Patent Abstract:
A repair control circuit and a semiconductor integrated circuit using the same, which can reduce test time, are provided. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of memory blocks in which a plurality of word lines are arranged, a plurality of word line drivers driving one or more of the plurality of word lines in response to a plurality of memory block selection signals, and a repair control circuit determining whether to perform a repair through comparison of repair addresses generated in response to surplus addresses and the plurality of memory block selection signals with external addresses.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Korean application number 10-2012-0057328, filed on May 30, 2012, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as set forth in full. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a semiconductor circuit, and more particularly, to a repair control circuit and a semiconductor integrated circuit using the same. 
     2. Related Art 
     A semiconductor integrated circuit  1  in the related art includes, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of unit memory blocks (hereinafter referred to as “MAT”), each of which is provided with a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of bit line sense amplifiers BLSA, a word line driver  10 , and a repair control circuit  20 . 
     The repair control circuit  20  includes, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a repair address generation unit  21 , a comparison unit  22 , and a repair unit  23 . 
     The repair address generation unit  21  generates repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; in response to a plurality of MAT selection signals MATSEL&lt;0:n&gt; and a bank active signal ActiveBK. 
     The comparison unit  22  activates a repair signal REP if the column addresses CADDR&lt;0:n&gt; and the repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; coincide with each other. 
     The repair unit  23  activates a repair column selection signal RYi&lt;c&gt; if the repair signal REP is activated. 
     As a method to reduce time for testing in the related art, a plurality of word lines are simultaneously activated to reduce column access time tRCD after a read command and precharge time tRTP after a column access. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a method for simultaneously activating a plurality of word lines WL&lt;a&gt; and WL&lt;b&gt; has been used to reduce time for testing. 
     However, this method is unable to be used after cells in which defects have occurred are repaired, and the reason is as follows. 
     If the plurality of word lines LW&lt;a&gt; and WL&lt;b&gt; are activated after the repair is performed, corresponding MAT selection signals MATSEL&lt;0:n&gt; are generated. 
     It is then required that a repair column selection signal RYi that corresponds to one repair column address CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; is generated according to one MAT selection signal MATSEL&lt;i&gt;. 
     However, since the plurality of MAT selection signals, for example, two MAT selection signals MATSEL&lt;i, j&gt;, are simultaneously generated, the column selection signals Yi&lt;a, b&gt; that correspond to different column addresses are simultaneously activated, and this causes a column repair error to occur. 
     A wrong repair column selection signal RYi is activated instead of a normal column selection signal, and data which is different from the data that is required in a test operation is output that may cause a fatal problem. 
     Accordingly, the test method in the related art through simultaneous enabling of a plurality of word lines is unable to be used after the repair, and thus is not possible to reduce test time. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of the present invention relates to a repair control circuit and a semiconductor integrated circuit using the same, which can reduce test time. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a repair control circuit includes: a selection signal generation unit configured to generate selection signals in response to surplus addresses, a selection unit configured to selectively output a plurality of memory block selection signals for selecting one or more of a plurality of memory blocks connected to word lines in response to the selection signals, and a repair address generation unit configured to generate repair addresses in response to the selection signals and outputs of the selection unit. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a plurality of memory blocks in which a plurality of word lines are arranged, a plurality of word line drivers driving one or more of the plurality of word lines in response to a plurality of memory block selection signals, and a repair control circuit determining whether to perform a repair through comparison of repair addresses generated in response to surplus addresses and the plurality of memory block selection signals with external addresses. 
     According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to perform a test in which a plurality of word lines are simultaneously activated even after the repair of cells in which defects have occurred is performed, and thus is possible to reduce test time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, aspects, and embodiments are described in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit in the related art, 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair control circuit in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair control circuit in  FIG. 3 , 
         FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a selection signal generation unit in  FIG. 4 , 
         FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a selection unit in  FIG. 4 , 
         FIG. 7  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair address generation unit in  FIG. 4 , 
         FIG. 8  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair address generation unit in  FIG. 4 , and 
         FIG. 9  is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of a repair control circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings through various embodiments. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor integrated circuit  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the semiconductor integrated circuit  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of unit memory blocks (hereinafter referred to as “MAT”), each of which is provided with a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of bit line sense amplifiers BLSA, a plurality of word line drivers  10 , and a plurality of repair control circuits  200 . 
     The plurality of unit memory blocks may be divided into a first block  110  and a second block  120 . 
     The semiconductor integrated circuit  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to perform a test using a method in which a plurality of word lines WL&lt;a&gt; and WL&lt;b&gt; are simultaneously activated even after the repair of cells in which defects have occurred is performed. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair control circuit  200  in  FIG. 3 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a repair control circuit  200  includes a selection signal generation unit  210 , a repair address generation unit  230 , a comparison unit  240 , and a repair unit  250 . 
     The selection signal generation unit  210  is configured to generate selection signals SIOSEL_L and SIOSEL_H in response to a bank active signal ActiveBK and a column address, such as a surplus column address, CA&lt;12&gt;. 
     The selection unit  220  is configured to select one of a plurality of memory block selection signals (hereinafter referred to as “a plurality of MAT selection signals”) MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt; and MATSEL&lt;n/2:n&gt; in response to the selection signals SIOSEL_L and SIOSEL_H, and to output the selected signal as a final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt;. 
