Semiconductor memory device storing ternary data signal

• US 6,795,333 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Notani, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHUNG, ANH K
• Application Number:
  US10/337,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 365/154, 365/156, 365/49, 365/202
• US Class Current: 365/154
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 15/04 using semiconductor elements

Abstract

A memory cell in the SRAM has three storing/holding states, i.e., a state where two storage nodes store 0, 1, a state where the two storage nodes store 1, 0, and a state where the two storage nodes store 1, 1. Therefore, the number of memory cells can be reduced by one half compared to the conventional case in which two memory cells were required to store three types of data signals.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory device arranged at a crossing of a word line and first and second bit lines, comprising:

first and second inverters having output nodes connected to first and second storage nodes, respectively;

a first switching circuit

rendering conductive a path between the first storage node and an input node of said second inverter and applying a second potential to an input node of said first inverter if first and second potentials are applied to the first and second storage nodes, respectively, and

rendering conductive a path between the second storage node and the input node of said first inverter and applying the second potential to the input node of said second inverter if the second and first potentials are applied to the first and second storage nodes, respectively, and applying the second potential to each of the input nodes of said first and second inverters if the first potential is applied to each of the first and second storage nodes; and

a second switching circuit rendering conductive a path between the first bit line and the first storage node and between the second bit line and the second storage node, when the word line is set to a selected level.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second potentials are a power-supply potential and a ground potential, respectively; and

said first switching circuit includes

a first P-channel MOS transistor connected between the first storage node and the input node of said second inverter and having a gate electrode connected to the second storage node,

a second P-channel MOS transistor connected between the second storage node and the input node of said first inverter and having a gate electrode connected to the first storage node,

a first N-channel MOS transistor connected between the input node of said first inverter and a line at the ground potential, and having a gate electrode connected to said first storage node, and

a second N-channel MOS transistor connected between the input node of said second inverter and the line at the ground potential, and having a gate electrode connected to the second storage node.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second potentials are a ground potential and a power-supply potential respectively;

and

said first switching circuit includes

a first N-channel MOS transistor connected between the first storage node and the input node of said second inverter, and having a gate electrode connected to the second storage node,

a second N-channel MOS transistor connected between the second storage node and the input node of said first inverter, and having a gate electrode connected to the first storage node,

a first P-channel MOS transistor connected between the input node of said first inverter and a line at the power-supply potential, and having a gate electrode connected to the first storage node, and

a second P-channel MOS transistor connected between the input node of said second inverter and the line at the power-supply potential, and having a gate electrode connected to the second storage node.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a read word line, first and second read bit lines, and a read circuit activated in response to said read word line being set to the selected level and reading a data signal held at the first and second storage nodes to apply the data signal to said first and second read bit lines.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein

said first and second read bit lines are pre-charged to a power-supply potential, and

said read circuit includes

first and second N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said first read bit line and a line at the ground potential, one of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to said read word line, the other of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the input node of said first inverter, and

third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said second read bit line and the line at the ground potential, one of said third and fourth N- channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to said read word line, the other of said third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the input node of said second inverter.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 4, wherein

said first and second read bit lines are pre-charged to a power-supply potential;

and

said read circuit includes

first and second N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said first read bit line and a line at the ground potential, one of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to said read word line, the other of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to said first storage node, and

third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said second read bit line and the line at the ground potential, one of said third and fourth N- channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to said read word line, the other of said third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to said second storage node.

7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a match line, and a match/mismatch determination circuit determining whether a data signal held at the first and second storage nodes matches a data signal applied to the first and second bit lines, and applying a signal, having a level in accordance with a determination by said match/mismatch determination circuit, to said match line.

8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein said match/mismatch-determination circuit determines that the data signal held at the first and second storage nodes matches the data signal applied to the first and second bit lines if at least one of (i) the first and second storage nodes have identical potentials and (ii) the first and second bit lines have identical potential.

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein

said match line is pre-charged to a power-supply potential;

and

said match/mismatch determination circuit includes

first and second N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said match line and a line at ground potential, one of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the first bit line, the other one of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the first storage node, and

third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said match line and the line at the ground potential, one of said third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the second bit line, the other one of said third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the second storage node.

10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein

said match line is pre-charged to a power-supply potential;

and

said match/mismatch determination circuit includes

first and second N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said match line and a line at ground potential, one of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the first bit line, the other one of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to an input node of said first inverter, and

third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between said match line and the line at the ground potential, one of said third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to the second bit line, the other one of said third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors having a gate electrode connected to an input node of said second inverter.

11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a data detection line, and a data detection circuit determining whether both of the first and second storage nodes hold the first potential, and applying a signal, having a level in accordance with a determination by said data detection circuit, to said data detection line.

12. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11, wherein

the first and second potentials are a power-supply potential and a ground potential, respectively;

said data detection line is pre-charged to the power-supply potential; and

said data detection circuit includes

first and second N-channel MOS transistors having first electrodes connected to said data detection line, second electrodes connected to each other, and gate electrodes connected to the first and second bit lines, respectively, and

third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between the second electrodes of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors and a line at the ground potential, and having gate electrodes connected to the first and second storage nodes, respectively.

13. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11, wherein

said first and second potentials are a ground potential and a power-supply potential, respectively;

said data detection line is pre-charged to the power-supply potential; and

said data detection circuit includes

first and second N-channel MOS transistors having first electrodes connected to said data detection line, second electrodes connected to each other, and gate electrodes connected to the first and second bit lines, respectively, and

third and fourth N-channel MOS transistors connected in series between the second electrodes of said first and second N-channel MOS transistors and a line at the ground potential, and having gate electrodes connected to input nodes of said first and second inverters, respectively.

14. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a write circuit connected to the first and second bit lines and writing a data signal to the first and second storage nodes in said semiconductor memory device, said write circuit including

a first tristate inverter applying an inversion of a first input signal to the first bit line if a write enable signal is at an activation level, and having an output node set to a high impedance state if the write enable signal is at an inactivated level, and

a second tristate inverter applying an inversion of a second input signal to the second bit line if the write enable signal is at an activated level, and having an output node set to a high impedance state if the writing enable signal is at an inactivated level.

15. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a read circuit connected to the first and second bit lines and reading a data signal held at the first and second storage nodes in said semiconductor memory device, said read circuit including

a first comparison circuit comparing a potential of the first bit line with a reference potential between the first and second potentials, and outputting a signal at a level in accordance with a comparison by said first comparison circuit, and

a second comparison circuit comparing a potential of the second bit line with the reference potential and outputting a signal having a level in accordance with a comparison by said second comparison circuit.

16. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 15, further comprising a reference potential generating circuit generating the reference potential, said reference potential generating circuit including

a switching element connected between a line at a power-supply potential and an output node, and rendered conductive in a reading operation, and

a diode element connected between the output node and a line at ground potential.