Semiconductor memory device having ECC circuit for decreasing the number of common bus lines to realize large scale integration and low power consumption

A semiconductor memory device has a cell and amplifier portion, a syndrome generation circuit, an error checking and correction circuit, and a plurality of memory control blocks. The cell and amplifier portion has a memory cell array, a sense amplifier array, and a column gate array, and each of the memory control blocks has a data bus amplifier, a write amplifier, and a syndrome decoder circuit which decodes syndrome output from the syndrome generation circuit. Consequently, an occupancy area can be reduced by decreasing the number of wiring lines, and a large scale integration and a low power consumption can be realized.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more 
particularly, to a dynamic random access memory device having an error 
checking and correction circuit. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Recently, in accordance with an increase in storage capacity of dynamic 
random access memory (DRAM) devices, an error checking and correction 
(ECC) circuit has been provided for the DRAM device to realize high 
reliability. This ECC circuit is used to detect (check) and correct an 
error bit of data stored in the DRAM device by an error correction code 
generated by using syndrome, and the like. 
In the above DRAM devices, an ECC circuit, a syndrome generation circuit, 
and a syndrome decoder circuit are, for example, positioned at the center 
of a chip, data output from the data bus amplifiers are transferred to the 
syndrome generation circuit through the common data bus lines, and data 
correction signals output from the ECC circuit are transferred to the 
write amplifiers through the common data bus lines. Note, the number of 
the common data bus lines is so large, e.g., 64, that an occupancy area of 
the common data bus lines becomes large. Further, the common data bus line 
is provided so long (for example, one side of the chip, e.g., 10 mm), that 
the capacitance of each common data bus line becomes large and driving 
currents thereof becomes large. Consequently, in the above DRAM device, a 
large scale integration cannot be realized and power consumption becomes 
large. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory 
device which can reduce an occupancy area by decreasing the number of 
wiring lines (common bus lines) and realize a large scale integration and 
low power consumption. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor 
memory device comprising a cell and amplifier portion having a memory cell 
array, a sense amplifier array, and a column gate array, a syndrome 
generation circuit for generating syndrome of an output data, an error 
checking and correction circuit for correcting an error of the output 
data, and a plurality of memory control blocks each having a data bus 
amplifier for reading data from the memory cell array, a write amplifier 
for writing data into the memory cell array, and a first syndrome decoder 
circuit for decoding syndrome output from the syndrome generation circuit. 
The semiconductor memory device may further comprise a second syndrome 
decoder circuit for decoding the syndrome output from the syndrome 
generation circuit, and the error checking and correction circuit may 
correct the output data in accordance with an output signal of the second 
syndrome decoder circuit. Each of the memory control blocks may comprise a 
write data control unit for generating a data inversion control signal to 
invert and write data into the memory cell array by the write amplifier in 
accordance with an inversion requiring signal output from the first 
syndrome decoder circuit and a write enable signal from an external 
source. 
The write data control unit may control selectively enabling the write 
amplifier to which a data inversion is required in accordance with the 
data inversion control signal. The syndrome generation circuit may be 
formed under a portion of the common data bus lines in a longitudinal 
direction. The semiconductor memory device may be a dynamic random access 
memory device, and each memory cell of the memory cell array comprises a 
transistor and a capacitor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
For a better understanding of the preferred embodiments, the problems of 
the related art will now be explained, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. 
FIG. 1, which consists of FIGS. 1A and 1B, shows an example of a 
semiconductor memory device, more particularly, FIG. 1 shows an example of 
a DRAM device. In FIG. 1 (FIGS. 1A and 1B), references WL.sub.l to 
WL.sub.m denote word lines, BL.sub.l to BL.sub.m and BL.sub.l # to 
BL.sub.m # denote bit lines, DB.sub.l, DB.sub.l # to DB.sub.m. DB.sub.m # 
denote data bus lines, and CL.sub.l to CL.sub.m denote column selection 
lines. Note, the reference "#" denotes an inverted signal line, 
concretely, the bit lines BL.sub.l and BL.sub.l # denote complementary bit 
lines, and the data bus lines DB.sub.l and DB.sub.l # denote complementary 
data bus lines. 
