Patent ID: 6646942
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A method of refreshing dynamic data stored in an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit being adapted to receive a supply voltage and being adapted to operate in a self-refresh mode of operation to refresh the dynamic data at a refresh time that defines how often the dynamic data is refreshed during the self-refresh mode, the method comprising:monitoring a magnitude of the supply voltage; and adjusting the refresh time as a function of the monitored magnitude of the supply voltage, wherein adjusting the refresh time as a function of the monitored magnitude of the supply voltage comprises, decreasing the refresh time as the magnitude of the supply voltage decreases to refresh the dynamic data more frequently, wherein decreasing the refresh time as the magnitude of the supply voltage decreases comprises linearly increasing a frequency of a self-refresh clock signal, the self-refresh clock signal defining the refresh time.