected local row sense line to a read potential, and said control gate further connects nonselected local row sense lines to a second potential.

6. The circuit of claim 4 wherein one of said global column write conductors is selectively connected to a control gate in a column tap support circuit and the control gate connects a selected local column sense line to an input terminal of a sense amplifier.

7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein a second global column write conductor of the plurality of global column write conductors is connected to a second control gate in the column tap support circuit and the control gate connects a second selected local column sense line to a second read potential generated by a second sense amplifier.

8. The circuit of claim 4 wherein said global row write conductor is a first conductor of a four-conductor MRAM.

9. The support circuit of claim 4 wherein said global column write conductor is a second conductor of a four-conductor MRAM.

10. A circuit for writing to and reading from four-conductor Magnetic Random Access Memories (MRAMs) comprising:

a column decoder;

a first read/write column driver connected to said column decoder;

a plurality of global column write conductors connected to said first read/write column driver;

a plurality a column taps connected to each of said global column write conductors, each row tap comprising a select transistor for controlling voltage potentials of local row sense lines; and

a second read/write column driver connected to said global column write conductor.

11. The circuit of claim 10 wherein each of said global column write conductors is connected to a control gate in a column tap support circuit and the control gate connects a selected local column sense line to an input terminal of a sense amplifier.

12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein said global column write conductor is a second conductor of a four-conductor MRAM.

13. The circuit of claim 10 further including:

a row decoder; and

a first read/write row driver connected to said row decoder; and

a plurality of global row write conductors connected to a first read/write row driver.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2007
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 019733/0169 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2003
From: HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Reel/Frame 013776/0928 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2003
From: PERNER, FREDERICK A.; EATON, JR. JAMES R.; SMITH, KENNETH K.; ELDREDGE, KEN J.; TRAN, LUNG
To: HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY
Reel/Frame 013422/0272 →