Further, in FIG. 1, reference numerals 110.sub.l,l to 110.sub.m,m denote 
memory cells, 121 to 12n denote sense amplifiers, 131 to 13n denote column 
gates, 141 to 14p denote column selection line drivers, 151 to 15q denote 
data bus amplifiers, 161 to 16q denote read data bus selection circuits, 
171 to 17q denote write amplifiers, and 181 to 18q denote write data bus 
selection circuits. Note, reference numeral 100 denotes a memory cell 
array having a plurality of memory cells 110.sub.l,l to 110.sub.m,n and 
101 denotes a sense amplifier and column gate array having a plurality of 
sense amplifiers 121 to 12n and a plurality of column gates 131 to 13n. 
As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of bit lines (complementary bit lines) are 
connected to each corresponding sense amplifier, and one memory cell is 
connected between each word line and each bit line, respectively. 
Concretely, a pair of bit lines BL.sub.l and BL.sub.l # are connected to a 
first sense amplifier 121, and a memory cell 110.sub.l,l is connected 
between a word line WL.sub.l and a bit line BL.sub.l. Further, another 
pair of bit lines BL.sub.m and BL.sub.m # are connected to a n-th sense 
amplifier 12n, and another memory cell 110.sub.m,n is connected between a 
word line WL.sub.n and a bit line BL.sub.m #. Note, for example, the 
number n of the sense amplifiers 121 to 12n and column gates 131 to 13n is 
specified as 4096, the number p of the column selection line drivers 141 
to 14p is specified as 2048, and the number q of the data bus amplifiers 
151 to 15q and read data bus selection circuits 161 to 16q (write 
amplifiers 171 to 17q and write data bus selection circuits 181 to 18q) is 
specified as 64 or 32. 
In the above semiconductor memory device (DRAM device) shown in FIG. 1, 
when a reading operation is carried out, the column selection lines 
CL.sub.l to CL.sub.m are selectively activated, and data is transferred to 
data bus lines (complementary data bus lines) DBi, DBi# through a sense 
amplifier 12i corresponding to a selected column gate 13i. Further, the 
data of the data bus lines DBi, DBi# is output to a destination external 
to the, semiconductor memory device (external to the chip) through a data 
bus amplifier 15i corresponding to the selected column gate 13i. On the 
other hand, when a write operation is carried out, data input from the 
external is supplied to a write amplifier 17i which is selected by the 
write data bus selection circuits 181 to 18q, and the data is written into 
a memory cell through the data bus lines DBi, DBi# and sense amplifier 12i 
corresponding to the selected column gate 13i. Note, a reference "i" 
denotes a selected column number, and thus the sense amplifier 12i is 
determined as a single selected sense amplifier of all of the sense 
amplifiers 121 to 12n and the write amplifier 17i is determined as a 
single selected write amplifier of all of the write amplifiers 171 to 17q. 
FIG. 2 shows a typical arrangement of the semiconductor memory device. In 
FIG. 2, reference numerals 100.sub.11, 100.sub.12 to 100r.sub.1, 
100r.sub.2 denote memory cell arrays each having a plurality of memory 
cells 110.sub.l,l to 110.sub.m,n, and 101.sub.1 to 101r denote sense 
amplifier and column gate arrays each including a plurality of sense 
amplifiers 121 to 12n and column gates 131 to 13n. 
As shown in FIG. 2, two memory cell arrays 100.sub.11 and 100.sub.12 
(100r.sub.1 and 100r.sub.2) are provided for each sense amplifier and 
column gate array 101.sub.1 (101r) at both sides thereof. Further, one 
column selection line driver 14j and one data bus amplifier/write 
amplifier 17k, 15k are commonly provided for the memory cell arrays 
100.sub.11, 100.sub.12 to 100r.sub.1, 100r.sub.2 and the sense amplifier 
and column gate arrays 101.sub.1 to 101r. 
