Patent ID: 8773889

Claim:
A semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array configured of at least a first portion and a second portion each including a plurality of memory cells each including a variable resistor which stores an electrically rewritable resistance value as data; a control circuit which controls a first operation including selected one of operations to erase, write and read data in the first portion and a second operation including selected one of operations to erase, write and read data in the second portion; and a recognition signal generator which generates a recognition signal causing the first and second portions to recognize the first and second operations, respectively, wherein the control circuit controls by dividing the data read operation into a plurality of read tasks each carrying a data group number, the data write operation into a plurality of write tasks and a plurality of verify tasks each carrying a data group number, and the data erase operation into a plurality of erase tasks each carrying a data group number, such that the first operation is controlled by being divided into a plurality of the erase, read, write and verify tasks each carrying a data group number, the second operation is controlled by being divided into a plurality of the erase, read, write and verify tasks each carrying a data group number, and the recognition signal generator suspends selected one of the erase, read, write and verify tasks of the first operation, such that during the suspension, selected one of the erase, read, write and verify tasks of the second operation is started, and upon completion of the particular task, the suspended one of the erase, read, write and verify tasks of the first operation is resumed.