Memory Sensing with Non-Regular Counter and Adaptive Reference Voltages

The patent implements a non-regular counter that dynamically adjusts its counting behavior based on detected current levels. The counter modifies its counting rate or skips counts depending on the magnitude of the current, thereby adapting the timing of value storage to match the varying charge rates of the capacitor across different operating conditions. This dynamic adjustment eliminates timing variability while maintaining circuit simplicity.

The patent changes the operational parameters of the counter based on the detected current level. By monitoring the current magnitude and adjusting the counter's behavior accordingly (e.g., changing counting intervals or rates), the system compensates for variations in capacitor charge rates, ensuring consistent timing for value storage without requiring a completely complex circuit redesign.

The patent makes a single global non-regular counter serve multiple local sensing circuits simultaneously. The counter is shared across all sensing circuits, and its non-regular counting behavior is designed to accommodate the combined requirements of all circuits. This universal approach maintains timing accuracy for each circuit while avoiding the complexity of duplicating counters in every local sensing circuit.

The patent merges multiple counter functions into a single global non-regular counter that serves all local sensing circuits. By combining the counting functionality and making it shared rather than distributed, the system achieves the timing accuracy of individual counters while dramatically reducing the overall device complexity and component count.

The non-regular counter dynamically adjusts its counting rate based on the detected current level. When lower currents are detected that would take longer to charge the capacitor to the reference voltage, the counter slows down its counting rate or inserts delay periods. This dynamic adjustment ensures that the counter only stores values when the capacitor has reached sufficient voltage, maintaining storage accuracy while adapting the counting speed to current conditions.

The system implements feedback by monitoring the current level and using this information to control the counter's operation. The detected current magnitude feeds back to the counter logic, which then adjusts its counting behavior accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that the counter operates at appropriate speeds for each current level, maintaining both productivity and reliability.