Structure and method for improving high speed data rate in a DRAM

• US 4,979,145 A
• Filed: 05/01/1986
• Issued: 12/18/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Remington, Scott, Martino, William L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y.
• Application Number:
  US06/858,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 365/189, 365/221, 365/230
• US Class Current: 711/106
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/00 Arrangements for writing information into, or reading information out from, a digital store G11C5/00 takes precedence; auxiliary circuits for stores using semiconductor devices G11C11/4063, G11C11/413
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1006 Data managing, e.g. manipulating data before writing or reading out, data bus switches or control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1015 Read-write modes for single port memories, i.e. having either a random port or a serial port
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/14 Dummy cell management; Sense reference voltage generators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/18 Address timing or clocking circuits; Address control signal generation or management, e.g. for row address strobe [RAS] or column address strobe [CAS] signals

Abstract

A dynamic random access memory has a bit of data selected by a multiplexed address. The row address latches twice as much data as can be selected by the column address which follows the row address. After the column address has been utilized, there is still a one of two selection between two bits of data required. One of the row addresses provides the final selection between the two bits of data. An array toggle signal available from an extra pin is used to switch the state of the internal signal which corresponds to the one row address signal which makes the final one of two selection. The array toggle signal thus makes it possible to access any of the latched data in a high speed mode in which only the column address is changed to select among the bits of data which are already latched.

Claims

1. A read/write memory having a set of memory cells in which a memory cell is selected by a first plurality of address signals, a second plurality of address signals, and a control address signal, comprising:

first decoder means for selecting a first subset of memory cells from said set of memory cells in response to the first plurality of address signals;

second decoder means, coupled to the first decoder means, for selecting a first memory cell and a second memory cell from the first subset of memory cells in response to the second plurality of address signals;

third decoder means, coupled to the second decoder means for selecting between the first memory cell and the second memory cell in response to an internal address signal; and

control means, coupled to the third decoder means, for providing the internal address signal at a logic state which is the same as a logic state of the control address signal when an array toggle signal is in a first logic state and for providing the internal address signal at a logic state which is opposite that of the control address signal when the array toggle signal is in a second logic state.

2. The memory of claim 1 wherein the set of memory cells is divided into a first array and a second array, wherein said memory cells are characterized as being coupled to word lines and bit lines at intersections thereof, and wherein the first decoder comprises:

a first row decoder for enabling a word line in the first array selected by the first plurality of address signals;

a second row decoder for enabling a word line in the second array selected by the first plurality of address signals, wherein the cells coupled to the word lines enabled by the first and second decoders comprise the first subset of memory cells;

first sense amplifier means, coupled to the second decoder, for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the first array; and

second sense amplifier means for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the second array.

3. The memory of claim 2, wherein the second decoder means selects the first and second memory cells by coupling data of the first and second memory cells which is latched in the first and second sense amplifier means from the first and second sense amplifier means to the third decoder means in response to the second plurality of address signals.

4. The memory of claim 3, wherein the second decoder means comprises:

a plurality of secondary sense amplifiers for receiving selected data from the first and second sense amplifier means and providing outputs with respect to the data received;

a column decoder for selecting a second subset of memory cells taken from said first subset of memory cells in response to a first portion of the second plurality of address signals and for coupling the data of the second subset of memory cells which is latched in the first and second sense amplifier means from the first and second sense amplifier means to the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers; and

a multiplexor, coupled to the outputs of the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers, for selecting the outputs of the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers representative of the first and second memory cells in response to a second portion of second plurality of address signals and for coupling the selected outputs of the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers to the third decoder means.

5. The memory of claim 4 wherein the second plurality of address signals are received after the first plurality of address signals and the control address signal, further comprising:

latch means for latching the first plurality of address signals and the control address signal in response to a row address strobe signal.

6. The memory of claim 1 wherein the second plurality of address signals are received after the first plurality of address signals and the control address signal, and wherein the control means is further characterized as latching the control address signal in response to a row address strobe signal, further comprising:

latch means for latching the first plurality of address signals in response to the row address strobe signal.

7. The memory of claim 6 divided into a first array and a second array in which memory cells are coupled to word lines and bit lines at intersections thereof, wherein the first decoder comprises:

a first row decoder for enabling a word line in the first array selected by the first plurality of address signals;

a second row decoder for enabling a word line in the second array selected by the first plurality of address signals;

first sense amplifier means, coupled to the second decoder, for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the first array; and

second sense amplifier means for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the second array.

