Multi-port memory device with stacked banks

• US 20040246807A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Seung-hoon
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/230.05
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/02 Disposition of storage elements, e.g. in the form of a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1075 for multiport memories each having random access ports and serial ports, e.g. video RAM

Abstract

A multi-port memory device with stacked banks is provided. The multi-port memory device includes a number of ports, and a plurality of stacked banks, two or more of which share one data line sense amplifier. Each stacked bank includes a plurality of memory cells. Data line sense amplifiers are connected respectively between the stacked banks and read buffers to sense data read from memory cells of a selected bank among the stacked banks. The read buffers are connected respectively to the ports, store memory cell data output from the data line sense amplifiers, and output the stored data to the ports. Read data lines connect the data line sense amplifiers with the read buffers, respectively. Write buffers are connected respectively to the ports, and convert and store write data received in serial through the ports in a parallel form. Write data lines connect the data line drivers with the write buffers, respectively. Accordingly, since a plurality of stacked banks can be accessed independently and can perform reading and writing operations independently, a data throughput increases and a data reading speed and data writing speed are improved.

Claims

1. A multi-port memory device comprising:

a plurality of buffers;

a plurality of stacked banks, each of the plurality of stacked banks including a plurality of memory cells;

data line sense amplifiers respectively coupled between the plurality of stacked banks and the plurality of buffers, the data line sense amplifiers structured to sense data read from memory cells of selected banks of the plurality of stacked banks; and

a plurality of read data lines which respectively couple the data line sense amplifiers to the plurality of buffers, the plurality of read data lines structured to simultaneously transmit data from the data line sense amplifiers to the plurality of buffers.

2. The multi-port memory device of claim 1, wherein the data line sense amplifiers are structured to sense data read in parallel from the memory cells of the selected bank.

3. The multi-port memory device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of ports respectively coupled to the plurality of buffers, and wherein the plurality of buffers are structured to output the memory cell data from the data line sense amplifiers in serial to the plurality of ports.

4. A multi-port memory device comprising:

a plurality of ports;

a plurality of stacked banks two or more of which share one data line driver, each stacked bank including a plurality of memory cells;

write buffers coupled respectively to the ports and structured to store write data received through the ports;

data line drivers coupled respectively between the stacked banks and the write buffers and structured to drive the write data using memory cells of a selected bank among the plurality of stacked banks; and

write data lines respectively coupling the data line drivers to the write buffers.

5. The multi-port memory device of claim 4, wherein the write buffers are structured to convert and store write data received in serial through the ports in a parallel form.

6. The multi-port memory device of claim 4, wherein the data line drivers are structured to drive the write data in parallel using the memory cells of the selected bank.

7. A multi-port memory device comprising:

a plurality of bi-directional data ports;

a plurality of stacked banks, each stacked bank including a plurality of memory cells;

data line sense amplifiers respectively coupled to the plurality of stacked banks and structured to sense data read from memory cells of a selected bank of the plurality of stacked banks;

data line drivers respectively coupled between the stacked banks and write buffers and structured to drive write data using memory cells of a selected bank of the plurality of stacked banks;

read buffers respectively coupled to the plurality of ports, the buffers structured to store memory cell data output from the data line sense amplifiers, and to output the stored memory cell data to the plurality of ports;

write buffers respectively coupled to the ports and structured to store write data received through the ports;

read data lines that couple the data line sense amplifiers to the read buffers, respectively; and

write data lines that couple the data line drivers with to write buffers, respectively.

8. The multi-port memory device of claim 7, wherein the data line sense amplifiers sense data read in parallel from the memory cells of the selected bank.

9. The multi-port memory device of claim 7, wherein the read buffers output the memory cell data output from the data line sense amplifiers in serial to the ports.

10. The multi-port memory device of claim 7, wherein the write buffers are structured to convert and store write data received in serial through the ports in a parallel form.

11. The multi-port memory device of claim 7, wherein the data line drivers are structured to drive the write data in parallel using the memory cells of the selected bank among the stacked banks.

12. A method comprising:

reading data from memory cells within stacked banks;

sensing data with at least two data line sense amplifiers; and

simultaneously transmitting the sensed data from at least two data line sense amplifiers to at least two buffers, respectively.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting data from the at least two buffers to ports.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein transmitting data from the at least two buffers to ports comprises serially transmitting data.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising writing data from the at least two buffers to data line drivers over a write data line.

16. A method comprising:

transmitting a first data to a port in a multi-port memory;

transmitting a second data to a different port in the multi-port memory;

storing the first data in memory cells within the stacked banks in the multi-port memory; and

storing the second data in different memory cells within the stacked banks in the multi-port memory,

wherein storing the first data and storing the second data occurs simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the first data comprises serially transmitting data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the first data comprises transmitting data in parallel.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising, accessing the first data in memory cells while concurrently accessing the second data in different memory cells.