Abstract:
A semiconductor memory device is provided to reduce current consumption during a refresh operation by decreasing the number of wordlines activated at the same time, including a block set having a plurality of cell array blocks which are divided into a plurality of regions which employ wordlines independently from each other, row driving means to alternatively select the wordlines arranged each in the regions, and column driving means to activate columns of the cell arrays involved in the wordlines selected by the row driving means.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to semiconductor memory devices having refresh functions. The device is operable with double wordline activation in which wordlines belong to different memory blocks of  2 N (N is an integer) rows each other are enabled at the same time during a refresh operation for NK (K is 2 10 ) wordlines.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is usually exposed to leakage current flowing its substrate in which memory cells are constructed, and thereby contains weak data retention facility relative to other memory devices. Therefore, it is basically necessary for the DRAM to employ a refresh function that re-writes data into memory cells before losing the data stored in the memory cells. In the refresh operation, data weakly stored in the memory cells are read out therefrom and restored therein after being amplified. The DRAM generally manages the refresh operation with reiterate cycling modes that are conductive by a predetermined time.  
           [0003]    The refresh operation starts with transition of row address strobe signal/RAS, from its precharge state of high level to low level, which activates wordlines, and then with activation of sense amplifiers.  
           [0004]    Memory cells coupled to the selected wordlines are simultaneously refreshed (i.e., their ordinary data are renown).  
           [0005]    A cycle of the refresh operation is defined within the period when the row address strobe signal/RAS is laid on low level after receiving addresses for refreshing. The refresh cycle is usually dependent on the number of unit cycles to complete the data renewing for memory cells associated with all of rows in a DRAM, being represented to as the number of wordlines activated to perform the refresh operation for all of memory cells.  
           [0006]    Conventional DRAMs are designed with bonding options alternatively adaptable to refresh modes of NK (N is integer; K 2 10  that is the number of wordlines for refreshing) or  2 NK. The DRAM is embedded on one of boards associated with the refresh modes of NK and  2 NK. The NK refresh mode is programmed into “H” (i.e., high level) while the  2 NK is set into “L” (i.e., low level), by means of the bonding option.  
           [0007]    Being operable either in the refresh modes of NK or  2 NK by the bonding option, the DRAMs are oriented to be conductive with read-out/write-in operations according to the  2 NK refresh mode as usual.  
           [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 illustrates a row chain in conjunction with an architecture of memory array in a general DRAM. The first buffer  10  receives row address signal ADD_ 2 NK and refresh command signal NK-REFRESHB and then converts them into CMOS logic from the external TTL logic.  
           [0009]    The row address signal ADD_ 2 NK, including its complementary, is to designate block sets BS divided into two, and the refresh command signal NK-REFRESHB enables a refresh mode in the DRAM. The second buffer  12  receives block selection address signals ADD_BLOCK&lt; 1 :log 2 n&gt; (n is the number of blocks), including their complementary signals, and converts it into CMOS logic. The third buffer  14  transfers wordline selection address signals ADD_WL&lt; 1 : 2   i &gt; (i is the number of bits forming thereof), including their complementary signals, into the device with CMOS logic. The wordline selection address signals ADD_WL&lt; 1 : 2   i &gt; make one of wordlines belong to a block be activated.  
           [0010]    When the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB is low level, the row address signals ADDX_ 2 NK and ADDXB_ 2 NK (the complementary signal of ADDX_ 2 NK) from the first buffer  10  are compressed and set into high levels. The high-level established row address signals ADDX_ 2 NK and ADDXB_ 2 NK are applied to block control unit  20  together with the block address signals ADDX_BLOCK and ADDXB_BLOCK (the complementary signal of ADDXB_BLOCK) provided from the second buffer  12  through the fourth buffer  16 . The block control unit  20  selects an alternative one of  2 N blocks B with the row address signal ADD_ 2 NK that has been compressed into a pattern to divide the block sets into two designable sets. The wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL and ADDXB_WL (the complementary signal of ADDX_WL) from the third buffer  14  are applied to decoder  22  through the fifth buffer  18 , and then provided to the two blocks B. Main X-decoders MWL_ 1  through MWL_ 2 n enables wordlines arranged in cell arrays  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c , and  24   d  those are included in the two blocks B.  
