IP Library Granted Patent US 7,924,630
Granted Patent B2
US 7,924,630 · App. 12/251,944 · Granted Apr 12, 2011

Techniques for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,924,630
App. No.
12/251,944
Granted
Apr 12, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines. The apparatus may include a plurality of source lines coupled to a single source line driver. The apparatus may also include a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. Each of the one or more memory transistors may include a first region coupled to a first source line of the plurality of source lines, a second region coupled to a bit line, a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating, and a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

Claims (27)

1. An apparatus for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines comprising:

a plurality of source lines coupled to one or more source line drivers, wherein the plurality of source lines are divided into a plurality of sub-groups of source lines and each of the plurality of sub-groups of source lines is configured to perform different operations; and

a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors having:

a first region coupled to a first source line of the plurality of source lines;

a second region coupled to a bit line;

a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region is electrically floating; and

a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a total number of source lines coupled to the one or more source line drivers is based at least in part on power consumption of the plurality of dynamic random access memory cells.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a total number of source lines coupled to the one or more source line drivers is based at least in part on disturbance on the plurality of dynamic random access memory cells.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a total number of source lines coupled to the one or more source line drivers is based at least in part on an available area on a circuit board.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each row of the plurality of dynamic random access cells is coupled to one source line of the plurality of source lines.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein multiple rows of the plurality of dynamic random access memory cells are coupled to one source line of the plurality of source lines.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of four source lines, eight source lines, sixteen source lines, or thirty-two source lines are coupled to the one or more source line drivers.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the different operations comprise at least one of a write operation, a read operation, a refresh operation, and an inhibit operation.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sub-groups of source lines is coupled to a respective one of the one or more source line drivers.

10. A method for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines comprising the steps of:

coupling a plurality of source lines to one or more source line drivers, wherein the plurality of source lines are divided into a plurality of sub-groups of source lines and each of the plurality of sub-groups of source lines is configured to perform different operations; and

arranging a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells in an array of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors having:

a first region coupled to a first source line of the plurality of source lines;

a second region coupled to a bit line;

a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region is electrically floating; and

a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising coupling each row of the plurality of dynamic random access cells to one source line of the plurality of source lines.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising coupling multiple rows of the plurality of dynamic random access memory cells to one source line of the plurality of source lines.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein coupling a plurality of source lines to one or more source line drivers comprises coupling at least one of four source lines, eight source lines, sixteen source lines, or thirty-two source lines to the one or more source line drivers.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the different operations comprise at least one of a write operation, a read operation, a refresh operation, and an inhibit operation.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of sub-groups of source lines is coupled to a respective one of the one or more source line drivers.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2011
From: INNOVATIVE SILICON ISI S.A.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 025850/0798 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2008
From: CARMAN, ERIC
To: INNOVATIVE SILICON ISI SA
Reel/Frame 021685/0971 →