公开(公告)号：JP2003109392A

公开(公告)日：2003-04-11

申请号：JP2002226102

申请日：2002-08-02

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： MICHAEL ORON ,  SEVER ILAN

IPC: G11C16/06 ,  G05F3/26 ,  G11C5/14 ,  G11C7/14 ,  G11C16/28

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology for generating effectively a reference current in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory. SOLUTION: A reference current generator circuit supplies reference current to a sense amplifier in a flash memory device. This circuit has a reference current generator generating a reference current used for a sense amplifier circuit. A current buffer circuit in the flash memory device mirrors the reference current, and a plurality of mirrored reference currents is applied to the reference input. A startup circuit is utilized in order to provide a fast setting time of the reference node appearing at the input of the sense amplifier.

公开(公告)号：JP2003132692A

公开(公告)日：2003-05-09

申请号：JP2002225477

申请日：2002-08-02

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： MICHAEL ORON ,  SEVER ILAN

IPC: G11C16/06 ,  G11C7/06 ,  G11C16/28

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide technology by which sense amplifier operation in a nonvolatile memory device is performed further efficiently. SOLUTION: This sense amplifier circuit has a current source that is configurable to source any of at least two nonzero current levels in the sense amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit is controlled by control circuitry in the nonvolatile memory device so that each sense amplifier circuit sources a first current level during the pre-charge cycle of a memory read operation, and a second current level being greater than the first current level during the memory cell sense operation. In this way, the sense amplifier circuit consumes less power during the memory read operation without an appreciable loss in performance.

公开(公告)号：DE60212272D1

公开(公告)日：2006-07-27

申请号：DE60212272

申请日：2002-07-31

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： MICHAEL ORON ,  SEVER ILAN

IPC: G11C7/06 ,  G11C16/06 ,  G11C16/28

Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit and method are disclosed for nonvolatile memory devices, such as flash memory devices. The sense amplifier circuit includes a current source that is configurable to source any of at least two nonzero current levels in the sense amplifier circuit. The sense amplifier circuit is controlled by control circuitry in the nonvolatile memory device so that each sense amplifier circuit sources a first current level during the precharge cycle of a memory read operation, and a second current level, greater than the first current level, during the memory cell sense operation. In this way, the sense amplifier circuit consumes less power during the memory read operation without an appreciable loss in performance.