Patent Publication Number: US-9847108-B2

Title: Semiconductor storage device

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/014,510, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,335,116, filed on Jan. 26, 2011, which claims the benefit of the priority Japanese patent application No. 2010-022976, filed on Feb. 04, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     The invention relates to a semiconductor storage device and, more particularly to a technique for driving a data bus within a semiconductor storage device. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Background 
     In recent years progress has been made in improving the performance of and increasing the storage capacity of semiconductor memories, and chip size has increased as well. This has been accompanied by an increase in data bus length within the chip and there is a tendency toward an increase in load for driving the data bus. Further, an increase in wiring capacitance and wiring resistance of the data bus results in a larger IR-drop, and delay increases as well. Consequently, unless some measures are taken with regard to the data bus, high-speed operation may be hindered owing to power supply noise ascribable to a drop in power supply voltage or the like. 
     A technique for reducing the influence of a data bus on a power supply is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Specifically, an input/output device described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a function for dividing an internal data line and an internal output circuit into n types of groups and deciding from m bits of data whether to inverter or not invert all internal data within each group. As a result, power supply noise ascribable to parasitic inductance of the power supply line when the output circuit is driven can be reduced and the data transfer rate raised. 
     Patent Document 2 discloses a semiconductor storage device in which, by inserting relay buffers in a data bus, data transfer can be speeded up without enlarging wiring width or wiring pitch of the data bus, and in which activation/deactivation of the relay buffer circuit is controlled by using, as is, a block selection signal for block activation. In accordance with such a semiconductor storage device, efficient buffer drive control is possible in relation to chip area and operating current. 
     [Patent Document 1] 
     
         
         Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-09-251336
 
[Patent Document 2]
 
         Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2004-79077A 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     The entire disclosure of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     The analysis set forth below is given in the present invention. 
     The input/output device described in Patent Document 1 has a determination circuit for determining a combination of data, and area for placing the determination circuit in the chip is required. Further, in order to maintain the phase of the data, a data inverting function is required also on the side of the communicating counterpart. This results in a complicated circuit configuration. On the other hand, since all relay buffers are driven in phase in the semiconductor storage device described in Patent Document 2, a large drop in power supply voltage occurs and this is an impediment to achieving a higher operating speed. 
     Thus there is much to be desired in the art. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a semiconductor storage device comprising: a plurality of memory cell arrays; a plurality of bidirectional data buses provided in correspondence with respective ones of the plurality of memory cell arrays; a plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits, which are provided in correspondence with respective ones of the plurality of memory cell arrays, capable of connecting adjacent bidirectional data buses serially so as to relay data in the bidirectional data buses; and a control circuit for exercising control in such a manner that in a case where a desired memory cell array is accessed, all bidirectional buffer circuits included in a path from the bidirectional data bus provided in correspondence with the desired memory cell array to an access source are activated in one direction in accordance with the access direction. Some of the plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits are arranged so as to invert logic, and the others are arranged so as not to invert logic. 
     The meritorious effects of the present invention are summarized as follows. 
     In accordance with the present invention, data buses can be driven at higher speed with almost no increase in circuit complexity. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor storage device according to a First exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram schematically illustrating the layout of a semiconductor storage device according to a First exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are a diagram representing chip structure and a circuit diagram illustrating the details of data buses, respectively, in a case where there are two memory cell arrays; 
         FIG. 4  is a level chart of a control signal when a chip is accessed in a case where there are two memory cell arrays; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating range of activation in a case where a memory cell array on the lower side of a chip is accessed in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a timing chart in a case where a memory cell array on the lower side of a chip is accessed; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams illustrating range of activation in a case where a memory cell array on the upper side of a chip is accessed in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a timing chart in a case where a memory cell array on the upper side of a chip is accessed. 
     
    
    
     PREFERRED MODES 
     A semiconductor storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a plurality of memory cell arrays  10  ( FIG. 1 ); a plurality of bidirectional data buses  11  ( FIG. 1 ) provided in correspondence with respective ones of the plurality of memory cell arrays; a plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b  ( FIG. 1 ), which are provided in correspondence with respective ones of the memory cell arrays, capable of connecting adjacent bidirectional data buses serially so as to relay data in the bidirectional data buses; and a control circuit  13  ( FIG. 1 ) for exercising control in such a manner that in a case where a desired memory cell array is accessed, all bidirectional buffer circuits included in a path from the bidirectional data bus provided in correspondence with the desired memory cell array to an access source are activated in one direction in accordance with the access direction; wherein some (bidirectional buffer circuits  12   b  in  FIG. 1 ) of the plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits are arranged so as to invert logic and the others (bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a  in  FIG. 1 ) are arranged so as not to invert logic. 
