IP Library Granted Patent US 10,796,730
Granted Patent B1
US 10,796,730 · App. 16/354,138 · Granted Oct 6, 2020

Semiconductor memory device and word-line activation method

Inventors: Yi Heng Liu (Hsinchu, TW); Jian-Sing Liou (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology Inc.
G11C5/10G11C11/4085G11C11/4087G11C11/4091
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,796,730
App. No.
16/354,138
Granted
Oct 6, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory bank of an open bit-line architecture and a word-line decoder. The memory bank is divided into a plurality of memory blocks in a bit-line direction, and each of the memory blocks includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of memory cells which are grouped into a plurality of memory sections including two edge memory sections and at least one non-edge memory section. The word-line decoder generates a plurality of word-line enabling signals based on a plurality of address signals and activates one of the word lines for each of the two edge memory sections of one of the memory blocks and one of the word lines for one of the at least one non-edge memory section of each of the other memory blocks concurrently in an active mode according to the word-line enabling signals.

Claims (18)

1. A semiconductor memory device, comprising:

a memory bank of an open bit-line architecture, being divided into a plurality of memory blocks in a bit-line direction, wherein each of the memory blocks comprises a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of memory cells which are grouped into a plurality of memory sections including two edge memory sections and at least one non-edge memory section; and

a word-line decoder coupled with the memory bank and configured to:

generate a plurality of word-line enabling signals based on a plurality of address signals; and

activate one of the word lines for each of the two edge memory sections of one of the memory blocks and one of the word lines for one of the at least one non-edge memory section of each of the other memory blocks concurrently in an active mode according to the word-line enabling signals.

2. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein each of the memory blocks comprises a plurality of sense amplifier arrays, and in each of the memory blocks, each of the edge memory sections is coupled with only one of the sense amplifier arrays and each of the at least one non-edge memory sections is coupled with two of the sense amplifier arrays.

3. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein the memory blocks have the same number of memory cells.

4. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein the word lines of each of the memory blocks are separate from those of the other memory blocks.

5. The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein each of the memory cells comprises:

a storage capacitor; and

an access transistor, coupled with the storage capacitor, one of the bit lines and one of the word lines.

6. A word-line activation method for a memory bank of an open bit-line architecture, the memory bank comprising a plurality of memory blocks, each of memory blocks comprising a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of memory cells which are grouped into a plurality of memory sections including two edge memory sections and at least one non-edge memory section, the word-line activation method comprising:

generating, by a word-line decoder, a plurality of word-line enabling signals based on a plurality of address signals; and

activating, by the word-line decoder, one of the word lines for each of the two edge memory sections of one of the memory blocks and one of the word lines for one of the at least one non-edge memory section of each of the other memory blocks concurrently in an active mode according to the word-line enabling signals.

7. The word-line activation method of claim 6 , wherein each of the memory blocks comprises a plurality of sense amplifier arrays, and in each of the memory blocks, each of the edge memory sections is coupled with only one of the sense amplifier arrays and each of the at least one non-edge memory sections is coupled with two of the sense amplifier arrays.

8. The word-line activation method of claim 6 , wherein the memory blocks have the same number of memory cells.

9. The word-line activation method of claim 6 , wherein the word lines of each of the memory blocks are separate from those of the other memory blocks.

10. The word-line activation method of claim 6 , wherein each of the memory cells comprises a storage capacitor and an access transistor coupled with the storage capacitor, one of the bit lines and one of the word lines.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2025
From: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MICROELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 071703/0241 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2019
From: LIU, YI HENG; LIOU, JIAN-SING
To: ELITE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 048604/0739 →