Flash Memory Trip Voltage Regulation for Low-Voltage Sensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flash memory devices face challenges in maintaining data reliability and sensing margin with low operating voltages, particularly in low-power environments, due to variations in trip voltage.
Innovation Solution
The flash memory device employs a sampling switch circuit and a voltage regulator to adjust the trip voltage using a pull-down NMOS transistor, reducing variation and improving sensing margin by pre-charging a sensing node and defining trip voltage based on data stored in selected memory cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If low operating voltage is used to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but sensing margin and data reliability deteriorate due to trip voltage variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the voltage parameter by introducing a voltage regulator that dynamically adjusts the source voltage level. The regulator modifies the voltage supplied to the pull-down NMOS transistor, thereby controlling the trip voltage level to maintain adequate sensing margin even when operating at low supply voltages for reduced power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage regulator acts as an intermediary component between the power supply and the sensing circuit. It mediates the voltage level to ensure that the trip voltage remains within an acceptable range, preventing direct exposure of the sensing circuit to excessive voltage variations that would compromise reliability
2Use of energy by moving object
If low operating voltage is used to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but trip voltage variation range increases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage regulator dynamically adjusts the source voltage parameter to compensate for variations. By changing the voltage level in response to detected variations, the system maintains a stable trip voltage characteristic even when operating at low power conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing circuit provides feedback information about the actual trip voltage or sensing conditions to the voltage regulator. The regulator uses this feedback to adjust the source voltage, creating a closed-loop control system that stabilizes the trip voltage against variations caused by low operating voltages
Data Source
AI summary
A flash memory device including a cell string including memory cells, a page buffer connected to the cell string and a bit line and configured to sense data stored in a selected memory cell by pre-charging a sensing node connected to the bit line, the page buffer including a latch including a latch node and an inverted latch node, a sampling switch circuit configured to perform a trip voltage sampling operation by electrically connecting the latch node and the sensing node according to a sampling control signal, and a pull-down NMOS transistor configured to define a trip voltage provided to the latch node based on a sensing result of the data stored in the selected memory cell, and a voltage regulator configured to adjust the trip voltage by providing a source voltage to the pull-down NMOS transistor of the page buffer, may be provided.