FIG. 3 shows an example of a semiconductor memory device, and FIG. 4 shows 
another example of a semiconductor memory device according to the related 
art. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each semiconductor memory device (DRAM 
device) includes an error checking and correction circuit (ECC circuit). 
In FIGS. 3 and 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a cell and amplifier portion, 
201 denotes an ECC circuit, 202 denotes a syndrome generation circuit, 203 
denotes a syndrome decoder circuit, and 191 to 19q denote common data bus 
lines (COMD). The cell and amplifier portion 1 comprises a plurality of 
memory cells 110.sub.l,l to 110.sub.m,n (memory cell array 100), a 
plurality of memory sense amplifiers 121 to 12n (sense amplifier array 
101), and a plurality of column gates 131 to 13n (column gate array 101). 
In the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 3, the ECC circuit 201, 
the syndrome generation circuit 202, and the syndrome decoder circuit 203 
are, for example, positioned at the center of a chip (semiconductor memory 
device), data output from the data bus amplifiers 151 to 15q are 
transferred to the syndrome generation circuit 202 through the common data 
bus lines 191 to 19q, and data correction signals output from the ECC 
circuit 201 are transferred to the write amplifiers 171 to 17q through the 
common data bus lines 191 to 19q. 
In the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 4, the syndrome generation 
circuit 202 is formed along an array of the data bus amplifiers 151 to 15q 
and the write amplifiers 171 to 17q (longitudinal direction), and syndrome 
is generated by the syndrome generation circuit 202 in the longitudinal 
direction. Note, the syndrome generation circuit 202 can be formed under a 
portion SS of the common data bus lines 191 to 19q in a longitudinal 
direction. 
In the above semiconductor memory devices shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the 
number q of the common data bus lines 191 to 19q is specified as 64 (or 
32) which is the same as the word number of the ECC circuit 201, and thus 
an occupancy area of these common data bus lines 191 to 19q becomes large. 
Further, the common data bus line is provided so long (for example, one 
side of the chip, or 10 mm), that the capacitance of each common data bus 
line (191 to 19q) becomes large, and a driving current of the common data 
bus line must be large. Consequently, in the semiconductor memory devices 
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, power consumption becomes large. 
Further, when the syndrome decoder circuit 203 is positioned at the 
specific position (for example, the center position) of the chip to 
collectively carry out decoding operations of the syndrome, the bit 
corrected by the ECC circuit 201 cannot be confirmed in each amplifier 
portion (data bus amplifier/write amplifier 151, 171 to 15q, 17q). 
Therefore, all of the bits of the ECC circuit 201 must be written, and all 
of the write amplifiers 171 to 17q are activated when the error correction 
operation is carried out, so that power consumption becomes large. 
Below, the preferred embodiments of a semiconductor memory device according 
to the present invention will be explained, with reference to the 
accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a semiconductor memory device according to 
the present invention. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a cell and 
amplifier portion, 201 denotes an ECC circuit, 202 denotes a syndrome 
generation circuit, and 203 denotes a syndrome decoder circuit. Further, 
reference ii denotes a memory cell control block, 15i denotes a data bus 
amplifier, 17i denotes a write amplifier, 2i denotes a syndrome decoder 
circuit (first syndrome decoder circuit), and 21i denotes a write data 
control unit. 
The cell and amplifier portion 1 comprises a plurality of memory cells 
110.sub.l,l to 110.sub.m,n (memory cell array 100), a plurality of memory 
sense amplifiers 121 to 12n (sense amplifier array 101), and a plurality 
of column gates 131 to 13n (column gate array 101). The ECC circuit 201 
and the syndrome decoder circuit 203 are, for example, positioned at the 
center of a chip (semiconductor memory device), and the syndrome 
generation circuit 202 is formed under a portion SS of common data bus 
lines (COMD) in a longitudinal direction. 