           [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 shows a pattern of the row address signal ADD_ 2 NK to designate cell arrays of a  2 NK block set into two groups each of the groups is  1 NK wordlines (N is the number of the cell arrays of a NK block, and K is the number of wordlines of a cell array). The  2 NK block set is formed of two NK block sets. Bit patterns of addresses to designate the cell arrays CELL ARRAY 1 ˜N are arranged from 00.01 to 11..11. The row address signal ADD- 2 NK to distinguish the two block sets (i.e., dividing the memory cell array into two groups each of which is  1 NK) is assigned to the most significant bit “0” for the first  1 NK block set or “1” for the second  1 NK block set. The rest bits of the address bit arrangement are for the block selection address signals ADD_BLOCK. During the NK refresh mode, as the row address signal ADD_ 2 NK is compressed into a unified bit (or regarded to as an invalid bit), a pair of the cell arrays (one is in the first  1 NK block set, and the other is in the second  1 NK block set) is selected at the same time by corresponding block addresses ADD_BLOCK. For example, one of the block address, 00..01, activates two of the CELL ARRAY 1  of the two  1 NK block sets for the NK refresh mode.  
           [0012]    As aforementioned, when the refresh modes for NK and  2 NK are alternatively operable in the conventional DRAM by employing the bonding option, the number of wordlines enabled in the NK refresh mode becomes twice during read-out and write-in operations because one of address bits (e.g., the ADD_ 2 NK) is rendered to be not utilized therein. Comparing such a feature of the NK refresh mode with that of the  2 NK refresh mode, current dissipation in the NK refresh mode is more than two times of that in the  2 NK refresh mode due to the doubled number of the wordlines. The enlarged number of the wordlines activated at the same time in the NK refresh mode causes access speed of reading or writing data to be lowered.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of reducing current consumption during a refresh mode.  
           [0014]    It is another object of the invention to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of enhancing data access speed during a refresh operation by reducing the number of wordlines activated at the same time.  
           [0015]    For the purpose of achieving the those objects, a semiconductor memory device according to the invention includes a block set having a plurality of cell array blocks which each is divided into a plurality of regions which employ wordlines independently from each other, row driving means to alternatively select the wordlines arranged each in the regions, and column driving means to activate columns of the cell arrays involved in the wordlines selected by the row driving means. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried in effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a row chain for performing a conventional NK refresh mode in a DRAM;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a pattern of address signals dividing cell arrays of a conventional  2 NK block set into two groups of  1 NK block sets;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 3A and 3B are block diagrams illustrating row and column chains, respectively, according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the first buffer shown in FIG. 3A;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 5 and 6 are circuit diagrams of the left and right main X-decoder shown in FIG. 3A, respectively.  
         [0022]    In the figures, the identical reference signs denote like or equivalent parts. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    Hereinbelow, applicable embodiments according to the invention will be as follows, with the appended drawings.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 3A shows a row circuit chain for performing a refresh operation while FIG. 3B is for a column chain. Referring to FIG. 3A, block set BS is formed of a plurality of blocks B each of which has a plurality of cell arrays  24   a ,  24   b ,  24   c , and  24   d.    
         [0025]    The first buffer  30  receives row address signal ADD_ 2 NK for dividing the block sets into two groups of the cell arrays, refresh command signal NK_REFREAHB, and refresh starting signal REFRESH_REQUESTB for informing a beginning of a refresh operation mode, and generates buffer row address signals ADDX_ 2 NK and ADDXB_ 2 NK to be compressed, and NK refresh address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK (the complementary signal of ADDX_NK) that are not compressed. The refresh address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK are created independent from the row address signal ADDX_ 2 NK and ADDXB_ 2 NK.  
         [0026]    The second buffer  32  receives block selection address signals ADD_BLOCK&lt; 1 :log 2 n&gt; and then generates internal block selection address signals ADDX_BLOCK and ADDXB_BLOCK (the complementary signal of ADDX_BLOCK).  
         [0027]    The third buffer  34  receives wordline selection address signals ADD_WL&lt; 1 :i&gt; and then generates internal wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL and ADDXB_WL (the complementary signal of ADDX_WL).  
         [0028]    The fourth buffer  36  transfers the internal block selection address signals ADDX_BLOCK and ADDXB_BLOCK to block control unit  40 .  
         [0029]    The fifth buffer  38  transfers the internal wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL and ADDXB_WL to the first decoder  42  (row decoder or X-decoder).  
         [0030]    The block control unit  40 , after receiving the compressed row address signals ADDX_ 2 NK and ADDXB_ 2 NK and signals from the fourth buffer  36 , selects alternative one of the blocks B, and transfers the signals from the fourth buffer  36  into bitline sense amplifier control units CTRLD_ 1 ˜CTRLD_ 2 n+1 and main wordline drivers MWLD_ 1 ˜MWLD_ 2 n.  
