THREE INPUT SENSE AMPLIFIER AND METHOD OF OPERATION

摘要

A sense amplifier (126) having three inputs (VH, VL, VB) determines the state of a memory bit cell by converting a bit input voltage, a high reference voltage, and a low reference voltage to respective current values. Current differences are formed between a bit current and a high reference current, and between a low reference current and a bit current. Current mirrors (154, 158 and 170, 166) and loads (160 and 168) are used in conjunction with current steering circuitry (150, 140, 142 and 162) to form the difference of the bit current and the high reference current and also form the difference of the low reference current and the bit current. Additionally, the sense amplifier drives differential outputs (OUT and OUT_B) to reflect the difference between the two current differential quantities.