Patent ID: 7388400
Filing Date: 2008-06-17
Classification: G11C,H03K

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor integrated circuit operating at an operating voltage of which the absolute value is about 2.5 V or below, comprising: a plurality of circuit blocks to which operation voltage is supplied by a first power line and a second power line; and a first switching element for each said circuit block; wherein each circuit block includes a first MOS transistor in which a leakage current flows between a drain and a source of said first MOS transistor, including under a condition that a gate voltage is equal to a source voltage in said first MOS transistor, wherein each of said first switching elements is adapted to control the leakage current flowing through a corresponding one of said first MOS transistors of said each circuit block, wherein, while one of said first switching elements is controlled to reduce said leakage current flowing through the circuit block relating to one of said first switching elements, another one of said first switching elements is controlled to allow current to flow thorough the circuit block relating to another one of said first switching elements, and wherein said current which is allowed to flow by said another one of said first switching elements is sufficient to permit said circuit block relating to another one of said first switching elements to logically operate.