In the semiconductor memory (DRAM) device shown in FIG. 5, the syndrome 
generation circuit 202 is used to generate syndrome of an output data, and 
the ECC circuit 201 is used to correct an error in the output data. As 
shown in FIG. 5, the memory cell control block ii (51 to 5g) comprises a 
data bus amplifier 15i (151 to 15g), a write amplifier 17i (171 to 17g), 
and a syndrome decoder circuit 2i (21 to 2g). The data bus amplifier 15i 
is used to read out data from the memory cell array 110.sub.ll to 
110.sub.mn (cell and amplifier portion 1), the write amplifier 17i is used 
to write data into the memory cell array 110.sub.ll to 110.sub.mn, and the 
syndrome decoder circuit 2i is used to decode syndrome (SYND) output from 
the syndrome generation circuit 202. Note, the syndrome decoder circuit 
(second syndrome decoder circuit) 203 is used to collectively carry out 
all decoding operations of the syndrome, or to decode total bits of the 
syndrome, but the syndrome decoder circuit (first syndrome decoder 
circuit) 2i is used to carry out one decoding operation corresponding to 
the memory cell control block ii, or to decode one bit of the syndrome. 
In the above semiconductor memory devices shown in FIG. 5, the first 
syndrome decoder circuit 2i is provided for each memory cell control block 
ii, and output signal DE of the first syndrome decoder circuit 2i is 
supplied to the write data control unit 21i. Note, the output signal DE is 
the signal for requiring the inversion of cell data output from the data 
bus amplifier 15i, and the write data control unit 21i further receives a 
write enable signal WE supplied from the external of the chip. The write 
data control unit 21i generates a cell data inversion signal DRC in 
accordance with the signals WE and DE, and the write amplifier 17i rewrite 
inversion data into the specific memory cell by inputting the cell data 
inversion signal DRC. 
In the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 5, the write amplifiers 
(17i) required to rewrite the inversion data are only activated, and the 
other write amplifiers are not activated, so that power consumption of the 
semiconductor memory device can be reduced. Further, the number of the 
common data bus lines (COMD) can be decreased, for example, the number of 
the common data bus lines is only specified as 8, and thus the number of 
the common data bus lines can be decreased from 64 (or 32) to 8, so that 
an occupancy area of the common data bus lines can be small and the total 
power consumption can be also decreased. 
Further, in the above embodiment, the write data control unit 21i and the 
syndrome decoder circuit (first syndrome decoder circuit) 2i are further 
provided for each memory cell control unit ii, and an area for the write 
data control unit 21i and syndrome decoder circuit 2i is additionally 
required. Nevertheless, in the present embodiment, the number of common 
data bus lines (COMD) can be decreased from 64 (or 32) to 8, and the 
increased occupancy area of the write data control unit 21i and syndrome 
decoder circuit 2i is much smaller than the decreased occupancy area of 
the common data bus lines. Namely, according to the present embodiment, 
the total occupancy area can be decreased. 
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a semiconductor memory device according 
to the present invention. In FIG. 6, reference numerals 51 to 5g denote 
memory cell control blocks corresponding to the reference ii shown in FIG. 
5, and 41 to 4g (4i) denote common data bus selection circuits. 
As shown in FIG. 6, the semiconductor memory device comprises a cell and 
amplifier portion 1, an ECC circuit 201, a syndrome generation circuit 
202, a syndrome decoder circuit 203, a plurality of memory cell control 
blocks 51 to 5g, and a plurality of common data bus selection circuits 41 
to 4g. Note, the configuration of each memory cell control block 51 to 5g 
corresponds to the memory cell control block ii shown in FIG. 5. Further, 
the syndrome generation circuit 202 is formed under a portion (SS) of the 
common data bus lines COMDin a longitudinal direction. 
