Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor memory device having error detection/correction function

US4706249A · kind A · utility

57Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 3, 1985
Grant dateNov 10, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 3, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C29/42
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In the semiconductor memory device of the invention, a normal voltage detecting circuit and a high voltage detecting circuit are connected to a terminal for the purpose of receiving a write enable signal. When a signal of normal level is supplied to the terminal, the circuit controls data read or write with respect to a memory cell array in accordance with the level of the write enable signal. An error correction code circuit is rendered operative, and a soft error generated in data read from the memory cell array is corrected. When a high voltage is applied to the terminal, the circuit sets the memory device in the read mode. The circuit detects application of the high voltage to the terminal and supplies a predetermined signal to an ECC control circuit. In response to the signal, the ECC control circuit stops the operation of the ECC circuit. Data without any correction of soft errors is output from the memory device, and testing of hard errors is simplified.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.