Abstract: A current source apparatus includes a first MOS transistor having a drain serving as current input terminals with the gate connected to the drain, a first switch connected to the source of the first MOS transistor, a second MOS transistor having a drain serving as a current output terminal, a second switch connected to the source of the second MOS transistor, a third switch having one end connected to the gate of the first MOS transistor, and the other end connected to the gate of the second MOS transistor, and a drive circuit which controls the second switch and the third switch.

Abstract: A first current mirror circuit that operates at the time of a rise in a first signal is connected to a current source, a second current mirror circuit that operates at the time of a rise in the first signal is connected to the first current mirror circuit, and a third current mirror circuit that operates at the time of a rise in a second signal is respectively connected to the current source and the point of connection between the first current mirror circuit and the second current mirror circuit. A pulse generation circuit for generating first and second signals from an external signal is provided. The second signal rises in sync with the first signal, and falls before the first signal.

Abstract: A first current mirror circuit that operates at the time of a rise in a first signal is connected to a current source, a second current mirror circuit that operates at the time of a rise in the first signal is connected to the first current mirror circuit, and a third current mirror circuit that operates at the time of a rise in a second signal is respectively connected to the current source and the point of connection between the first current mirror circuit and the second current mirror circuit. A pulse generation circuit for generating first and second signals from an external signal is provided. The second signal rises in sync with the first signal, and falls before the first signal.

Abstract: A current source apparatus includes a first MOS transistor having a drain serving as current input terminals with the gate connected to the drain, a first switch connected to the source of the first MOS transistor, a second MOS transistor having a drain serving as a current output terminal, a second switch connected to the source of the second MOS transistor, a third switch having one end connected to the gate of the first MOS transistor, and the other end connected to the gate of the second MOS transistor, and a drive circuit which controls the second switch and the third switch.

Abstract: In a gate array having adjacent lines of PFETs and NFETs along a first axis, some gates of PFETs and/or NFETs extend into the region between wells and along a first (x) axis of the lines of transistors to overlap along the axis, so that an extended gate of an nth transistor, a gate of an (n−1)th non-extended transistor and a gate of an (n−1)th non-extended transistor of the opposite polarity lie along an axis (y) perpendicular to the first axis. In a rectangular layout, the upper right transistor (having an extended gate) is connected to the lower left transistor by a short connection along the y axis.

Abstract: In a gate array having adjacent lines of PFETs and NFETs along a first axis, some gates of PFETs and/or NFETs extend into the region between wells and along a first (x) axis of the lines of transistors to overlap along the axis, so that an extended gate of an nth transistor, a gate of an (n-1)th non-extended transistor and a gate of an (n−1)th non-extended transistor of the opposite polarity lie along an axis (y) perpendicular to the first axis. In a rectangular layout, the upper right transistor (having an extended gate) is connected to the lower left transistor by a short connection along the y axis.

Abstract: To provide a D/A converter and a D/A converting method in which a nonlinear error of an analog output obtained in accordance with a digital input can be decreased without using any specific analog process. An n-bit D/A converter (2) includes: correction signal generating means (4) for generating an m-bit digital correction signal (wherein m is a positive integer) in accordance with an n-bit digital input signal D (wherein n is a positive integer of 2 or more); and D/A conversion means (6) for converting an (n+m)-bit digital signal consisting of the n-bit input signal D and the m-bit correction signal into an analog signal.

Abstract: A cycle control circuit for use with a memory device subarray and method of operation thereof. The cycle control circuit includes a previous address buffer for storing a last accessed address of the subarray and an address comparator for comparing a current requested address with the last accessed address in the previous address buffer. The cycle control circuit also includes a cycle counter, coupled to the address comparator, that receives a control signal generated by the address comparator and, in response thereto, modifies a reset operation of the subarray. In another aspect, the method includes applying an address to the subarray and generating control signals for the subarray to produce a data output in response to the address. After producing the data output, the applied address is stored. Next, a new address is received and the new address is compared to the stored address.

Abstract: A data transfer circuit for read data operations in a memory circuit employs a two-stage bit switch. True and compliment bit lines from a memory cell array are coupled to gates of a pair of transistors in a first stage bit switch. The data from the bit lines is thus transferred to a pair of read data nodes without a DC connection, so charge-sharing is avoided. Also, this allows the data to be extracted without a full logic-level swing of the bit lines, so faster operation is provided. The data from the data nodes is transferred to a pair of data lines through a second-stage bit switch activated by a timing input. The differential voltage on the bit lines is enhanced by a sense amplifier, and, also, the use of the first-stage bit switch allows the bit lines to be precharged to only half the logic level, speeding up operation; this sense amplifier is activated before the timing input for the second-stage bit switch.