Digitally-Controllable Delay for Sense Amplifier
First Claim
1. A circuit for use with a magnetic resistance-based memory, the circuit comprising:
- a sense amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an enable input;
a first amplifier coupled to an output of a cell of the magnetic resistance-based memory;
a second amplifier coupled to a reference of the output of the cell; and
a third digitally-controllable amplifier coupled to a tracking circuit cell that includes at least one element that is similar to the cell of the magnetic resistance-based memory,wherein the first input is coupled to the first amplifier, the second input is coupled to the second amplifier, and the enable input is coupled to the third digitally-controllable amplifier via a logic circuit.
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Abstract
Circuits, apparatuses, and methods of interposing a selectable delay in reading a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a circuit includes a sense amplifier, having a first input, a second input, and an enable input. A first amplifier coupled to an output of a magnetic resistance-based memory cell and a second amplifier coupled to a reference output of the cell also are provided. The circuit further includes a digitally-controllable amplifier coupled to a tracking circuit cell. The tracking circuit cell includes at least one element that is similar to the cell of the magnetic resistance-based memory. The first input of the sense amplifier is coupled to the first amplifier, the second input of the sense amplifier is coupled to the second amplifier, and the enable input is coupled to the third digitally-controllable amplifier via a logic circuit. The sense amplifier may generate an output value based on the amplified values received from the output of the magnetic resistance-based memory cell and the reference cell once the sense amplifier receives an enable signal from the digitally-controllable amplifier via the logic circuit.
13 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A circuit for use with a magnetic resistance-based memory, the circuit comprising:
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a sense amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an enable input; a first amplifier coupled to an output of a cell of the magnetic resistance-based memory; a second amplifier coupled to a reference of the output of the cell; and a third digitally-controllable amplifier coupled to a tracking circuit cell that includes at least one element that is similar to the cell of the magnetic resistance-based memory, wherein the first input is coupled to the first amplifier, the second input is coupled to the second amplifier, and the enable input is coupled to the third digitally-controllable amplifier via a logic circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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a tracking cell including a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell disposed in an MRAM array, the MRAM array including a plurality of MRAM cells; a tracking amplifier including an analog amplifier configured to receive an output of the tracking cell; and a controllable delay circuit configured to receive a digital control signal to control timing of an output of the tracking amplifier based on the received digital control signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling timing of an enable signal used to initiate reading of data values in a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, the method comprising:
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configuring an MRAM device including a plurality of memory cell circuits to include a tracking circuit, the tracking circuit including; at least one MRAM tracking cell, the at least one MRAM tracking cell being configured to generate an MRAM tracking cell output in response to receiving a read signal applied at the MRAM device; and a tracking amplifier configured to generate a tracking signal in response to the MRAM cell tracking output and further configured to apply a selective delay in generating the tracking signal, whereby the tracking signal is used to initiate an enable signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification