Patent ID: 7170804

Claim:
A method for detecting floating word lines in a dynamic random access memory device having at least one memory array, wherein voltage levels are applied to word lines of different side segments of the array by different drive and reset lines, comprising: forcing one or more first word lines in a first side segment of the memory array to an intermediate voltage level between a word line high voltage level and a negative word line low voltage level; applying the negative word line voltage level to one or more reset lines of the first side segment coupled to the first word lines via one or more pull-down transistors to bring the one or more first word lines in the first side segment to the negative word line voltage level; and accessing one or more memory cells on a second side segment of the memory array to detect a read failure indicative of one of the first word lines not being properly connected to the reset line via one of the pull-down transistors during application of the negative word line voltage level to the one or more reset lines.