Patent ID: 8797786

Claim:
A static RAM comprising: a plurality of word lines; a plurality of global bit line pairs, each one of the plurality of global bit line pairs being divided into a main global bit line pair and an extended global bit line pair; a plurality of static-type memory cells provided in correspondence with crossing parts of the plurality of word lines and the plurality of main global bit line pairs; a plurality of sense amplifiers each of the plurality of sense amplifiers being connected between each one of the plurality of the extended global bit line pairs; a plurality of local bit line pairs provided in correspondence with each one of the plurality of the main global bit line pairs; and a plurality of global switches each of the plurality of global switches connecting each one of the plurality of local bit line pairs to a corresponding one of the plurality of the main global bit line pairs in response to a global row selection signal, a plurality of bit line pair connection switches each of the plurality of bit line pair connection switches switching the connection state of each one of the plurality of main global bit line pairs and each one of the plurality of extended global bit line pairs, wherein each one of the plurality of static-type memory cells is connected to a corresponding local bit line pair in response to a row selection signal applied to a corresponding word line, and at a time of read, one of the plurality of bit line pair connection switches is brought into conduction, a row selection signal is applied to a word line corresponding to a memory cell to be selected and after corresponding one of the plurality of local bit line pairs is brought into a state corresponding to contents stored in the memory cell, application of the row selection signal is stopped and then corresponding one of the plurality of global switches is brought into a connection state by applying a corresponding global row selection signal and changing states of a main global bit line pair and an extended global bit line pair according to the state of the corresponding local bit line pair, bringing the bit line pair connection switch into a cutoff state, and a corresponding sense amplifier is operated.