Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor memory device

US6570802B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
8References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 13, 2001
Grant dateMay 27, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 13, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C11/406
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells requiring refresh, a first internal address generation circuit, a timer circuit that operates in response to a control signal input externally and generates a periodic pulse signal, and a second internal address generation circuit that operates in response to an output signal from the timer circuit. The first internal address generation circuit generates a refresh address of the entire memory region, and the second internal address generation circuit generates a refresh address of a certain part of the regions. By carrying out refresh of only a part of the memory required to be retained, the electric power consumption can be reduced.

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