Abstract: Techniques for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines. The apparatus may include a plurality of source lines coupled to a single source line driver. The apparatus may also include a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. Each of the one or more memory transistors may include a first region coupled to a first source line of the plurality of source lines, a second region coupled to a bit line, a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating, and a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a direct injection semiconductor memory device including a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line. The direct injection semiconductor memory device may also include a body region spaced apart from and capacitively coupled to a word line, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The direct injection semiconductor memory device may further include a third region coupled to a carrier injection line configured to inject charges into the body region through the second region.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for controlling a direct injection semiconductor memory device. The method may comprise applying a first voltage potential to a first region via a bit line and applying a second voltage potential to a second region of the memory device via a source line. The method may also comprise applying a control voltage potential to a body region of the memory device via a word line that is spaced apart and capacitively coupled to the body region, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The method may further comprise applying a third voltage potential to a third region of the memory device via a carrier injection line in order to bias at least one of the first region, the second region, the third region, and the body region to perform one or more operations.

Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device includes an electrically floating body region and a gate disposed about a first portion of the body region. The device includes a source region adjoining a second portion of the body region, the second portion adjacent the first portion and separating the source region from the first portion. The device includes a drain region adjoining a third portion of the body region, the third portion adjacent the first portion and separating the drain region from the first portion, wherein the source and drain regions are opposing.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a memory device and technique of reading data from and writing data into memory cells of the memory device. In this regard, in one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the memory device and technique for operating that device that minimizes, reduces and/or eliminates the debilitating affects of the charge pumping phenomenon. This embodiment of the present invention employs control signals that minimize, reduce and/or eliminate transitions of the amplitudes and/or polarities. In another embodiment, the present invention is a semiconductor memory device including a memory array comprising a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns.

Abstract: Techniques for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for simultaneously driving a plurality of source lines. The apparatus may include a plurality of source lines coupled to a single source line driver. The apparatus may also include a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. Each of the one or more memory transistors may include a first region coupled to a first source line of the plurality of source lines, a second region coupled to a bit line, a body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating, and a gate coupled to a word line and spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the body region.

Abstract: Techniques for reducing a voltage swing are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for reducing a voltage swing comprising: a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in arrays of rows and columns, each dynamic random access memory cell including one or more memory transistors. The one or more memory transistors of the apparatus for reducing a voltage swing may comprise: a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line, a first body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the first body region may be electrically floating, and a first gate coupled to a word line spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the first body region.

Abstract: Devices allow a system using a memory array, or the memory itself, to more efficiently control refresh intervals. This reduces standby current and the overhead associated with refresh operations. The device includes a variable analog refresh signal generation circuit that initiates a refresh operation on one or more memory cells of a memory array. The circuit integrates a refresh timer element with an event signal generator such that a refresh interval as defined by the refresh timer element is changed when events are detected that may change the data retention time of one or more memory cells. One or more of the circuits is placed to monitor an entire memory array, different sub-arrays, or different portions of different sub-arrays. This allows additional refresh operations to be closely tied to actual events, thus increasing overall efficiency.

Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.

Abstract: There are many inventions described herein as well as many aspects and embodiments of those inventions, for example, multi-bit memory cell and circuitry and techniques for reading, writing and/or operating a multi-bit memory cell (and memory cell array having a plurality of such memory cells) having one or more electrically floating body transistors in which an electrical charge is stored in the body region of the electrically floating body transistor. The multi-bit memory cell stores more than one data bit (for example, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) and/or more than two data states (for example, three, four, five, six, etc. data or logic states. Notably, the memory cell array may comprise a portion of an integrated circuit device, for example, logic device (for example, a microprocessor) or a portion of a memory device (for example, a discrete memory).

Abstract: A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.

Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.

