Selective Sense Amplifier Enablement for Memory Read Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
As non-volatile data storage devices increase in capacity, the number of sense amplifiers required for read operations also increases, leading to power-intensive and time-consuming processes due to the need to power all sense amplifiers on a wordline, even if only a portion of the data is being accessed.
Innovation Solution
A data storage device with a decoder that selectively enables only the sense amplifiers corresponding to the specific portion of the wordline being read, using a bitmask to disable unnecessary sense amplifiers, thereby reducing power consumption and operation time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If all sense amplifiers are enabled for read operations, then data can be read from any portion of the wordline, but power consumption increases and read operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sense amplifier array into individually controllable units, each associated with a specific portion of the wordline. The decoder generates enable signals that selectively activate only the sense amplifiers corresponding to the requested data portion, rather than enabling all sense amplifiers simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to maintain full read access capability while consuming power only for the necessary subset of sense amplifiers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by enabling only the specific number of sense amplifiers needed for the current read operation. Instead of excessively enabling all sense amplifiers regardless of need, the system activates exactly the portion required by the read request, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining complete adaptability for any read operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all sense amplifiers are enabled for read operations, then data can be read from any portion of the wordline, but read operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the sense amplifier activation into selective units controlled by decoder-generated enable signals, the system reduces the time required to stabilize and operate sense amplifiers. Only the necessary sense amplifiers are activated and brought to steady state, rather than all sense amplifiers requiring stabilization, thereby reducing read operation time while maintaining full read access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by activating only the minimum number of sense amplifiers required for the current read operation. This reduces the overall operation time because fewer sense amplifiers need to be enabled and stabilized before the read operation can proceed, while still maintaining the capability to read from any portion of the wordline when needed.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of storage elements per wordline increases, then storage capacity increases, but the number of sense amplifiers required increases leading to higher power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large array of sense amplifiers into smaller, independently controllable groups, each serving a specific portion of the high-capacity wordline. This segmentation allows the system to support increased storage capacity with more storage elements per wordline while consuming power only for the sense amplifiers actually needed for the current operation, rather than powering all sense amplifiers associated with the entire high-capacity wordline.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes, in a data storage device, receiving a read command to read a portion of a wordline of a memory. The method also includes determining a first and a last storage element of the wordline to identify a set of storage elements. The method includes determining a first set and a second set of sense amplifiers of multiple sense amplifiers coupled to the wordline. The first set of sense amplifiers is coupled to the set of storage elements and the second set of sense amplifiers is coupled to one or more storage elements of the wordline other than the first set of storage elements. The method includes reading data by applying a read voltage to the wordline and providing a sense enable signal to each sense amplifier of the first set of sense amplifiers while each sense amplifier of the second set of sense amplifiers is disabled.