Patent ID: 8913416

Claim:
A variable-resistance memory device comprising: a first common line; a second common line; a storage element connected between said first common line and said second common line to serve as a storage element whose resistance changes in accordance with a voltage applied to said storage element; and a driving control circuit for starting a resistance reduction operation of driving said storage element to make a transition from a high-resistance state to a low-resistance state by changing an electric potential appearing on said second common line, for controlling an element current flowing through said storage element by adjusting an electric potential appearing on said first common line during said resistance reduction operation and for terminating said resistance reduction operation by making said electric potential appearing on said first common line equal to said electric potential appearing on said second common line after the lapse of a period enabling said storage element to make said transition from said high-resistance state to said low-resistance state; and wherein an electric charge accumulated on the first common line is electrically discharged to the second common line through an equalization path, other than a current path of the storage element, before the resistance reduction operation.