In the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 6, only the write 
amplifiers required to rewrite the inversion data are activated, and the 
other write amplifiers are not activated, so that power consumption of the 
semiconductor memory device can be reduced. Further, the number of the 
common data bus lines can be decreased, for example, the number of the 
common data bus lines is only specified as 8, and thus the number of the 
common data bus lines can be decreased from 64 (or 32) to 8, so that an 
occupancy area of the common data bus lines can be small and the total 
power consumption can be also decreased. 
FIG. 7 shows a memory cell control block of the semiconductor memory device 
shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 7, a reference numeral 3i denotes a write data 
decoder circuit. 
As shown in FIG. 7, the memory cell control block (5i) comprises a data bus 
amplifier 15i, a write amplifier 17i, a write data control unit 21i, and a 
write data decoder circuit 3i. 
Next, an error correction operation of the semiconductor memory device will 
be explained. 
First, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, data output from each data bus 
amplifier 15i is supplied to the syndrome generation circuit 202 which is 
formed under a portion of the common data bus lines COMD in a longitudinal 
direction, and syndrome (SYND) is generated by the syndrome generation 
circuit 202 and supplied to the syndrome decoder circuit 203. The syndrome 
is decoded by the syndrome decoder circuit 203 and supplied to the ECC 
circuit 201, so that an error correction of the common data bus (COMD) 
selected by the common data bus selection circuit 4i is carried out and 
the corrected data is output externally. 
Note, syndrome generated by the syndrome generation circuit 202 is supplied 
to the syndrome decoder 2i of each memory cell control block 5i (51 to 
5g), and the syndrome is decoded and data correction of the erroneous data 
is corrected through data bus lines (DBi, DBi#) and sense amplifier (12i) 
by the syndrome decoder circuit 2i and the write data control unit 21i. 
FIG. 8 shows the semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 6 for explaining 
operations thereof, FIG. 9 shows the memory cell control block in the 
semiconductor memory device shown in FIG. 8 for explaining data bits, and 
FIG. 10 shows the memory cell control block in the semiconductor memory 
device shown in FIG. 8 for explaining parity bits. 
In FIG. 8, reference numerals 61 to 664 denotes memory cell control units 
relating to each data bit, and each memory cell control unit (6i) includes 
a data bus amplifier 15i, a write amplifier 17i, a syndrome decoder 
circuit 2i, and a write data control unit 21i, as shown in FIG. 9. The 
write data control unit 21i comprises a common data bus selection circuit 
4i, a write data decoder circuit 3i, and EXOR gates G4 and G5. Further, in 
FIG. 8, references P1 to P8 denote memory cell control units relating to 
each parity bit, and each memory cell control unit (Pi) includes a data 
bus amplifier 15i, a write amplifier 17i, and an EXOR gate G6, as shown in 
FIG. 9. Further, in FIG. 8, reference B1 denotes a buffer for storing data 
(DIN DATA) to be written into the memory cell, G1 to G3 denote EXOR gates. 
First, when a reading operation is carried out, data amplified by the data 
bus amplifier 15i is supplied to the syndrome generation circuit 202, and 
thereby syndrome SYND is generated. This syndrome SYND is decoded by the 
syndrome decoder circuit 203, and thereby a read bit error signal RBE is 
generated. In the EXOR gate G3, data of the common data bus COMD selected 
by read address RADDR is corrected in accordance with the read bit error 
signal RBE, and the corrected data (DOUT) is output through an output 
circuit (not shown) to a destination external to the chip. 
