Patent ID: 6807088
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A magnetic random access memory device comprising:a memory cell array in which a plurality of memory cells producing a magnetoresistive effect are arranged in a matrix; a plurality of reference cells which are provided in a part of the memory cell array and store data to be referred to when the memory cells are read from; word lines arranged in each row of the memory cell array; bit lines arranged in each column of the memory cell array; a row decoder to selectively drive the word lines; a column decoder to select the bit lines; a sense amplifier to sense the data in the selected memory cell and the data in the selected reference cell; a first data buffer to hold the data outputted from the sense amplifier; a controller which reads the data from the selected memory cell and then inverts the data in the selected reference cell; a second data buffer to hold the data outputted from the sense amplifier according to the data in the selected memory cell and the inverted data in the reference cell; and a comparator to compare the output data of the first data buffer and that of the second data buffer and determine the data read from the selected cell.