Patent ID: 7206244

Claim:
A method for refreshing DRAM cells, the method comprising: operating in an active mode wherein in the active mode: sensing a temperature with a temperature sensor located on a same integrated circuit die as an array of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells; providing a first indication to initiate a refresh cycle to first control circuitry, the first indication based on a temperature measured by the temperature sensor; providing a second indication by the first control circuitry to initiate a refresh cycle of the array based on the first indication; refreshing the array as per the second indication from the first control circuitry; operating in a self refresh cycle mode: sensing a temperature with the temperature sensor; initiating a refresh of the array by a second control circuitry based on a temperature measured by the temperature sensor; refreshing the array as per the initiating; providing an indication by the first control circuitry to initiate a refresh cycle of a second array of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells; refreshing the second array as per the indication from the first control circuitry; wherein the refreshing the array is performed using a first address generator; wherein the refreshing the second array is performed using a second address generator.