Abstract: A technique of, and circuitry for sampling, sensing, reading and/or determining the data state of a memory cell of a memory cell array (for example, a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells which consist of an electrically floating body transistor). In one embodiment, sense amplifier circuitry is relatively compact and pitched to the array of memory cells such that a row of data may be read, sampled and/or sensed during a read operation. In this regard, an entire row of memory cells may be accessed and read during one operation which, relative to at least architecture employing multiplexer circuitry, may minimize, enhance and/or improve read latency and read access time, memory cell disturbance and/or simplify the control of the sense amplifier circuitry and access thereof. The sense amplifier circuitry may include write back circuitry to modify or “re-store” the data read, sampled and/or sensed during a read operation and/or a refresh operation in the context of a DRAM array.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a memory device and technique of reading data from and writing data into memory cells of the memory device. In this regard, in one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the memory device and technique for operating that device that minimizes, reduces and/or eliminates the debilitating affects of the charge pumping phenomenon. This embodiment of the present invention employs control signals that minimize, reduce and/or eliminate transitions of the amplitudes and/or polarities. In another embodiment, the present invention is a semiconductor memory device including a memory array comprising a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein allow a system using a memory array, or the memory itself, to more efficiently control refresh intervals. This reduces standby current and the overhead associated with refresh operations. One embodiment includes a variable analog refresh signal generation circuit that initiates a refresh operation on one or more memory cells of a memory array. The circuit integrates a refresh timer element with an event signal generator such that a refresh interval as defined by the refresh timer element is changed when events are detected that may change the data retention time of one or more memory cells. In various embodiments, one or more of the circuits is placed to monitor an entire memory array, different sub-arrays, or different portions of different sub-arrays. This allows additional refresh operations to be closely tied to actual events, thus increasing overall efficiency.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a memory device and technique of reading data from and writing data into memory cells of the memory device. In this regard, in one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the memory device and technique for operating that device that minimizes, reduces and/or eliminates the debilitating affects of the charge pumping phenomenon. This embodiment of the present invention employs control signals that minimize, reduce and/or eliminate transitions of the amplitudes and/or polarities. In another embodiment, the present invention is a semiconductor memory device including a memory array comprising a plurality of semiconductor dynamic random access memory cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns.

Abstract: A technique of, and circuitry for sampling, sensing, reading and/or determining the data state of a memory cell of a memory cell array (for example, a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells which consist of an electrically floating body transistor). In one embodiment, sense amplifier circuitry is relatively compact and pitched to the array of memory cells such that a row of data may be read, sampled and/or sensed during a read operation. In this regard, an entire row of memory cells may be accessed and read during one operation which, relative to at least architecture employing multiplexer circuitry, may minimize, enhance and/or improve read latency and read access time, memory cell disturbance and/or simplify the control of the sense amplifier circuitry and access thereof. The sense amplifier circuitry may include write back circuitry to modify or “re-store” the data read, sampled and/or sensed during a read operation and/or a refresh operation in the context of a DRAM array.

Abstract: A memory cell array and device having a memory cell array (i.e., an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or a memory device (such as, a discrete memory)) including electrically floating body transistors in which electrical charge is stored in the body of the transistor, and techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating such memory cell array and such device. The memory cell array and device include a variable and/or programmable word length. The word length relates to the selected memory cells of a selected row of memory cells (which is determined via address data). In one embodiment, the word length may be any number of memory cells of a selected row which is less than or equal to the total number of memory cells of the selected row of the memory array.

Abstract: A technique of, and circuitry for sampling, sensing, reading and/or determining the data state of a memory cell of a memory cell array (for example, a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells which consist of an electrically floating body transistor). In one embodiment, sense amplifier circuitry is relatively compact and pitched to the array of memory cells such that a row of data may be read, sampled and/or sensed during a read operation. In this regard, an entire row of memory cells may be accessed and read during one operation which, relative to at least architecture employing multiplexer circuitry, may minimize, enhance and/or improve read latency and read access time, memory cell disturbance and/or simplify the control of the sense amplifier circuitry and access thereof. The sense amplifier circuitry may include write back circuitry to modify or “re-store” the data read, sampled and/or sensed during a read operation and/or a refresh operation in the context of a DRAM array.

Abstract: There are many inventions described herein as well as many aspects and embodiments of those inventions, for example, multi-bit memory cell and circuitry and techniques for reading, writing and/or operating a multi-bit memory cell (and memory cell array having a plurality of such memory cells) having one or more electrically floating body transistors in which an electrical charge is stored in the body region of the electrically floating body transistor. The multi-bit memory cell stores more than one data bit (for example, two, three, four, five, six, etc.) and/or more than two data states (for example, three, four, five, six, etc. data or logic states. Notably, the memory cell array may comprise a portion of an integrated circuit device, for example, logic device (for example, a microprocessor) or a portion of a memory device (for example, a discrete memory).