Patent ID: 6839272

Claim:
A thin film magnetic memory device comprising: a memory cell array including a plurality of magnetic memory cells each holding magnetically written storage data; a first port for receiving a write address indicating a write selected memory cell which is selected for write operation in said memory cell array, and write data to said write selected memory cell; a second port for receiving a read address indicating a read selected memory cell which is selected for read operation in said memory cell array, and outputting read data from said read selected memory cell; and peripheral circuitry for conducting read operation and write operation in parallel in said memory cell array based on said read address and said write address, respectively, wherein said plurality of magnetic memory cells are arranged in a matrix, said memory cell array further includes a plurality of read selection lines and a plurality of write selection lines which are provided corresponding to memory cell rows, and a plurality of bit lines provided corresponding to memory cell columns, and said peripheral circuitry includes a first decode circuit for selectively activating said plurality of read selection lines according to said read address, a second decode circuit for selectively activating said plurality of write selection lines according to said write address, a data read circuit for reading said storage data from said read selected memory cell by using one of said plurality of bit lines which is selected according to said read address, and a data write circuit for writing said write data to said write selected memory cell by using one of said plurality of bit lines which is selected according to said write address.