Access suppression in a memory device

摘要

A memory device and a method of operating the memory device are provided. The memory device comprises a plurality of storage units and access control circuitry. The access control is configured to receive an access request and in response to the access request to initiate an access procedure in each of the plurality of storage units. The access control circuitry is configured to receive an access kill signal after the access procedure has been initiated and, in response to the access kill signal, to initiate an access suppression to suppress the access procedure in at least one of the plurality of storage units. Hence, by initiating the access procedures in all storage units in response to the access request, e.g. without waiting for a further indication of a specific storage unit in which to carry out the access procedure, the overall access time for the memory device kept low, but by enabling at least one of the access procedures later to be suppressed in response to the access kill signal dynamic power consumption of the memory device can be reduced.

主权项

1. A memory device comprising:
a plurality of storage units, wherein each of the plurality of storage units comprises a number of bitcells and wordline circuitry coupled to each of the bitcells; wordline suppression circuitry; and access control circuitry configured to receive an access request and in response to the access request to initiate an access procedure in each of the plurality of storage units, wherein the wordline circuitry is configured to activate a selected wordline in response to the access request as part of the access procedure, wherein the access control circuitry is configured to receive an access kill signal after the access procedure has been initiated and prior to outputting requested data, wherein the access control circuitry is configured, in response to the access kill signal, to initiate an access suppression to suppress the access procedure in at least one of the plurality of storage units, and wherein the wordline suppression circuitry is configured to suppress the selected wordline in response to the access kill signal.