Simultaneously, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the syndrome SYND generated by 
the syndrome generation circuit 202 is also supplied to the memory cell 
control units 61 to 664 (6i) relating to each data bit. This memory cell 
control unit 6i includes the syndrome decoder circuit 2i, the syndrome is 
decoded by the syndrome decoder circuit 2i, and thereby a data bit error 
signal DE is generated. This data bit error signal DE is supplied to the 
EXOR gate G4, and a data bit inversion control signal DRC is generated 
from the EXOR gate G4 and supplied to the write amplifier 17i. Further, 
the data bit error signal DE is also supplied to the EXOR gate G5, and a 
write amplifier activation signal WAE is generated from the EXOR gate G5 
and supplied to the write amplifier 17i. Therefore, when an error bit is 
detected (checked) by the syndrome decoder circuit 2i, the corresponding 
write amplifier 17i is activated in accordance with the write amplifier 
activation signal WAE, and data is inverted and rewritten into the memory 
cell through the data bus lines DBi, DBi# and the sense amplifier (12i) in 
accordance with the data bit inversion control signal DRC. 
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the parity bits are decoded by the syndrome 
decoder circuit 203 provided at the center of the chip, which is the same 
as that of the prior art, and thereby a parity bit inversion signal PRA is 
generated. The write amplifier 17i is activated by the parity bit 
inversion signal PRA (write amplifier activation signal WAE), the parity 
bit to be required for data inversion is selected by a parity bit 
inversion control signal PBRC output from the EXOR gate G6. 
Next, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, when a writing operation is carried out, 
syndrome SYND generated by the syndrome generation circuit 202 is supplied 
to the memory cell control units 61 to 664 (6i) relating to each data bit. 
The syndrome is decoded by the syndrome decoder circuit 2i of the memory 
cell control unit 6i, and thereby a data bit error signal DE is generated. 
This data bit error signal DE is supplied to the EXOR gate G4, and a data 
bit inversion control signal DRC is generated from the EXOR gate G4 and 
supplied to the write amplifier 17i by carrying out an exclusive-or 
operation of the data bit error signal DE, the read data output from the 
data bus amplifier 15i, and the write data output from the write data 
decoder circuit 3i. Further, the data bit error signal DE is also supplied 
to the EXOR gate G5, and a write amplifier activation signal WAE is 
generated from the EXOR gate G5 and supplied to the write amplifier 17i by 
carrying out an exclusive-or operation of the data bit error signal DE and 
the write data output from the write data decoder circuit 3i. Therefore, 
when an error bit is detected by the syndrome decoder circuit 2i, the 
corresponding write amplifier 17i is activated by the write amplifier 
activation signal WAE, and data is inverted and rewritten into the memory 
cell through the data bus lines DBi, DBi# and the sense amplifier (12i) by 
the data bit inversion control signal DRC. 
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the parity bits are decoded by the syndrome 
decoder circuit 203 provided at the center of the chip, which is the same 
as that of the prior art, and thereby a parity bit inversion signal PRA is 
generated. The write amplifier 17i is activated by the parity bit 
inversion signal PRA (write amplifier activation signal WAE). When read 
data where the error correction operation is carried out is coincident 
with write data, the parity bit is selectively written by the parity bit 
inversion signal PRA. On the other hand, when read data where the error 
correction operation is carried out is not coincident with write data, the 
parity bit is selectively written by the parity bit inversion control 
signal PBRC output from the EXOR gate G6. Note, the parity bit inversion 
control signal PBRC is generated by carrying out an exclusive-or operation 
between the parity bit inversion signal PRA and the error syndrome in the 
EXOR gate G6. 
As explained above, in the semiconductor memory device according to the 
present invention, each memory control block includes a data bus 
amplifier, a write amplifier, and a syndrome decoder circuit which decodes 
syndrome output from the syndrome generation circuit. In the semiconductor 
memory device according to the present invention, only the write 
amplifiers required to rewrite the inversion data are activated, and the 
other write amplifiers are not activated, so that power consumption of the 
semiconductor memory device can be reduced. Further, the number of the 
common data bus lines can be decreased, for example, the number of the 
common data bus lines is only specified as 8, and thus the number of the 
common data bus lines can be decreased from 64 to 8, so that an occupancy 
area of the common data bus lines can be small and the total power 
consumption can be also decreased. 
Many different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and 
it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
specific embodiments described in this specification, except as defined in 
the appended claims.