EP0212547A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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method and device for refreshing dynamic semiconductor memory device
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1986-08-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-08-12
Abstract
Abstract A method and device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, where the row address is received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal and the column address is received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, performs a refresh operation when the column address strobe signal becomes low before the row address strobe signal, and selectively performs refresh operations with and without an error checking and correcting operation of the error checking and correcting circuit depending on timings of the row and column address strobe signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Masao Fujitsu Ltd. Patent Department Taguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:32
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C8/00; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/1008; G06F11/1076; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C11/40; G11C11/401; G11C11/406
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, said row address being received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal, said column address being received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, said method comprising the steps of: discriminating from timings of the row address strobe signal and the column address strobe signal that a refresh operation is to be performed in the dynamic semiconductor memory device when said column address strobe signal becomes low before said row address strobe signal; and selectively performing said refresh operation with and without an error checking and correcting operation of the error checking and correcting circuit by discriminating from the timings of said row and column address strobe signals whether said refresh operation is to be performed with or without the error checking and correcting operation of the error checking and correcting circuit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
178 words
A method of refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, said row address being received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal, said column address being received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, said method comprising the steps of: discriminating from timings of the row address strobe signal and the column address strobe signal that a refresh operation is to be performed in the dynamic semiconductor memory device when said column address strobe signal becomes low before said row address strobe signal; and selectively performing said refresh operation with and without an error checking and correcting operation of the error checking and correcting circuit by discriminating from the timings of said row and column address strobe signals whether said refresh operation is to be performed with or without the error checking and correcting operation of the error checking and correcting circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method of refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 1 in which said refresh operation is performed without said error checking and correcting operation when said row address strobe signal toggles while said column address strobe signal remains low, and said refresh operation is performed with said error checking and correcting operation when said column address strobe signal toggles in synchronism with said row address signal which toggles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method of refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 1 in which said refresh operation is performed with said error checking and correcting operation when said row address strobe signal toggles while said column address strobe signal remains low, and said refresh operation is performed without said error checking and correcting operation when said column address strobe signal toggles in synchronism with said row address signal which toggles.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
271 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, said row address being received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal, said column address being received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, said device comprising: input terminals supplied with the row address strobe signal and the column address strobe signal; a discriminating circuit for discriminating from timings of said row and column address strobe signals whether a refresh operation is to be performed with or without an error checking and correcting operation of said error checking and correcting circuit, and for producing a discrimination signal having a level indicative of a discriminated result; a row-side clock generating circuit for producing a first clock signal for controlling row-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said row and column address strobe signals and for producing a first control signal when said column address strobe signal becomes low before said row address strobe signal becomes low; a column-side clock generating circuit for producing a second clock signal for controlling column-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said discrimination signal and said column address strobe signal; and a refresh control circuit for refreshing the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said first control signal from said row-side clock generating circuit, said error checking and correcting circuit being controlled responsive to a second control signal produced from said column-side clock generating circuit.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
271 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, said row address being received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal, said column address being received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, said device comprising: input terminals supplied with the row address strobe signal and the column address strobe signal; a discriminating circuit for discriminating from timings of said row and column address strobe signals whether a refresh operation is to be performed with or without an error checking and correcting operation of said error checking and correcting circuit, and for producing a discrimination signal having a level indicative of a discriminated result; a row-side clock generating circuit for producing a first clock signal for controlling row-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said row and column address strobe signals and for producing a first control signal when said column address strobe signal becomes low before said row address strobe signal becomes low; a column-side clock generating circuit for producing a second clock signal for controlling column-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said discrimination signal and said column address strobe signal; and a refresh control circuit for refreshing the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said first control signal from said row-side clock generating circuit, said error checking and correcting circuit being controlled responsive to a second control signal produced from said column-side clock generating circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 4 in which said refresh control circuit is operated responsive to said first control signal and said error checking and correcting circuit is not operated by said second control signal when said row address strobe signal toggles while said column address strobe signal remains low, and said refresh control circuit is operated responsive to said first control signal and said error checking and correcting circuit is operated by said second control signal when said column address strobe signal toggles in synchronism with said row address strobe signal which toggles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 5 in which said refresh control circuit is operated responsive to said first control signal and said.error checking and correcting circuit is operated by said second control signal when each fall in said column address strobe signal occurs immediately before a rise in said row address strobe signal and each rise in said row address strobe signal occurs immediately before a fall in said column address strobe signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 4, 5.or 6 in which said second control circuit comprises a first gate circuit supplied with said column address strobe signal and said first clock signal for obtaining a gated column address strobe signal, and a second gate circuit supplied with said discrimination signal and said gated column address strobe signal, said second control circuit producing said second clock signal responsive to an output signal of said second gate circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 4, 5, 6 or 7 in which said second control circuit comprises delay means for producing said second control signal by delaying said second clock signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 in which said error checking and correcting circuit is a built-in circuit of said dynamic semiconductor memory device.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
238 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, said row address being received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal, said column address being received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, said device comprising: input terminals supplied with the row address strobe signal and the column address strobe signal; a row-side clock generating circuit for producing a first clock signal for controlling row-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said row and column address strobe signals and for producing a first control signal when said column address strobe signal becomes low before said row address strobe signal becomes low; a column-side clock generating circuit for producing a second clock signal for controlling column-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said column address strobe signal and said first clock signal; a refresh control circuit for refreshing the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said first control signal from said row-side clock generating circuit; and a gate circuit supplied with said column address strobe signal and said second clock signal for producing a second control signal, said error checking and correcting circuit being controlled responsive to said second control signal produced from said gate circuit.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
238 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array having a matrix arrangement of memory cells each designated by a row address and a column address and an error checking and correcting circuit, said row address being received from an exterior in response to a row address strobe signal, said column address being received from the exterior in response to a column address strobe signal, said device comprising: input terminals supplied with the row address strobe signal and the column address strobe signal; a row-side clock generating circuit for producing a first clock signal for controlling row-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said row and column address strobe signals and for producing a first control signal when said column address strobe signal becomes low before said row address strobe signal becomes low; a column-side clock generating circuit for producing a second clock signal for controlling column-side circuits of the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said column address strobe signal and said first clock signal; a refresh control circuit for refreshing the dynamic semiconductor memory device responsive to said first control signal from said row-side clock generating circuit; and a gate circuit supplied with said column address strobe signal and said second clock signal for producing a second control signal, said error checking and correcting circuit being controlled responsive to said second control signal produced from said gate circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 10 in which said refresh control circuit is operated responsive to said first control signal and said error checking and correcting circuit is operated by said second control signal when said row address strobe signal toggles while said column address strobe signal remains low, and said refresh control circuit is operated responsive to said first control signal and said error checking and correcting circuit is not operated by said second control signal when said column address strobe signal toggles in synchronism with said row address strobe signal which toggles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 11 in which said refresh control circuit is operated responsive to said first control signal and said error checking and correcting circuit is not operated by said second control signal when each fall in said column address strobe signal occurs immediately before a rise in said row address strobe signal and each rise in said row address strobe signal occurs immediately before a fall in said column address strobe signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 10, 1 1 or 12 in which said column-side clock generating circuit comprises an OR circuit supplied with said column address strobe signal and said second clock signal for obtaining a gated column address strobe signal, said column-side clock generating circuit producing said second clock signal responsive to said gate column address strobe signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device for refreshing a dynamic semiconductor memory device as claimed in claim 10, 11, 12 or 13 in which said error checking and correcting circuit is a built-in circuit of said dynamic semiconductor memory device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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