Patent ID: 7471136
Filing Date: 2008-12-30
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A temperature compensated self-refresh circuit comprising: a comparison unit adapted and configured to compare a reference voltage with a voltage varied depending on temperature change and to output a signal corresponding to the comparison result; a logic unit adapted and configured to delay an output signal from the comparison unit when a temperature sense operation signal is activated and to control generation of an oscillating signal; a temperature sense unit adapted and configured to output the voltage varied depending on temperature change to the comparison unit, and the temperature sense unit including a first MOS diode unit whose threshold voltage changes according to temperature change and according to process skew; and a reference voltage generating unit adapted and configured to be driven in response to a constant internal power voltage applied when a power-up signal is activated and to generate the reference voltage having the same voltage change as that caused by process skew in the temperature sense unit and to output the reference voltage to the comparison unit and the reference voltage generating unit including a second diode unit whose threshold voltage changes as same as that of the first diode unit according to the process skew, wherein the second diode unit comprises a low voltage transistor unit, wherein the low voltage transistor unit comprises, a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor whose switching operations are controlled in response to the internal power voltage applied through a common gate; and the second diode unit including a first MOS diode and a second MOS diode provided between the first NMOS transistor, the second NMOS transistor and a ground voltage terminal, and configured to generate the reference voltage.