         [0031]    The bitline sense amplifier control units CTRLD_ 1 ˜CTRLD_ 2 n+1 selects bitline sense amplifiers BL S/A disposed in the block B designated by the internal block selection signals BLOCK_SEL&lt; 1 : 2 n&gt; in response to the address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK, including bitlines Bish and Bisl.  
         [0032]    The main wordline drivers MWLD_ 1 ˜MWLD_ 2 n receives the internal wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL&lt; 1 : 2   i &gt; through the fifth buffer  38  and the first decoder  42 , and then selects alternative one of wordlines arranged in left and light sides of a selected block B. The selected one of the left and right main wordlines MWL_L and MWL_R turns on a half of memory cells than that conducted in the convention NK refresh mode but identical to that of the  2 NK refresh mode.  
         [0033]    The first decoder  42  decodes the address signals supplied from the fifth buffer  38  and then transfers the decoded result into the main wordline drivers MWLD_ 1 ˜MWLD_ 2 n those are assigned each to their corresponding the blocks B.  
         [0034]    The NK refresh address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK supplied from the first buffer  30 , not suppressed, are applied to the bitline sense amplifier control units CTRLD_ 1 ˜CTRLD_ 2 n+ 1  and the main wordline drivers MWLD_ 1 ˜MWLD_ 2 n. The applied NK refresh address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK select the left cell arrays  24   a  of the left block B or the right cell arrays  24   c  and  24   d  of the right block B. As an example, if the NK refresh address signal ADDX_NK is high level, the left main wordline MWL_L starts to be enable and wordlines are activated one by one with the pitch of NK in accordance with refresh cycles. At this time, the bitline sense amplifiers BL S/A are conductive in correspondence with activation of corresponding cell arrays (e.g.,  24   a  and  24   b ), being coincident with the NK refresh cycles.  
         [0035]    In addition, as the cell arrays are segmented into two groups of left and right to be symmetrical at sub wordline drivers  50  positioned along the center column of the cell array region, the left and right groups of the cell arrays,  24   a  and  24   b , and  24   c  and  24   d , are connected to the main wordline drivers MWLD_ 1 ˜MWLD_ 2 n independently through the left and right main wordlines MWL_L and MWL_R, respectively. The sub wordline drivers  50  are connected to two of wordline boosting signal (px; Vpp) lines  52  which are assigned each to the left and right cell array groups,  24   a  and  24   b , and  24   c  and  24   d.    
         [0036]    It available for the wordline boosting signal line to prepare one not the two, in which the one wordline boosting line may charge in operation both the left and right cell arrays groups.  
         [0037]    The column chain for the refresh mode is in need of being correspondingly adaptable to the row chain shown in FIG. 3B. Referring to FIG. 3B, the NK refresh mode of the present embodiment employs two column enable signals Yi simultaneously activated per the block set BS. When the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB is enabled with low level, the sixth buffer  44  receives column address signals ADD-Yi&lt; 1 :j&gt;for distinguish the most large sections that are divisional with column, and the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB. Next, the second decoder  46  (column decoder or Y-decoder) receives the buffered column address signals ADDI_Yi&lt; 1 :j&gt;, ADDIB_Yi&lt; 1 :j&gt; from the sixth buffer  44  and then generates column address decoding signals for making right and left column enable signals Yi_R and Yi_L. Left and right column decoder (or Y_decoders_left and right),  54  and  56 , generates the right and left column enable signals Yi_R and Yi_L in response to the column address decoding signals supplied from the second decoder  46 .  
         [0038]    The left and right column enable signals, Yi_L and Yi_R, are conducted at a part associated with the left and right main wordlines MWL_L and MWL_R in order to turn on a corresponding column circuit (e.g., a column gate circuit). The left column enable signal Yi_L activates column lines to access data of memory cells coupled to the left main wordline MWL_L, while the right column enable signal Yi_R activates column lines to access data of memory cells coupled to the right main wordline MWL_R.  
         [0039]    The first buffer shown in FIG. 3A, referring to FIG. 4, is constructed of differential amplifier  60 , NAND gates ND 1  and ND 2 , logic circuits  62  and  64 . The differential amplifier  60  compares the row address signal ADD_ 2 NK, separating the block sets in two, with a reference voltage. The NAND gate ND 1  generates the row address signal ADDX_ 2 NK to be compressed in response to a logic combination with a signal at output terminal N 1  of the differential amplifier  60  and the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB. The NAND gate ND 2  generates the row address signal ADDXB_ 2 NK to be compressed in response to a logic combination with a signal at output terminal N 2  (the complementary of N 1 ) of the differential amplifier  60  and the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB. The logic circuit  62  generates the NK refresh address signal ADDX_NK in response to a combinational operation with the signal at the output terminal N 1  of the differential amplifier  60 , the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB, and the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB. The logic circuit  64  generates the NK refresh address signal ADDXB_NK in response to a combinational operation with the signal at the output terminal N 2  of the differential amplifier  60 , the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB, and the refresh staring signal REFRESH_REGUESTB.  
