SRAM leakage reduction circuit

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 8416633
APP PUB NO 20120057416A1
SERIAL NO

13291360

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Abstract

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A method and system are provided for maintaining a virtual ground node of an SRAM memory array at a minimum level sufficient for maintaining data retention. A circuit can maintain the virtual ground node at a virtual ground reference voltage of VDD−(1.5*Vth), or maintain 1.5*Vth across the memory cells, where Vth is a threshold voltage of an SRAM memory cell transistor and VDD is a positive supply voltage. By tracking the Vth of the memory cell transistors in the SRAM array, the circuit reduces leakage current while maintaining data integrity. A threshold voltage reference circuit can include one or more memory cell transistors (in parallel), or a specially wired memory cell to track the memory cell transistor threshold voltage. The value of the virtual ground reference voltage can be based on a ratio of feedback chain elements in a multiplier circuit.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INCOTTAWA ON K2K 3G4

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Tooher, Michael Mountain View, US 11 211
Zampaglione, Michael Anthony San Jose, US 7 54

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