Single ended simpler dual port memory cell

• US 6,005,796 A
• Filed: 01/30/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Andrew L., Chou, Richard K., Sywyk, Stefan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZARABIAN, AMIR
• Application Number:
  US08/789,300
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 365/230.05, 365/154, 365/156, 365/230.04
• US Class Current: 365/156
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/412 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/16 Multiple access memory array, e.g. addressing one storage element via at least two independent addressing line groups

Abstract

A single ended simplex dual port memory cell is described. One port of the memory cell is dedicated for writing operations and the other port of the memory cell is dedicated for reading operations. A bit of data received from the first port can be stored in the memory cell. The second port can detect the memory cell contents substantially simultaneously as the memory cell is storing a bit of data from the first port. Each port is optimized for its respective dedicated operation. In other words, one port is optimized for write operations and the other port is optimized for read operations. Because one port of the memory cell is optimized for write operations and the other port of the memory cell is optimized for read operations, the cell does not require multiple wordline voltages for each port.

Claims

1. A single ended simplex dual port memory cell comprising:

a read transistor for reading data to the memory cell, having a first gate width-to-length ratio;

a write transistor for writing data to the memory cell, having a second gate width-to-length ratio;

a first pass gate transistor having a third gate width-to-length ratio, receiving a first input and being coupled to the read transistor and to a first port; and

a second pass gate transistor having fourth gate width-to-length ratio, receiving a second input independent of the first input, and coupled to the write transistor and to a second port independent of the first port,

wherein (a) the ratio of (i) the first gate width-to-length ratio to (ii) the third gate width-to-length ratio is greater than 1.5, and (b) the ratio of (iii) the second gate width-to-length ratio to the (iv) fourth gate width-to-length ratio is less than 1.5.

2. A memory array comprising a plurality of the single ended simplex dual port memory cells of claim 1.

3. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the second gate width-to-length ratio to the fourth gate width-to-length ratio is less than or equal to approximately 0.5.

4. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the first gate width-to-length ratio to the third gate width-to-length ratio is greater than 2.

5. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 3, wherein the ratio of the first gate width-to-length ratio to the third gate width-to-length ratio is greater than 2.

6. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 1, further comprising:

a first load device receiving a first voltage and coupled to said read transistor, and

a second load device receiving a second voltage differing from said first voltage, and coupled to said write transistor.

7. The single-ended dual port memory cell of claim 1, wherein said first pass gate transistor has (i) a first source/drain terminal coupled to a first bitline and (ii) a second source/drain terminal coupled to a gate of said read transistor, and said second pass gate transistor has (iii) a first source/drain terminal coupled to a second bitline and (iv) a second source/drain terminal coupled to a gate of said write transistor.

8. The single ended dual port memory cell of claim 1, further comprising a first load device receiving a first voltage and coupled to said read transistor, and a second load device receiving said first voltage and coupled to said write transistor.

9. The single ended dual port memory cell of claim 8, wherein said read transistor has (i) a first source/drain terminal coupled to said first load device and (ii) a second source/drain terminal coupled to a second voltage different from said first voltage, and said write transistor has (iii) a first source/drain terminal coupled to said second load device and (iv) a second source/drain terminal coupled to said second voltage.

10. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 8, wherein

a) the first load device comprises a third transistor having a gate coupled to the gate of the read transistor, and

b) the second load device comprises a fourth transistor having a gate coupled to the gate of the write transistor.

11. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 10 wherein the read and write transistors are NMOS transistors and the first and second load devices are PMOS transistors.

12. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 10 wherein:

a) a gate of the first pass gate transistor is coupled to a first port wordline and a first terminal of the first pass gate transistor is coupled to a first port bitline, wherein the first pass gate transistor permits communication between the first port bitline and the memory cell only if the first port wordline is selected; and

b) a gate of the second pass gate transistor is coupled to a second port wordline and a first terminal of the second pass gate transistor is coupled to a second port bitline, wherein the second pass gate transistor permits communication between the second port bitline and the memory cell only if the second port wordline is selected.

13. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 12, wherein:

a) the first pass gate transistor has a gate width of approximately 0.5 microns and a gate length of approxim ately 0.5 microns;

b) the read transistor has a gate width of approximately 0.5 microns and a gate length of approximately 0.5 microns;

c) the second pass gate transistor has a gate width of approximately 1.2 microns and a gate length of approximately 0.5 microns; and

d) the write transistor has a gate width of approximately 0.5 microns and a gate length of approximately 0.5 microns.

14. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second load devices comprises a PMOS transistor having a gate width of approximately 0.5 microns and a gate length of approximately 0.5 microns.

15. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 12, wherein the read and write transistors are NMOS transistors, wherein at least one of the pass gate transistors is an NMOS transistor.

16. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 12, wherein a memory cell supporting circuitry inverts a bit communicated between the memory cell and one of a first and second bitlines.

17. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 1, wherein the read and write transistors are NMOS transistors.

18. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second pass gate transistors is an NMOS transistor.

19. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 6, wherein the read and write transistors are each a first type of transistor and the first and second load devices are each a second type of transistor.

20. The single ended simplex dual port memory cell of claim 8, wherein the read and write transistors are NMOS transistors and the first and second load devices are PMOS transistors.

21. A memory cell, comprising:

a first port having an associated first passgate, read transistor, first wordline and first bitline; and

a second port having an associated second passgate, write transistor, second wordline and a second bitline,

wherein a first resistivity ratio of said first passgate to said read transistor is greater than a second resistivity ratio of said second passgate to said write transistor and said first and second wordlines are independent of one another.