Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Bulk modulation scheme to reduce I/O pin capacitance
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Application No.: US15278684Application Date: 2016-09-28
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Publication No.: US09792994B1Publication Date: 2017-10-17
- Inventor: Primit Modi , Venkatesh Ramachandra
- Applicant: SanDisk Technologies LLC
- Applicant Address: US TX Plano
- Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
- Current Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US TX Plano
- Agency: Foley & Lardner LLP
- Main IPC: G11C16/24
- IPC: G11C16/24 ; H01L27/092 ; G11C16/30

Abstract:
A driver circuit, such as could be used as an off-chip driver for an I/O pin on a memory circuit, is presented. The driver has a PMOS connected between a supply level and the driver's output node. In an active mode, the bulk terminal of the PMOS is connected to the supply level; and in a standby mode, the PMOS's bulk terminal is set to a higher level. This reduces the leakage current through the PMOS in the standby mode, allowing for smaller device with a lower capacitance to be used.
Information query