IP Library Granted Patent US 9,147,485
Granted Patent B2
US 9,147,485 · App. 13/871,891 · Granted Sep 29, 2015

Memory page buffer

Inventors: Chun-Hsiung Hung (Hsinchu, TW); Chi Lo (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
G11C16/28G11C16/0483G11C16/06G11C16/26Y10T29/49117
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,147,485
App. No.
13/871,891
Granted
Sep 29, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various embodiments address various difficulties with source side sensing difficulties in various memory architectures, such as 3D vertical gate flash and multilevel cell memory. One such difficulty is that with source side sensing, the signal amplitude is significantly smaller than drain side sensing. Another such difficulty is the noise and reduced sensing margins associated with multilevel cell memory. In some embodiments the bit line is selectively discharged prior to applying the read bias arrangement.

Claims (34)

1. A page buffer circuit, comprising:

a differential sense amplifier including a memory element with a previously sensed logic state; and

a page buffer logic circuit coupled to the memory element of the differential sense amplifier,

wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to a bit line, the bit line being coupled to the memory element, and

wherein, the page buffer logic circuit charges the bit line depending on the previously sensed logic state in the memory element.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry that performs drain side sensing on a memory array.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising control circuitry that performs source side sensing on a memory array.

4. The circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein the page buffer circuit includes:

a plurality of differential sense amplifiers including a memory element with a previously sensed logic state, the plurality of differential sense amplifiers including the differential sense amplifier;

a plurality of page buffer logic circuits coupled to the memory element of a corresponding one of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers, the plurality of page buffer logic circuits including the buffer logic circuit,

wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to NAND memory, and control circuitry enables the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times, when reading multiple cells of the NAND memory at a time.

5. The circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein the page buffer circuit includes:

a plurality of differential sense amplifiers including a memory element with a previously sensed logic state, the plurality of differential sense amplifiers including the differential sense amplifier;

a plurality of page buffer logic circuits coupled to the memory element of a corresponding one of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers, the plurality of page buffer logic circuits including the buffer logic circuit,

wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to NAND memory, and control circuitry limits crossbar current by enabling the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times, when reading multiple cells of the NAND memory at a time.

6. A page buffer circuit, comprising:

a plurality of differential sense amplifiers including a memory element with a previously sensed logic state;

a plurality of page buffer logic circuits coupled to the memory element of a corresponding one of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers; and

control circuitry enabling the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to NAND memory, and the control circuitry enables the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times, when reading multiple cells of the NAND memory at a time.

8. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to NAND memory, and the control circuitry limits crossbar current by enabling the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times, when reading multiple cells of the NAND memory at a time, and the control circuitry.

9. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry performs drain side sensing on a memory array.

10. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry performs source side sensing on a memory array.

11. A page buffer circuit, comprising:

a differential sense amplifier including a memory element with a previously sensed logic state; and

a page buffer logic circuit coupled to the memory element of the differential sense amplifier,

wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to a bit line, the bit line being coupled to the memory element, and

wherein the page buffer circuit further includes:

a plurality of differential sense amplifiers including a memory element with a previously sensed logic state, the plurality of differential sense amplifiers including the differential sense amplifier;

a plurality of page buffer logic circuits coupled to the memory element of a corresponding one of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers, the plurality of page buffer logic circuits including the buffer logic circuit,

wherein the page buffer circuit is coupled to NAND memory, and control circuitry enables the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times, when reading multiple cells of the NAND memory at a time.

12. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry limits crossbar current, by enabling the memory element in different ones of the plurality of differential sense amplifiers at different times, when reading multiple cells of the NAND memory at a time.

Continuity (2)
Division 13101753 · May 5, 2011
Related Publication 20130235674A1 · Sep 12, 2013