8. A random access memory having a plurality of memory cells in which a memory cell is selected by a multiplexed address comprised of a first address of n signals comprised of (n-1) row signals and a row control signal, and a second address of n signals received after said first address is received, comprising:

latch means for latching data from 2 to the (n+1) memory cells in response to the (n-1) row signals from the first address;

column decoder means, coupled to the latch means, for selecting data from a first and a second memory cell latched by the latch means in response to the second address of n signals;

multiplex means for selecting the first memory cell in response to an internal address signal being in a first logic state and the second memory cell in response to the internal address signal being in a second logic state; and

control means for providing the internal address signal at a logic state responsive to that of the row control signal and for reversing the logic state of the internal address signal in response to receiving an array toggle signal.

9. The memory of claim 8 divided into a first array and a second array in which memory cells are coupled to word lines and bit lines at intersections thereof, wherein the latch means comprises:

a first row decoder for enabling a word line in the first array selected by the (n-1) row signals;

a second row decoder for enabling a word line in the second array selected by the (n-1) row signals;

first sense amplifier means, coupled to the column decoder, for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the first array; and

second sense amplifier means, coupled to the column decoder, for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the second array.

10. The memory of claim 9, wherein the column decoder selects the first and second memory cells by coupling data of the first and second memory cells which latched in the first and second sense amplifier means from the first and second sense amplifier means to the multiplex means in response to the second address of n signals.

11. The memory of claim 10, wherein the column decoder means comprises:

a plurality of secondary sense amplifiers for receiving selected data from the first and second sense amplifier means and providing outputs with respect to the data received;

column selector means for selecting a second subset of memory cells taken from said first subset of memory cells in response to a first portion of the second plurality of address of n signals and for coupling the data of the second subset of memory cells which is latched in the first and second sense amplifier means from the first and second sense amplifier means to the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers; and

data selector means, coupled to the outputs of the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers, for coupling selected outputs of the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers representative of the first memory cell and the second memory cell to the third decoder means in response to a second portion of the second address of n signals.

12. A random access memory having a set of memory cells, comprising:

first decoder means for selecting a first subset of memory cells from the set of all memory cells in response to a first signal;

second decoder means for selecting a second subset of memory cells from the first subset of memory cells in response to a second signal;

third decoder means for selecting a third subset of memory cells from the second subset of memory cells in response to a third signal; and

fourth decoder means for selecting a fourth subset of memory cells from the third subset of memory cells in response to a fourth signal or a fifth subset of the memory cells from the third set of memory cells in response to a fifth signal and the fourth signal, said fifth subset disjoint form said fourth subset.

13. The memory of claim 12 wherein the set of memory cells is divided into a first array and a second array wherein said memory cells are characterized as being coupled to word lines and bit lines at intersections thereof, wherein the first decoder comprises:

a first row decoder for enabling a word line in the first array selected by the first signal;

a second row decoder for enabling a word line in the second array selected by the first signal, wherein the cells coupled to the word lines enabled by the first and second decoders comprise the first subset of memory cells;

first sense amplifier means, coupled to the second decoder, for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the first array; and

second sense amplifier means, coupled to the second decoder, for latching data stored in the memory cells coupled to the enabled word line in the second array.

14. The memory of claim 13, wherein the second decoder means selects the first and second memory cells by coupling data of the first and second memory cells which is latched in the first and second sense amplifier means from the first and second sense amplifier means to the third decoder means in response to the second signal.

15. The memory of claim 14, wherein the second decoder means comprises:

a plurality of secondary sense amplifiers for receiving selected data from the first and second sense amplifier means and providing outputs to the third decoder means;

a column decoder for coupling data representative of the second subset of memory cells from the first and second sense amplifier means to the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers.

16. The memory of claim 15, wherein the third decoder means selects the third subset of memory cells by coupling selected outputs of the plurality of secondary sense amplifiers representative of the third subset of memory cells to the fourth decoder means.

17. The memory of claim 16 wherein the second and third signals are received after the first and fourth signals, further comprising:

latch means for latching the first and fourth signals in in response to a row address strobe signal.

18. The memory of claim 12 wherein the second and third signals are receiving after the first and fourth signals, further comprising:

latch means for latching the first and fourth signals in in response to a row address strobe signal.

19. A read/write memory having a set of memory cells in which a memory cell is selected by a first plurality of address signals, a second plurality of address signals, and a control address signal, comprising:

selecting a first subset of memory cells in response to the first plurality of address signals;

selecting a first memory cell and a second memory cell from the first subset of memory cells in response to the second plurality of address signals;

selecting between the first memory cell and the second memory cell in response to an internal address signal; and

reversing the selection between the first and second memory cell in response to an array toggle signal.