摘要 |
A memory and method of operation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the memory includes a group of memory cells divided into a plurality of subgroups. Sub word-lines are selectively coupled to main word lines, each sub-word line corresponding to a subgroup and is coupled to the memory cells in the row of the corresponding subgroup. Sense amplifier circuitry is coupled to the group of memory cells. The sense amplifier circuitry is divided into a plurality of sub-sensing circuits, each of the plurality of sub-sensing circuits selectively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-groups. The memory includes a control mechanism to control the word lines and sub-sensing circuit (s) that are activated at any one time such that only those sub-word lines and sub-sensing circuits needed to perform memory operations are operated and consume power. In an alternate embodiment, the control mechanism controls the sub-word lines and sub-sensing circuits to enable substantially concurrent access to different sub-groups of memory cells from different rows of the memory. |