Abstract: A circuit for providing an output voltage for a DRAM word line which can be used to drive memory word lines which can be as high as 2Vdd. Transistors in a boosting circuit are fully switched, eliminating the reduction of the boosting voltage by Vtn as in the prior art. The boosting capacitors are charged by Vdd, thus eliminating drift tracking problems associated with clock boosting sources and Vdd. A regulator detects conduction current of a replica of a memory cell access transistor, shutting off the boosting circuit clock oscillator when the correct voltage to operate the access transistor has been reached.

Abstract: A clock applying circuit for a synchronous memory is comprised of a clock input for receiving a clock input signal, apparatus connected to the synchronous memory for receiving a driving clock signal, and a tapped delay line for receiving the clock input signal and for delivering the clock driving signal to the synchronous memory in synchronism with but delayed from the clock input signal, the delay being a small fraction of the clock period of the clock input signal.

Abstract: A circuit for providing an output voltage for a DRAM word line which can be used to drive memory word lines which can be as high as 2Vdd. Transistors in a boosting circuit are fully switched, eliminating the reduction of the boosting voltage by Vtn as in the prior art. The boosting capacitors are charged by Vdd, thus eliminating drift tracking problems associated with clock boosting sources and Vdd. A regulator detects conduction current of a replica of a memory cell access transistor, shutting off the boosting circuit clock oscillator when the correct voltage to operate the access transistor has been reached.

Abstract: A clock applying circuit for a synchronous memory is comprised of a clock input for receiving a clock input signal, apparatus connected to the synchronous memory for receiving a driving clock signal, and a tapped delay line for receiving the clock input signal and for delivering the clock driving signal to the synchronous memory in synchronism with but delayed from the clock input signal, the delay being a small fraction of the clock period of the clock input signal.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) having pairs of bitlines, each pair being connected to a first bit line sense amplifier, wordlines crossing the bitline pairs forming an array, charge storage cells connected to the bitlines, each having an enable input connected to a wordline, the bit line sense amplifiers being connected in a two dimensional array, pairs of primary databuses being connected through first access transistors to plural corresponding bit line sense amplifiers in each row of the array, apparatus for enabling columns of the first access transistors, databus sense amplifiers each connected to a corresponding data bus pair, a secondary databus, the secondary databus being connected through second access transistors to the databus sense amplifiers, and apparatus for enabling the second access transistors, whereby each the primary databus pair may be shared by plural sense amplifiers in a corresponding row of the array and the secondary databus may be shared by plural primary databus pairs.

Abstract: A clock applying circuit for a synchronous memory is comprised of a clock input for receiving a clock input signal, apparatus connected to the synchronous memory for receiving a driving clock signal, and a tapped delay line for receiving the clock input signal and for delivering the clock driving signal to the synchronous memory in synchronism with but delayed from the clock input signal, the delay being a small fraction of the clock period of the clock input signal.

Abstract: A circuit for providing an output voltage for a DRAM word line which can be used to drive memory word lines which can be as high as 2V.sub.dd. Transistors in a boosting circuit are fully switched, eliminating the reduction of the boosting voltage by V.sub.tn as in the prior art. The boosting capacitors are charged by V.sub.dd, thus eliminating drift tracking problems associated with clock boosting sources and V.sub.dd. A regulator detects conduction current of a replica of a memory cell access transistor, shutting off the boosting circuit clock oscillator when the correct voltage to operate the access transistor has been reached.

Abstract: A DRAM bit storage cell comprising a pair of capacitors each having one plate connected to a source or drain of a pass FET, another plate of a first of the pair of capacitors connected to a first voltage rail or a source of voltage boosted from the voltage of the first voltage rail, and another plate of a second of the pair of capacitors connected to a voltage rail opposite in polarity to the first voltage rail.

Abstract: A method of testing an integrated circuit chip comprised of applying to and storing a first test pattern of data on the chip, applying a second test pattern of data to the chip which corresponds to the first test pattern, comparing the stored test pattern with the second test pattern on the chip, and indicating a test fault on a test pad in the event at least one bit of the first and second test pattern differ from each other.

Abstract: A circuit for providing an output voltage for a DRAM word line which can be used to drive memory word lines which can be as high as 2V.sub.dd. Transistors in a boosting circuit are fully switched, eliminating the reduction of the boosting voltage by V.sub.tn as in the prior art. The boosting capacitors are charged by V.sub.dd, thus eliminating drift tracking problems associated with clock boosting sources and V.sub.dd. A regulator detects conduction current of a replica of a memory cell access transistor, shutting off the boosting circuit clock oscillator when the correct voltage to operate the access transistor has been reached.

Abstract: A method of testing a digital memory comprised of bit storage locations, comprising writing a bit to a first bit storage location, then driving the stored bit sequentially through a plurality of the bit storage locations, reading a last bit storage location of the plurality of bit storage locations, and testing a bit read from the last bit storage location.

Abstract: A clock applying circuit for a synchronous memory is comprised of a clock input for receiving a clock input signal, apparatus connected to the synchronous memory for receiving a driving clock signal, and a tapped delay line for receiving the clock input signal and for delivering the clock driving signal to the synchronous memory in synchronism with but delayed from the clock input signal, the delay being a small fraction of the clock period of the clock input signal.

