Apparatus and methods to perform read-while write (RWW) operations
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to methods and apparatus, such as memory devices and systems including such memory devices. In one apparatus example, a plurality of block configurations may be employed. Block configurations may include an arrangement of similarly doped semiconductor switches. Block configurations may select a respective tile of a memory array, a particular memory cell of the respective tile, and select a memory operation to apply to the particular memory cell. Immediately adjacent block configurations within a particular slice of the memory array may be substantially mirrored and immediately adjacent block configurations in separate immediately adjacent slices of the memory array may be substantially similar. Similarly doped diffusion regions for similarly doped semiconductor switches in substantially mirrored block configurations may be arranged to electrically share a common potential signal value level. Other apparatus and methods are also disclosed.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a configuration of p-type semiconductor devices to decode signals selecting a particular memory cell of a particular tile for a memory operation,
the configuration such that commonly controlled devices of the configuration decode the selected memory tile and non-commonly controlled devices of the configuration decode the selected memory cell of the selected tile,
wherein the commonly controlled devices of the configuration are positioned on opposing sides of the selected memory cell and the non-commonly controlled devices of the configuration are positioned on a same side of the selected memory cell, and wherein a first transistor of the non-commonly controlled devices of the configuration electrically connects the selected memory cell to a first signal path associated with a read operation and a second transistor of the non-commonly controlled devices of the configuration electrically connects the selected memory cell to a second signal path associated with a write operation.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the commonly controlled devices comprise commonly gated devices.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the devices comprise p-type FETs.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the p-type FETs have drains coupled to share a common voltage signal level.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of the following:
a memory device, cell phone, personal digital assistant, desktop computer, tablet computer, laptop computer or any combination thereof.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the non-commonly controlled FETs of different configurations that are immediately adjacent one another have N-well diffusion regions coupled to share a common voltage signal value level.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the p-type semiconductor devices are configured to:
transmit signals to decode the selected memory cell and to decode the selected memory operation for the selected memory cell,
wherein the signals for selecting a memory read operation have a more extreme signal value level than the signals for selecting a memory write operation.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the transmitted signals comprise voltage signals having respective voltage signal value levels.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein signals transmitted to write a memory state comprise a more extreme voltage signal value level than signals transmitted to read a memory state.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected memory cell is a PCM memory cell.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected memory cell is a flash memory cell.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the commonly controlled devices comprise memory slice decoders.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the p-type semiconductor devices are configured to:
transmit signals to decode the selected memory cell and to decode the selected memory operation for the selected memory cell,
wherein transmitting signals comprises transmitting signals so that a memory state of one memory cell is being read while a memory state of another memory cell is being written.