IP Library Granted Patent US 9,548,111
Granted Patent B2
US 9,548,111 · App. 14/872,908 · Granted Jan 17, 2017

Memory device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,548,111
App. No.
14/872,908
Granted
Jan 17, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell, a sense amplifier, and a resistor. The sense amplifier includes a first input and a second input, outputs a signal in accordance with a difference between the first and second inputs, and is selectively coupled at a second input to the memory cell. The resistor is in a first path between the first input of the sense amplifier and a ground node.

Claims (17)

1. A memory device comprising:

a sense amplifier comprising a first input and a second input, the sense amplifier outputting a signal in accordance with a difference between the first and second inputs;

a first current path including a memory cell configured to be coupled between the first input of the sense amplifier and a ground node; and

a second current path between the second input of the sense amplifier and the ground node,

wherein, when a potential of the ground node varies, a variation of a second current flowing in the second current path follows a variation of a first current flowing in the first current path including the memory cell of a first state.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein, when the potential of the ground node varies, the variation of the second current follows a variation of a third current flowing in the first current path including the memory cell of a second state.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:

the memory cell of the first state has a first resistance,

the memory cell of the second state has a second resistance, and

the first resistance differs from the second resistance.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the second current is larger than the first current and smaller than the third current.

5. The device of claim 2 , wherein:

the second current path includes a resistor, and

the resistor has a resistance which is larger than a resistance of the first current path including the memory cell of the second state and smaller than a resistance of the first current path including the memory cell of the first state.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein:

the resistor comprises one of a gate resistance, a diffusion layer resistor, a metal resistor, a transistor resistor, and a combination of two or more of a gate resistance, a diffusion layer resistor, a metal resistor, and a transistor resistor.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the resistor has a resistance which is larger than or equal to 10 kΩ.

Assignments (4)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 20, 2022
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION; K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058785/0124 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 20, 2022
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058785/0197 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION; SK HYNIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 044342/0548 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2016
From: TAKAHASHI, MASAHIRO; INABA, TSUNEO; KIM, DONG KEUN; LEE, JI WANG
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 038994/0229 →