Non-binary memory array
First Claim
1. In an integrated semiconductor circuit device fabricated on a semiconductor chip die, an addressable memory array circuit characterized by N uniquely addressable address locations, wherein N is an integral power of two, comprising:
- a two-dimensional memory array comprising a primary plurality of memory cells arranged in R rows and C columns, and wherein, exclusive of any redundant rows or columns of cells used to replace defective cells of said primary plurality of memory cells, neither R nor C is an integral power of two, wherein the number of memory cells of said primary plurality of memory cells comprising said array is not an integral power of two; and
means for generating internal array addressing signals to select a unique address location for a cell or group of cells comprising said array, said means providing the capability of selecting only a number N of said cells or groups of cells comprising the array,thereby permitting the height/width ratio of the die to be optimized.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit device having a memory array of memory cells in which the total number N of unique available memory addresses is a power of two, yet wherein neither the number of columns nor the number of rows of cells is a power of two. This permits the chip die size and height/width ratio to be optimized. The device further includes a circuitry for generating address selection signals, providing a total number of unique addresses equal to N, leaving unused some of the memory cells comprising the array.
31 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. In an integrated semiconductor circuit device fabricated on a semiconductor chip die, an addressable memory array circuit characterized by N uniquely addressable address locations, wherein N is an integral power of two, comprising:
-
a two-dimensional memory array comprising a primary plurality of memory cells arranged in R rows and C columns, and wherein, exclusive of any redundant rows or columns of cells used to replace defective cells of said primary plurality of memory cells, neither R nor C is an integral power of two, wherein the number of memory cells of said primary plurality of memory cells comprising said array is not an integral power of two; and means for generating internal array addressing signals to select a unique address location for a cell or group of cells comprising said array, said means providing the capability of selecting only a number N of said cells or groups of cells comprising the array, thereby permitting the height/width ratio of the die to be optimized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. An integrated circuit device having a memory array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns, wherein the number of available cell word locations N is a power of two, and a means for generating internal sequential addresses, further characterized in that:
-
said array is defined by a number of rows R and a number of columns C of memory cells, wherein neither R nor C is a power of two; and said means for generating internal sequential addresses comprises an array address counter having a total number of different unique count states equal to N, said array address counter comprising; a column counter whose state determines the unique column address, said column counter having a total number of possible unique states equal to the number of unique column addresses C, said column counter generating a column signal when the counter state reaches the maximum count state; a row counter incremented by said column counter signal and having a maximum number of unique count states at least equalling the number of unique row addresses R, the state of said row counter determining the unique row address; and means responsive to the column and row counter states for detecting when the internal address has been incremented N times and generating an array address reset signal which resets the column and row counter states to zero. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An integrated first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory circuit device having a memory array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns, wherein the number of available cell word locations N is a power of two, and a means for generating internal write sequential addresses, further characterized in that:
-
said array is defined by a number of rows R and a number of columns C of memory cells, wherein neither R nor C is a power of two, and wherein the total number of unique array addresses N employed by the device is a power of two; said means for generating internal write sequential addresses comprises a write address counter having a total number of different unique count states equal to N, said address write counter comprising; a write column counter whose state determines the unique write column address, said column counter having a total number of possible unique states equal to the number of unique column addresses C, said write column counter generating a write column signal when the counter state reaches the maximum count state; a write row counter incremented by said write column signal and having a maximum number of unique count states at least equalling the number of unique row addresses R, the state of said write row counter determining the unique write row address; and means responsive to the column and row counter states for detecting when the internal write address has been incremented N times and generating a write a rest signal which resets the write column and row counter states to zero; and
said mean for generating internal read sequentialaddresses comprises a read address counter having a total number of different unique count states equal to N, said read counter comprising; a read column counter whose state determines the unique read column address, said column counter having a total number of unique column addresses C, said read column counter generating a read column signal when the counter state reaches the maximum count state; a read row counter incremented by the read column signal and having a maximum number of unique count states at least equaling the number of unique row addresses R, the state of said read row counter determining the unique read row address; and means responsive to the read column and row counter states for detecting when the internal write address has been incremented N times, and generating a read reset signal which resets the read column and row counter states to zero. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. In an integrated semiconductor circuit device comprising a first-in, first-out memory buffer circuit, an addressable memory array circuit characterized by N uniquely addressable address locations, wherein N is an integral power of two, comprising:
-
a memory array comprising a plurality of memory cells arranged in R rows and C columns, wherein neither R nor C is an integral power of two, wherein the number of memory cells of the array is not an integral power of two; and means for generating internal array addressing signals to select a unique address location for a cell or group of cells comprising said array, said means providing the capability of selecting only a number N of said cells or groups of cells comprising the array, and wherein said means comprises a first means for generating internal sequential write address signals, and second means for generating internal sequential read address signals.
-
Specification