         [0040]    The differential amplifier  60  includes PMOS transistors P 1  and P 2  connected between internal power supply voltage Vinti and the output terminal T 1  in parallel, PMOS transistors P 3  and P 4  connected between Vinti and the output terminal T 2  in parallel, NMOS transistors N 1  and N 2  whose drains are connected to T 1 , NMOS transistors N 3  and N 4  whose drains are connected to T 2 . The PMOS transistors P 2  and P 3  are cross-coupled from each other, and the NMOS transistors N 2  and N 3  are cross-coupled from each other. Gates of the PMOS and NMOS transistors, P 2 , N 1 , and N 2 , are coupled to T 2 , and gates of the PMOS and NMOS transistors, P 3 , N 3 , and N 4  are coupled to T 1 . Sources of the NMOS transistors N 2  and N 3  are connected to internal substrate voltage (or a ground voltage) Vssi through NMOS transistor N 5  whose gate responds to buffer starting signal BUF_STARTB through three inverters connected in serial. Source of the NMOS transistor N 1  is connected to Vssi through NMOS transistors N 8 , N 9 , and N 10 .  
         [0041]    Gate of the NMOS transistor N 8  is coupled to the buffer starting signal BUF_STARTB through an inverter, together with gates of the PMOS transistors P 1  and P 4  and NMOS transistor N 18  whose drain is connected to source of the NMOS transistor N 4 . Gates of the NMOS transistors are coupled to column address strobe signal CAS and the address signal ADD_ 2 NK. Source of the NMOS transistor N 18  is connected to Vssi through NMOS transistors N 12  and N 13  those are connected in serial, and also through NMOS transistors N 14  and N 15  those are connected in serial, in parallel. Gate of the NMOS transistor N 12  is coupled to the row address strobe signal CAS through an inverter while the NMOS transistor N 14  is coupled to CAS directly. Gate of the NMOS transistor N 15  is coupled to reference voltage REF_VOLTAGE that is a half level of Vinti. Between the reference voltage REF_VOLTAGE and Vssi are connected MOS capacitors N 16  and N 17  in parallel.  
         [0042]    The logic circuit  62  (or  64 ) is constructed of inverter I 1  (or  12 ) converting the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB into its reverse signal, and NAND gate ND 3  (or ND 4 ) receiving the output from the inverter I 1  (or  12 ), the signal at the output terminal T 1  (or T 2 ) of the differential amplifier  60 , and the refresh staring signal REFRESG_REQUESTB. The NAND gates ND 3  and ND 4  generates the address signal ADDX_NK (or ADDXB_NK).  
         [0043]    In an operation of the first buffer shown in FIG. 4, when the refresh command signal NK_REFRESHB is at low level and the refresh starting signal REFRESH_REQUESTB is at high level (i.e., enabling an access process with double wordlines in the NK refresh mode), the row address signal ADD_ 2 NK having a voltage level higher than the reference voltage REF_VOLTAGE makes the output terminal T 1  be at low level while T 2  be at high level. Thereby, the logic circuit  62  generates the address signal ADDX_NK with high level while the logic circuit  64  sets the ADDXB_NK on low level  
         [0044]    On the other hand, during the double wordline access in the NK refresh mode, if the row address signal ADD_ 2 NK dividing the block sets in two sections has a current voltage level lower than the reference voltage REF_VOLTAGE, the output terminal T 1  of the differential amplifier  60  is laid on high level while T 2  is low level. Thus, the address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK are established to low and high levels each from the logic circuits  62  and  64 , respectively.  
         [0045]    The NK refresh address signal ADDX_NK with high level is provided to select the main wordlines MWL_L assigned to the left cell arrays  24   a  and  24   b , while the NK refresh address signal ADDXB_NK with high level to select the main wordlines MWL_R of the right cell arrays  24   c  and  24   d.    
         [0046]    In this embodiment presented by the invention, the NK refresh mode is set into the double wordline access when the refresh starting signal REFRESH_REQUESTB is set on high level, while into a normal fashion with one wordline access when REFRESH_REQUESTB becomes low level.  