     The MAT of the first block  110  may be selected according to MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt;, and the MAT of the second block  120  may be selected according to MATSEL&lt;n/2:n&gt;. 
     The repair address generation unit  230  is configured to generate repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; in response to the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt;, the bank active signal ActiveBK, and the selection signals SIOSEL_L and SIOSEL_H. 
     The repair address generation unit  230  may be divided into first and second blocks  231  and  232 . 
     The comparison unit  240  is configured to activate a repair signal REP if the repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; coincide with column addresses CADDR&lt;0:n&gt;. 
     The repair unit  250  is configured to activate a repair column selection signal RYi&lt;c&gt; if the repair signal REP is activated. 
       FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a selection signal generation unit  210  in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the selection signal generation unit  210  includes a plurality of inverters and a plurality of NAND gates. 
     The selection signal generation unit  210  performs logical products of the bank active signal ActiveBK and the surplus column address CA&lt;12&gt; to generate the selection signal SIOSEL_H, and performs logical products of the bank active signal ActiveBK and an inverted surplus column address CA&lt;12&gt; to generate the selection signal SIOSEL_L. 
       FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a selection unit  220  in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the selection unit  220  includes a plurality of NAND gates and a plurality of inverters. 
     The selection unit  220  performs logical products of the selection signal SIOSEL_L and the plurality of MAT selection signal MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt; to output the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n/2-1&gt;, and performs logical products of the selection signal SIOSEL_H and the plurality of MAT selection signal MATSEL&lt;n/2:n&gt; to output the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;n/2:n&gt;. 
       FIG. 7  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair address generation unit  231  in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the first block  231  of the repair address generation unit  230  includes a plurality of NOR gates, a plurality of NAND gates, a plurality of inverters, and a plurality of delay elements DLY 1  to DLY 5 . 
     The first block  231  generates repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA using pulse signals generated with a predetermined time difference in response to the selection signals SIOSEL_L and SIOSEL_H and the bank active signal ActiveBK. 
     The shift of the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA is determined by the selection signals SIOSEL_L and SIOSEL_H and the bank active signal ActiveBK. 
     The shift timing of the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA is determined by delay elements DLY 1  to DLY 3 . 
     The pulse widths of the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA are determined by delay elements DLY 4  and DLY 5 . 
       FIG. 8  is a circuit diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a repair address generation unit  232  in  FIG. 4 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the second block  232  of the repair address generation unit  230  includes a plurality of inverters, a plurality of transistors, and a plurality of fuses. 
     The second block  232  generates repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; depending on whether the fuse corresponding to the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt; has been cut during a low-level period of the repair address control signal ResetRA. 
       FIG. 9  is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of a repair control circuit  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the repair control operation according to the present invention will be described. 
     Two word lines are simultaneously activated during an active period of the bank active signal ActiveBK for a test operation. 
     The selection signal SIOSEL_L is activated using the surplus column address CA&lt;12&gt; of a low level in an active state of the bank active signal ActiveBK (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt;, which is one of the plurality of MAT selection signals MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt; and MATSEL&lt;n/2:n&gt;, is selected using the activated selection signal SIOSEL_L, and is output as the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt; (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     On the other hand, the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA are generated during the active period of the selection signal SIOSEL_L (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     The repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; are generated depending on whether the fuse, which corresponds to the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt; generated by selecting MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt;, has been cut, and the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA (see  FIG. 8 ). 
     If the repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; coincide with the column addresses CADDR&lt;0:n&gt;, the repair signal REF is activated, and thus the repair column selection signal RYi&lt;c&gt; is activated to perform the repair operation (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     Then, the selection signal SIOSEL_H is activated via shifting of the surplus column address CA&lt;12&gt; to a high level (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     MATSEL&lt;0:n/n&gt;, which is one of the plurality of MAT selection signals MATSEL&lt;0:n/2-1&gt; and MATSEL&lt;n/2:n&gt;, is selected using the activated selection signal SIOSEL_H, and is output as the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt; (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     On the other hand, the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA are generated during the active period of the selection signal SIOSEL_H (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     The repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; are generated depending on whether the fuse, which corresponds to the final MAT selection signal MATINF&lt;0:n&gt; generated by selecting MATSEL&lt;n/2:n&gt;, has been cut, and the repair address control signals ResetRA and SetRA (see  FIG. 8 ). 
     If the repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; coincide with the column addresses CADDR&lt;0:n&gt;, the repair signal REF is activated, and thus the repair column selection signal RYi&lt;c&gt; is activated to perform the repair operation (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the MAT selection signals are sequentially generated using the surplus column address CA&lt;12&gt;, and thus normal repair column addresses CRADDR&lt;0:n&gt; that correspond to the MAT selection signals, respectively, are generated. Accordingly, it is possible to perform the test in which the plurality of word lines WL&lt;a&gt; and WL&lt;b&gt; are simultaneously activated even after the repair of cells in which defects have occurred is performed. 
     While certain embodiments have been described above, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the embodiments described are by way of example only. Accordingly, the is semiconductor memory apparatus described herein should not be limited based on the described embodiments. Rather, the semiconductor memory apparatus described herein should only be limited in light of the claims that follow when taken in conjunction with the above description and accompanying drawings.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6