     In the semiconductor storage device, the plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits may be arranged in such a manner that a circuit section (which corresponds to bidirectional buffer circuit  12   b  in  FIG. 1 ) based upon inversion of logic and a circuit section based upon non-inversion of logic (which corresponds to bidirectional buffer circuit  12   a  in  FIG. 1 ) are disposed alternately on the path. 
     In the semiconductor storage device, it is preferred that the control circuit exercise control in such a manner that a bidirectional buffer circuit(s) not included in the path is (are) deactivated. 
     In the semiconductor storage device, it is preferred that the control circuit exercise control in such a manner that, in a case where the desired memory cell array is written, all bidirectional buffer circuits included in the path are activated in a direction from the access source to the desired memory cell array, and in a case where the desired memory cell array is read, all bidirectional buffer circuits included in the path are activated in a direction from the desired memory cell array to the access source. 
     In the semiconductor storage device, it is preferred that each of the bidirectional buffer circuits has first and second buffer circuits whose inputs and outputs are mutually connected. The control circuit may deactivate both the first and second buffer circuits in a case where the bidirectional buffer circuit is deactivated, and activate only either one of the first and second buffer circuits in accordance with the access direction in a case where the bidirectional buffer circuit is activated. 
     In accordance with the semiconductor storage device described above, the load upon the driver can be reduced and operation performed at higher speed by providing the data buses with the bidirectional buffer circuits and driving the data buses is divided fashion. In this case, the range over which data buses are driven is limited to the minimum necessary by using address-space selection logic in controlling activation of the bidirectional buffer circuits. 
     Further, by inverting data using some of the bidirectional buffer circuits, charge/discharge current in a series of data buses can be decreased and IR-drop reduced. Specifically, in a case where data is not inverted by any of the bidirectional buffer circuits at a certain timing, only one of charge and discharge occurs in the data bus. By contrast, when it is so arranged that data is inverted by some of the bidirectional buffer circuits, charging and discharging are combined in the data bus and current consumption is reduced. As a result, IR-drop is reduced and operation at higher speed becomes possible. 
     It should be noted that the data buses are bidirectional buses and perform data inversion and buffering is similar fashion also when data is read out. It is possible for data written to a memory cell to be read out without particularly needing to take note as to whether or not data inversion has taken place. This effect manifests itself especially in the circuit arrangement within the chip. 
     It should be noted that reference to the symbols shown in the drawings mentioned in the description of preferred modes is not intended to be limitative to those disclosed in the drawings. Such reference to the symbols are presented merely for better illustration. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     [First Exemplary Embodiment] 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor storage device according to a First exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the semiconductor storage device comprises: a plurality of memory cell arrays  10 ; a plurality of bidirectional data buses  11  provided in correspondence with respective ones of the plurality of memory cell arrays  10 ; a plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b , which are provided in correspondence with respective ones of the memory cell arrays  10 , capable of connecting adjacent bidirectional data buses  11  serially so as to relay data in the bidirectional data buses; and a control circuit  13  for controlling activation of the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b.    
     In a case where a desired memory cell array  10  is accessed, the control circuit  13  exercises control in such a manner that all bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b  included in the path from the bidirectional data bus  10  provided in correspondence with the desired memory cell array  10  to an access source will be activated in one direction in accordance with the access direction. For example, in a case where the desired memory cell array is written, control is exercised so that all bidirectional buffer circuits included in the path are activated in the direction from the access source to the desired memory cell array. Further, in a case where a desired memory cell array is read out, control is exercised so that all bidirectional buffer circuits included in the path are activated in the direction from the desired memory cell to the access source. In this case, it is preferred that the control circuit  13  exercise control so as to deactivate bidirectional buffer circuits not included in the above-mentioned path. 
     More specifically, the inputs to the control circuit  13  are an address signal AD, a write-enable signal WE, a read-enable signal RE and a clock signal CLK for operation of the memory cell arrays  10 . If the write-enable signal WE or read-enable signal RE is active, the control circuit  13  exercises control in synch with the clock signal CLK so as to activate, in one direction, all of the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b  included in the path leading to the access source from the bidirectional data bus  11  connected to the memory cell array  10  designated by the address signal AD. If the write-enable signal WE is active, then the control circuit  13  exercises control so as to activate the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b  in the direction from the access source to the memory cell array  10  designated by the address signal AD and write a data signal DIO to the desired memory cell array  10 . If the read-enable signal RE is active, then the control circuit  13  activates the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b  in the direction from the memory cell array  10  designated by the address signal AD to the access source and makes it possible to output externally the signal, which has been read out of the desired memory cell array  10 , as the data signal DIO. 