         [0047]    In other words, the low-leveled refresh starting signal REFRESH_REQUESTB makes the NK refresh address signals ADDX_NK and ADDXB_NK from the NAND gates ND 3  and ND 4  be forced into all high levels, which enables all of the main wordlines regardless of left and right assignment to be activated.  
         [0048]    And, in the condition of that the left cell array group of  24   a  and  24   b  of the block B is selected when the NK refresh address signal ADDX_NK is high level, the left main wordlines MWL_L are activated by each with the pitch of NK in accordance with cycles of the NK refresh modes. At this time, bitlines Bish_L and Bisl_L disposed in the left array region are conductive with the bitline sense amplifiers BL S/A, assigned to the cell arrays  24   a  and  24   b , in accordance with the NK refresh cycles.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIGS. 5 and 6 show circuit constructions of the main wordline divers MWLD_R and MWLD_L for activating the right and left main wordlines MWL_R and MWL_L those are arranged on the right and left groups of the cell arrays,  24   a  and  24   b , and  24   c  and  24   d , respectively.  
         [0050]    Referring to FIG. 5, the right main wordline driver MWLD_R is conductive when the NK refresh address signal ADDXB_NK is supplied with high level from the logic circuit  64  thereto, and enables the right main wordlines MWL_R&lt; 1 : 4 &gt; (&lt; 1 : 4 &gt; means four main wordlines) in response to the wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 1 : 4 &gt;. The wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 1 : 4 &gt; (ADDX_WL 1 &lt;l&gt; through &lt; 4 &gt;) is applied to driver units  70 ,  80 ,  90 , and  100 , respectively, so that one of the driver units is activated by a corresponding one of the wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 1 : 4 &gt;. The driver units  70 ,  80 ,  90 , and  100  are assigned to the right main wordlines MWL_R&lt; 1 &gt;, MWL_R&lt; 2 &gt;, MWL_R&lt; 3 &gt;, and MWL_R&lt; 4 &gt;, respectively, responding to the wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 1 &gt;, ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 2 &gt;, ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 3 &gt;, and ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 4 &gt;.  
         [0051]    A typical construction of the driver unit (e.g.,  70 ; those units have the same circuit construction) is formed of precharge part  72  establishing a voltage level at output terminal A 1  on a predetermined level in response to the internal block selection signal BLOCK_SEL and the internal wordline selection address signal ADDX_WL 1 &lt;l&gt;, and latch  74  holding a current signal level from the precharge part  72  to drive the corresponding main wordline MWL_R&lt; 1 &gt;.  
         [0052]    The precharge part  72  is structured of PMOS transistor P connected between internal high voltage terminal Vppi and the output terminal A 1 , and NMOS transistor N connected between A 1  and drain of NMOS transistor N 20  whose gate is coupled to the NK refresh address signal ADDXB_NK. Gate of the PMOS transistor P is coupled to the block selection signal BLOCK_SEL, and gate of the NMOS transistor N is coupled to the wordline selection address signal ADDX_WL 1 &lt;l&gt;. The latch  74  is formed of PMOS transistor PM connected between Vppi and A 1 , inverters I 10  and I 11  connected between A 1  and MWL_R&lt; 1 &gt;in serial. Gate of the PMOS transistor PM is coupled to a node between the inverters I 10  and I 11 . The Vppi is higher than Vinti.  
         [0053]    The left main wordline driver MWLD_L shown in FIG. 6, for activating the left main wordlines MWL_L assigned to the left cell arrays  24   a  and  24   b  of the block B, is conductive when the NK refresh address signal ADDX_NK is set on high level and responds to the wordline selection address signals ADDX_WL 1 &lt; 1 : 4 &gt;. The circuit construction is the same with that of the right main wordline driver MWLD L shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0054]    As described above, since the invention can provide a data processing feature of a NK refresh mode, even after preparing the refresh modes for  2 NK and NK wordlines at the same time, where an alternative one of the left and right cell arrays is activated with using the NK refresh address signals not to be compressed (i.e., not to render them to be invalid), it is possible to reduce the number of the wordlines being conductive during the NK refresh mode into a half of that for the  2 NK refresh modes.  
         [0055]    The smaller number of the wordlines causes the number of memory cells selected and then contributes to enhance the speed for progressing the data read-out/write-in operations, accompanying with a reducing of current consumption thereof.  
         [0056]    Although specific constructions and procedures of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended that the invention is limited to the elements and constructions disclosed. One skilled in the art would easily recognize that the particular elements or sub-construction may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.