Abstract: A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) having pairs of bitlines, each pair being connected to a first bit line sense amplifier, wordlines crossing the bitline pairs forming an array, charge storage cells connected to the bitlines, each having an enable input connected to a wordline, the bit line sense amplifiers being connected in a two dimensional array, pairs of primary databuses being connected through first access transistors to plural corresponding bit line sense amplifiers in each row of the array, apparatus for enabling columns of the first access transistors, databus sense amplifiers each connected to a corresponding data bus pair, a secondary databus, the secondary databus being connected through second access transistors to the databus sense amplifiers, and apparatus for enabling the second access transistors, whereby each the primary databus pair may be shared by plural sense amplifiers in a corresponding row of the array and the secondary databus may be shared by plural primary databus pairs.

Abstract: A method of repeating a pulse signal comprised of outputting a signal at a first voltage level upon a first rising edge of the pulse signal exceeding a low threshold, then raising the threshold and outputting the signal at another voltage level upon a second trailing edge of the pulse signal dropping below the raised threshold. An improved VLSI circuit has at least one conductive track containing distributed parasitic elements, the track being divided into two or more separate segments, a repeater connecting each of the segments, and apparatus for modulating the threshold of the repeater prior to and/or during the interval of a pulse carried by the track.

Abstract: A method of repeating a pulse signal comprised of outputting a signal at a first voltage level upon a first rising edge of the pulse signal exceeding a low threshold, then raising the threshold and outputting the signal at another voltage level upon a second trailing edge of the pulse signal dropping below the raised threshold. An improved VLSI circuit has at least one conductive track containing distributed parasitic elements, the track being divided into two or more separate segments, a repeater connecting each of the segments, and apparatus for modulating the threshold of the repeater prior to and/or during the interval of a pulse carried by the track.

Abstract: A circuit for providing an output voltage for a DRAM word line which can be used to drive memory word lines which can be as high as 2V.sub.dd. Transistors in a boosting circuit are fully switched, eliminating the reduction of the boosting voltage by V.sub.tn as in the prior art. The boosting capacitors are charged by V.sub.dd, thus eliminating drift tracking problems associated with clock boosting sources and V.sub.dd. A regulator detects conduction current of a replica of a memory cell access transistor, shutting off the boosting circuit clock oscillator when the correct voltage to operate the access transistor has been reached.

Abstract: A method of repeating a pulse signal comprised of outputting a signal at a first voltage level upon a first rising edge of the pulse signal exceeding a low threshold, then raising the threshold and outputting the signal at another voltage level upon a second trailing edge of the pulse signal dropping below the raised threshold. An improved VLSI circuit has at least one conductive track containing distributed parasitic elements, the track being divided into two or more separate segments, a repeater connecting each of the segments, and apparatus for modulating the threshold of the repeater prior to and/or during the interval of a pulse carried by the track.

Abstract: A DRAM having a plurality of bit lines and associated sense amplifiers, the bit lines being arrayed across an integrated circuit chip and the sense amplifiers being disposed in a row, a pair of low resistance power supply conductors extending in parallel with the row for carrying logic high level and logic low level voltages, sense amplifier enabling signal conductors extending across the chip accessible to the sense amplifiers, apparatus for coupling sense inputs of the sense amplifiers to the power supply conductors, and apparatus coupling the sense amplifier enabling signal conductors to the apparatus for coupling sense inputs, for enabling passage of current resulting from the logic high level and low level voltages to the sense amplifiers.

Abstract: A flip-flop circuit for driving an input circuit of a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) including a complementary pair of data inputs for receiving data pulses, a clock input for receiving clock pulses, a capture latch circuit for capturing a bit, having a pair of complementary inputs and a pair of complementary outputs, apparatus for applying data pulses from the complementary data inputs to the inputs of the capture latch, apparatus for triggering the capture latch from the clock pulses, and apparatus for connecting the complementary outputs to each other through a bidirectional holding latch, whereby during coincidence of a rising edge of a clock pulse and the presence of a data pulse of one polarity, the capture latch is enabled to store a bit corresponding to the data pulse, and to drive the pair of complementary outputs, and following the leading edge of a clock pulse and the one polarity of the data pulse the complementary outputs remain driven by the holding latch.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlling the sensing of bit lines which facilitates the distribution of bit line charging current to be distributed any time, and facilitates the fast raising of the sense modes to full logic levels. An embodiment is comprised of a plurality of bit storage capacitors, a folded bit line for receiving charge stored on one of the capacitors, having bit line capacitance, a sense amplifier having a pair of sense nodes for sensing a voltage differential across the sense nodes, apparatus connected to the bit line and the sense nodes for imperfectly isolating the sense nodes from the bit line whereby current can leak therethrough, apparatus for enabling the sense amplifier and for disabling the isolating apparatus and thereby removing the isolation between the sense amplifier and the bit line, whereby current passing through the sense amplifier to the sense nodes is enabled to charge the bit line capacitance through the isolating apparatus to predetermined logic voltage level.