     Some of the plurality of bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b , namely the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   b , are arranged so as to invert logic, and the others, namely the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a , are arranged so as not to invert logic. In this case, the bidirectional buffer circuit  12   a  and the bidirectional buffer circuit  12   b , for example, may be arranged so as to be disposed alternately on the path. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram schematically illustrating the layout of a semiconductor storage device according to a First exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , reference numeral  20  denotes areas in which memory cell arrays  10 , sense amplifiers and Y switches are placed, reference numeral  21  denotes areas in which bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b  are placed, reference numeral  22  denotes an area in which a row decoder, address command controller and control circuit  13  are placed, reference numeral  23  denotes areas in which column decoders, write amplifiers (which correspond to write amplifiers Aw 1 , Aw 2 , described later) and data amplifiers (which correspond to read amplifiers Ad 1 , Ad 2 , described later) are placed, and reference numeral  27  denotes areas in which a data I/O for external interfacing is placed. 
     It should be noted that the way in which column and row addresses are applied in memory cell array  10 , the sense amplifiers, the Y switches, the column decoders, the data I/O and timing control, etc., have no bearing upon the present invention and are not described here. 
     As mentioned above, the semiconductor storage device according to this embodiment is characterized by the following three means: 
     (1) bidirectional buffer circuits are provided at points along the data bus to divide up and drive the data bus; 
     (2) activation of required bidirectional buffer circuits is controlled based upon address-space selection logic, and the range over which data buses are driven is rendered selectable; and 
     (3) data is inverted by some of the bidirectional buffer circuits. 
     The load on the driver that drives the data buses and the IR-drop are reduced by these three means. More specifically, in accordance with (1), wiring driven by the driver is shortened and driver load is reduced. In accordance with (2), the range over which data buses are driven is limited so that consumed current can be reduced. In accordance with (3), charging and discharging in the data buses are combined to thereby reduce current consumption as well as IR-drop. 
     Next, in order to simplify the description, the embodiment will be described in detail taking as an example a case where there are two memory cell arrays. 
       FIG. 3A  is a diagram schematically illustrating chip structure in case of two memory cell arrays, and  FIG. 3B  is a circuit diagram illustrating the details of data buses in  FIG. 3A . 
     In  FIG. 3A , memory cell arrays  10   a ,  10   b  are placed below and above, respectively, the central portion of the chip on the right side thereof, and a circuit relating to bidirectional data bus  11  is provided. Bidirectional buffer circuit  12   a  relating to the memory cell arrays  10   a , and write amplifier Aw 1  and read amplifier (data amplifier) Ad 1  relating to memory cell array  10   a  are disposed on the lower right side of the chip. Bidirectional buffer circuit  12   b  relating to the memory cell array  10   b , and write amplifier Aw 2  and read amplifier (data amplifier) Ad 2  relating to memory cell array  10   b  are disposed on the upper right side of the chip. 
     In  FIG. 3B , the circuit relating to bidirectional data bus  11  has the bidirectional buffer circuits  12   a ,  12   b , the write amplifiers Aw 1 , Aw 2  and the read amplifiers Ad 1 , Ad 2 , and the bidirectional data bus  11  is divided into two bidirectional data buses  11   a ,  11   b.    
     The bidirectional buffer circuit  12   a  has buffer circuits Bfw 1 , Bfr 1  and a latch circuit La 1 . The buffer circuit Bfw 1  is activated by a write-enable signal WE 1 . If the write-enable signal WE 1  is active, the buffer circuit Bfw 1  buffers the data signal DIO and drives the bidirectional data bus  11   a . If the write amplifier Aw 1  is active, the signal on the bidirectional data bus  11   a  is written to the memory cell array  10   a . If the read amplifier Ad 1  is active, the bidirectional data bus  11   a  is driven by the signal that has been read out of the memory cell array  10   a . If the read-enable signal RE 1  is active, the buffer circuit Bfr 1  buffers the signal on the bidirectional data bus  11   a  and outputs the signal externally as the data signal DIO. The latch circuit La 1  functions so as to maintain the signal level on the bidirectional data bus  11   a  in such a manner that the bidirectional data bus  11   a  will not attain a floating state in a case where the buffer circuits Bfw 1 , Bfr 2  and read amplifier Ad 1  are not active, and so as to maintain the signal level on the bidirectional data bus  11   a  or data from the memory cell array  10   a  in a case where the buffer circuits Bfw 1 , Bfr 2  and read amplifier Ad 1  are active. 
