IP Library Granted Patent US 7,187,605
Granted Patent B2
US 7,187,605 · App. 10/747,400 · Granted Mar 6, 2007

Semiconductor storage device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,187,605
App. No.
10/747,400
Granted
Mar 6, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mask ROM small in circuit scale and low in consumption power has an n-type select transistor having a drain connected to a corresponding one of bit lines, a source connected to a data line, and a gate having a corresponding one of select signals input thereto. A p-type precharge transistor has a drain connected to a corresponding one of bit lines, a source connected to a power line, and a gate having a corresponding one of the select signals input thereto. Because the bit line is precharged by using a precharge transistor opposite in conductivity type to the select transistors, it is satisfactory to provide one precharge transistor for one bit line, greatly reducing the circuit scale.

Claims (24)

1. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cell transistors arranged in a matrix form and having storage values written therein by connecting/disconnecting first main electrodes of the memory cell transistors to/from a first power line;

a plurality of word lines respectively connected to control electrodes of the memory cell transistors along corresponding rows of the memory cell array;

a plurality of bit lines respectively connected to other main electrodes of the memory cell transistors along corresponding columns of the memory cell array;

a data line for selectively outputting a potential on the bit lines;

a select transistor of a first conductivity type having a first main electrode connected to a corresponding one of the bit lines, an other main electrode connected to the data line, and a control electrode having a corresponding select signal input thereto; and

a precharge transistor of a second conductivity type having a first main electrode connected to the corresponding one of the bit lines, an other main electrode connected to a second power line, and a control electrode having the corresponding select signal input thereto,

wherein the select transistor and the precharge transistor are both controlled by the corresponding select signal.

2. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cell transistors arranged in a matrix form and having storage values written therein by connecting/disconnecting first main electrodes of the memory cell transistors to/from a first power line;

a plurality of word lines respectively connected to control electrodes of the memory cell transistors along corresponding rows of the memory cell array;

a plurality of bit lines respectively connected to other main electrodes of the memory cell transistors along corresponding columns of the memory cell array;

a data line for selectively outputting a potential on the bit lines;

a select transistor having a first main electrode connected to a corresponding one of the bit lines, an other main electrode connected to the data line, and a control electrode having a corresponding select signal input thereto; and

a precharge circuit including having a precharge transistor having a first main electrode connected to the corresponding one of the bit lines and an other main electrode connected to a second power line, and a precharge control circuit for causing the precharge transistor to turn on only when the corresponding select signal represents non-selection and a difference between a potential on the corresponding one of the bit lines and a potential on the second power line is greater than a predetermined value.

3. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the precharge transistor has a same conductivity type as the select transistor, and the precharge control circuit is a NAND gate that supplies to the precharge transistor an output responsive to an inversion of a potential on the corresponding one of the bit lines and the corresponding select signal.

4. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the precharge transistor has a conductivity type opposite to a conductivity type of the select transistor, and the precharge control circuit is a NOR gate that supplies to the precharge transistor an output responsive to a potential on the corresponding one of the bit lines and the corresponding select signal.

5. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the first power line receives a ground potential and the second power line receives a power source potential.

6. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the select transistor is an nMOS transistor and the precharge transistor is a pMOS transistor.

7. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the select transistor is a pMOS transistor and the precharge transistor is an nMOS transistor.

8. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 2 , wherein the first power line receives a ground potential and the second power line receives a power source potential.

9. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein said predetermined value is a value corresponding to a half of said power source potential.

10. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 3 , wherein said precharge transistor is a pMOS transistor.

11. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 4 , wherein said precharge transistor is an nMOS transistor.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 21, 2014
From: OKI SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD
To: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 032495/0483 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 24, 2008
From: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
To: OKI SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 022052/0797 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2003
From: TAKAHASHI, TAKEO
To: OKI ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 014856/0112 →