Bi-CMOS type of semiconductor memory device

Claim 2

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for driving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said level converting means comprises MOS circuit means having a pair of opposite conductivity channel MOS transistors connected to said decoder means for providing said selecting signal of an MOS level to said memory cell array.

Claim 3

A semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein each of said address buffer means comprises an input terminal receiving the address signal of the ECL level, a first multi-emitter transistor having a plurality of emitters and responsive to said address signal applied to said input terminal for deriving a signal of the same logical level as that of said address signal to each of said emitters, and a second multi-emitter transistor having a plurality of emitters and responsive to said address signal applied to said input terminal for deriving a signal of the logical level opposite to that of said address signal to each of said emitters, one of the emitters of said first multi-emitter transistor in each of said address buffer means or one of the emitters of said second multi-emitter transistor therein being connected to each of said output terminals in said decoder means.

Claim 4

A semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a second logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source.

Claim 5

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for applying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a second logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source.

Claim 6

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for applying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a second logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source.

Claim 7

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein said selecting means further comprises driver circuits each for amplifying current of the output signal from each of said level converting means, each of said driver circuits comprising: an input terminal coupled to the output signal from said level converting means, an output terminal, a first potential source for applying the potential corresponding to the first logical level, a second potential source for applying the potential corresponding to the first logical level, a CMOS inverter circuit responsive to the signal applied to said input terminal for deriving the potentials of said first and second potential sources to said output terminal, a first semiconductor element for passing current from said first potential source to said output terminal when the signal applied to said input terminal is changed from the second logical level to the first logical level, and a second semiconductor element for passing current from said output terminal to said second potential source when the signal applied to said input terminal is changed from the first logical level to the second logical level.

Claim 8

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein said selecting means further comprises driver circuits each for amplifying current of the output signal from each of said level converting means, each of said driver circuits comprising: an input terminal coupled to the output signal from said level converting means, an output terminal, a first potential source for applying the potential corresponding to the first logical level, a second potential source for applying the potential corresponding to the first logical level, a CMOS inverter circuit responsive to the signal applied to said input terminal for deriving the potentials of said first and second potential sources to said output terminal, a first semiconductor element for passing current from said first potential source to said output terminal when the signal applied to said input terminal is changed from the second logical level to the first logical level, and a second semiconductor element for passing current from said output terminal to said second potential source when the signal applied to said input terminal is changed from the first logical level to the second logical level.

Claim 9

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a second logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source, wherein said current increasing means comprises a one-way conducting device connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type and the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of second conductivity channel type for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type, and a switching element connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type and said second potential source and responsive to said selecting signal to be rendered conductive.

Claim 10

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a second logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source, wherein said current increasing means comprises a one-way conducting device connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type and the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of second conductivity channel type for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type, and a switching element connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type and said second potential source and responsive to said selecting signal to be rendered conductive.

Claim 11

A semiconductor memory device, comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said address buffer means comprises an input terminal receiving the address signal of the ECL level, a first multi-emitter transistor having a plurality of emitters and responsive to said address signal applied to said input terminal for deriving a signal of the same logical level as that of said address signal to each of said emitters, and a second multi-emitter transistor having a plurality of emitters and responsive to said address signal applied to said input terminal for deriving a signal of the logical level opposite to that of said address signal to each of said emitters, one of the emitters of said first multi-emitter transistor in each of said address buffer means or one of the emitters of said second multi-emitter transistor therein being connected to each of said output terminals in said decoder means, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source, wherein said current increasing means comprises a one-way conducting device connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type and the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of second conductivity channel type for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type, and a switching element connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type and said second potential source and responsive to said selecting signal to be rendered conductive.

Claim 12

A semiconductor memory device, comprising a memory cell array including a plurality of MOS memory cells and selecting means for selecting a memory cell in said memory cell array, said selecting means comprising a plurality of address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of an ECL level for outputting the same, decoder means having a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said address buffer means for deriving a selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said decoder means for converting the selecting signal of the ECL level derived from said decoder means into a selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding memory cell in said memory cell array, wherein each of said address buffer means comprises an input terminal receiving the address signal of the ECL level, a first multi-emitter transistor having a plurality of emitters and responsive to said address signal applied to said input terminal for deriving a signal of the same logical level as that of said address signal to each of said emitters, and a second multi-emitter transistor having a plurality of emitters and responsive to said address signal applied to said input terminal for deriving a signal of the logical level opposite to that of said address signal to each of said emitters, one of the emitters of said first multi-emitter transistor in each of said address buffer means or one of the emitters of said second multi-emitter transistor therein being connected to each of said output terminals in said decoder means, wherein each of said level converting means comprises an output terminal, a first potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, a second potential source for supplying a potential corresponding to a first logical level, an MOS transistor of a first conductivity channel type connected between said first potential source and said output terminal and having a gate terminal coupled to the selecting signal from said decoder means, an MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type connected between said output terminal and said second potential source and having a gate terminal coupled to the potential of the same logical level as that of the selecting signal from said decoder means, and current increasing means responsive to said selecting signal for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to said second potential source, wherein said current increasing means comprises a one-way conducting device connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type and the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of second conductivity channel type for passing current from the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the first conductivity channel type to the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type, and a switching element connected between the gate terminal of said MOS transistor of the second conductivity channel type and said second potential source and responsive to said selecting signal to be rendered conductive.

Claim 13

A semiconductor memory device according to claim 6, wherein said one-way conducting device comprises a diode.

Claim 14

A semiconductor memory device according to claim 6, wherein said switching element comprises an MOS transistor.

Claim 15

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array, row selecting means and column selecting means, said memory cell array comprising a plurality of row selecting lines, a plurality of column selecting lines arranged to intersect with said row selecting lines, and a plurality of MOS memory cells each provided at intersections of said row selecting lines and said column selecting lines, said row selecting means comprising a plurality of row address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit for receiving an address signal of an ECL level and outputting the same, row decoder means comprising a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said row address buffer means for deriving a row selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of first level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said row decoder means for converting the row selecting signal of the ECL level derived from the row decoder means to a row selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding row selecting line in said memory cell array, said column selecting means comprising a plurality of column address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of the ECL level and outputting the same, column decoder means comprising a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said column address buffer means for deriving a column selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of second level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said column decoder means for converting the column selecting signal of the ECL level derived from the column decoder means into a column selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding column selecting line in said memory cell array.

Claim 16

A semiconductor memory device comprising a memory cell array, row selecting means and column selecting means, said memory cell array comprising a plurality of row selecting lines, a plurality of column selecting lines arranged to intersect with said row selecting lines, and a plurality of MOS memory cells each provided at intersections of said row selecting lines and said column selecting lines, said row selecting means comprising a plurality of row address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit for receiving an address signal of an ECL level and outputting the same, row decoder means comprising a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said row address buffer means for deriving a row selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of first level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said row decoder means for converting the row selecting signal of the ECL level derived from the row decoder means to a row selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding row selecting line in said memory cell array, said column selecting means comprising a plurality of column address buffer means each comprising a bipolar ECL circuit and receiving an address signal of the ECL level and outputting the same, column decoder means comprising a plurality of outputs and responsive to a plurality of address signals of the ECL level outputted from said column address buffer means for deriving a column selecting signal of the ECL level to one of said outputs, and a plurality of second level converting means each connected to a corresponding output of said column decoder means for converting the column selecting signal of the ECL level derived from the column decoder means into a column selecting signal of an MOS level and applying the same to a corresponding column selecting line in said memory cell array.