     The write-enable signal WE 1  is generated in the control circuit  13  of  FIG. 1  from the write-enable signal WE and clock signal CLK. If the write-enable signal WE is active, the write-enable signal WE 1  is activated based upon the timing of the clock signal CLK. The read-enable signal RE 1  is generated in the control circuit  13  of  FIG. 1  from the read-enable signal RE and clock signal CLK. If the read-enable signal RE is active, the read-enable signal RE 1  is activated based upon the timing of the clock signal CLK. 
     The bidirectional buffer circuit  12   b  has buffer circuits Bfw 2 , Bfr 2 , inverter circuits INV 1 , IV 2 , and a latch circuit La 2 . The buffer circuit Bfw 2  is activated by a write-enable signal WE 2 . If the write-enable signal WE 2  is active, the buffer circuit Bfw 2  buffers the signal on the bidirectional data bus  11   a  upon inverting its logic by the inverter INV 2  and drives the bidirectional bus  11   b . If the write amplifier Aw 2  is active, the signal on the bidirectional data bus  11   b  is written to the memory cell array  10   b . If the read amplifier Ad 2  is active, the bidirectional data bus  11   b  is driven by the signal that has been read out of the memory cell array  10   b . If the read-enable signal RE 2  is active, the buffer circuit Bfr 2  buffers the signal on the bidirectional data bus  11   b  upon inverting its logic by the inverter INV 1  and outputs the resultant signal as a signal on the bidirectional data bus  11   a . The latch circuit La 2  functions so as to maintain the signal level on the bidirectional data bus  11   b  in such a manner that the bidirectional data bus  11   b  will not attain a floating state in a case where the buffer circuit Bfw 2  and read amplifier Ad 2  are not active, and so as to maintain the signal level on the bidirectional data bus  11   b  or data from the memory cell array  10   b  in a case where the buffer circuit Bfw 2  is active. 
     The write-enable signal WE 2  is generated in the control circuit  13  of  FIG. 1  from the write-enable signal WE, address signal AD and clock signal CLK. If the write-enable signal WE becomes active and the address signal AD points to the memory cell array  10   b , the write-enable signal WE 2  is activated based upon the timing of the clock signal CLK. The read-enable signal RE 2  is generated in the control circuit  13  of  FIG. 1  from the read-enable signal RE, address signal AD and clock signal CLK. If the read-enable signal RE becomes active and the address signal AD points to the memory cell array  10   b , the read-enable signal RE 2  is activated based upon the timing of the clock signal CLK. 
     Operation when memory cell arrays are read and written will be described next.  FIG. 4  is a level chart of a control signal when a chip is accessed in a case where there are two memory cell arrays. 
     In  FIG. 4 , first consider a case where memory cell array  10   a  on the lower side of the chip is accessed. If the operation is the write operation, the write-enable signal WE 1  is placed at the H level (the activated state, which is the selected state) and the read-enable signal RE 1  is placed at the L level (the deactivated state, which is the deselected state). Further, the write amplifier Aw 1  is placed at the H level and the read amplifier (data amplifier) Ad 1  is placed at the L level. Furthermore, write-enable signal WE 2 , read-enable signal RE 2 , write amplifier Aw 2  and read amplifier (data amplifier) Ad 2  relating to the memory cell array  10   b  on the upper side of the chip are all placed in the deactivated (deselected) state. 
     If the operation is the read operation, the write-enable signal WE 1  is placed at the L level (the deactivate state, which is the deselected state) and the read-enable signal RE 1  is placed at the H level (the activated state, which is the selected state). Further, the write amplifier Aw 1  is placed at the L level and the read amplifier (data amplifier) Ad 1  is placed at the H level. Furthermore, write-enable signal WE 2 , read-enable signal RE 2 , write amplifier Aw 2  and read amplifier (data amplifier) Ad 2  relating to the memory cell array  10   b  on the upper side of the chip are all placed in the deactivated (deselected) state. 
     On the other hand, consider a case where memory cell array  10   b  on the upper side of the chip is accessed. If the operation is the write operation, the write-enable signals WE 1 , WE 2  are placed at the H level (the activated state, which is the selected state) and the read-enable signals RE 1 , RE 2  are placed at the L level (the deactivated state, which is the deselected state). Further, the write amplifier Aw 2  is placed at the H level and the write amplifier Aw 1  and read amplifiers Ad 1 , Ad 2  are placed at the L level. 
