Patent ID: 6876575

Claim:
A thin film magnetic memory device, comprising: a plurality of memory cells each having its electric resistance value varying according to a storage data level written thereto by an applied magnetic field; a plurality of first data lines respectively provided for fixed groupings of said plurality of memory cells, for reading said storage data level in data read operation; a plurality of source lines provided respectively corresponding to said plurality of first data lines, and each electrically coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of first data lines through a selected one of the memory cells in a corresponding fixed grouping in said data read operation; a plurality of first data line selection portions provided respectively corresponding to said plurality of first data lines, each of said plurality of first data line selection portions precharging a corresponding one of said plurality of first data lines to a first voltage before said data read operation, and electrically disconnecting said corresponding first data line from said first voltage in said data read operation; and a plurality of source line selection portions provided respectively corresponding to said plurality of source lines, each of said plurality of source line selection portions including a source line precharging portion for precharging a corresponding one of said plurality of source lines to a second voltage before said data read operation, and a source line driving portion for electrically coupling said corresponding source line to a third voltage in said data read operation.