     If the operation is the read operation, the write-enable signals WE 1 , WE 2  are placed at the L level (the deactivated state, which is the deselected state) and the read-enable signals RE 1 , RE 2  are placed at the H level (the activated state, which is the selected state). Further, the read amplifier Ad 2  is placed at the H level and the write amplifiers Aw 1 , Aw 2  and read amplifiers Ad 1  are placed at the L level. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are diagrams illustrating range of activation in a case where memory cell array  10   a  on the lower side of a chip is accessed in  FIG. 3 . 
     In a case where data is written to or read from the memory cell array  10   a  on the lower side, what is ahead of the bidirectional buffer circuit  12   b  is deactivated (indicated by the dashed line) by address-space selection logic and driving of the bidirectional bus  11   b , the operation of which is unnecessary, is halted. Current consumption is reduced as a result. In addition, an increase in the speed of data transmission can be expected. 
       FIG. 6  is a timing chart in a case where memory cell array  10   a  on the lower side of a chip is accessed. At the time of the write operation, the latch circuit La 1  is released, the write-enable signal WE 1  is activated and data is transmitted to the bidirectional data bus  11   a . The write amplifier Aw 1 , which has been selected by the address signal, is activated and data is written to the memory cell array  10   a.    
     At the time of the read operation, the read amplifier Ad 1 , which has been selected by the address signal, is activated after the latch circuit La 1  is released, and data is transmitted to the bidirectional data bus  11   a . Next, data is output externally by the read-enable signal RE 1 . 
     By contrast, at the time of writing and reading of the memory cell array  10   a , the latch circuit La 2  latches and none of the write-enable signal WE 2 , write amplifier Aw 2 , read-enable signal RE 2  and read amplifier Ad 2  are activated. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams illustrating range of activation in a case where memory cell array  10   b  on the upper side of a chip is accessed in  FIG. 3 . In  FIGS. 7A and 7B , everything is activated with the exception of the write amplifier Aw 1  and read amplifier Ad 1 . In this case, in comparison with the case of  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the data bus comprising the bidirectional data buses  11   a ,  11   b  is substantially longer and, hence, there is the danger that the IR-drop will increase. Accordingly, the bidirectional buffer circuit  12   b  having the data inverting function is activated to thereby suppress an increase in IR-drop. 
       FIG. 8  is a timing chart in a case where memory cell array  10   b  on the upper side of a chip is accessed. At the time of the write operation, the write-enable signal WE 1  is activated after the latch circuit La 1  is released, and data is transmitted to the bidirectional data bus  11   a . Next, the latch circuit La 2  is released, the write-enable signal WE 2  is activated and data is transmitted to the bidirectional bus  11   b  on the upper side. The write amplifier Aw 2 , which has been selected by the address signal, is activated and data is written to the desired memory cell array  10   b.    
     At the time of the read operation, the read amplifier Ad 2  selected by the address signal is activated and the bidirectional bus  11   b  is driven after the latch circuit La 2  is released. The latch circuit La 1  is then released, the read-enable signal RE 2  is activated and data is transmitted to the bidirectional data bus  11   a  on the lower side. The read-enable signal RE 1  is activated and data is output externally. 
     Thus, as described above, bidirectional buffer circuits that divide a data bus disposed within a memory are disposed within the device, and control for activating the bidirectional buffer circuits in one direction is carried out in conformity with read-amplifier control and write-amplifier control. Further, the bidirectional buffer circuits are controlled in such a manner that the minimum data buses necessary are driven selectively by the address signal AD. Load can be alleviated and high speed achieved by exercising such control. 
     Furthermore, by inverting data in some of the bidirectional buffer circuits, charging and discharging of current for signal transmission is reduced and an increase in IR-drop is suppressed. In this case, the conventional determination circuit that renders a judgment for inverting data is no longer necessary and matching of specifications with those of a communicating party also is unnecessary. 
     The disclosures of the patent documents cited above are incorporated by reference in this specification. Within the bounds of the full disclosure of the present invention (inclusive of the scope of the claims), it is possible to modify and adjust the modes and embodiments of the invention based upon the fundamental technical idea of the invention. Multifarious combinations and selections of the various disclosed elements are possible within the bounds of the scope of the claims of the present invention. That is, it goes without saying that the invention covers various modifications and changes that would be obvious to those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims.