Dynamic random access memory and boosted voltage producer therefor
AssigneeMosaid Technologies Incorporated
InventorHong Beom Pyeon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is selectively operable in a sleep mode and another mode. The DRAM has data storage cells that are refreshed in the refresh mode. A boosted voltage is provided for the operation of the DRAM. A boosted voltage provider includes a group of charge pump circuits that are selectively activated by a pump control circuit based on a refresh time for refreshing data in the DRAM cells in the sleep mode.
Claims7
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) having storage cells, the data of which is refreshed in a sleep mode, the DRAM comprising:
- a voltage producer for providing an output voltage to be used for operation of the DRAM, the voltage producer including a pump circuit for providing the output voltage in response to a control signal, the pump circuit including a plurality of pump circuit segments wherein each of the pump circuit segments is activatable in response to the control signal;
- a voltage level detector for determining whether the output voltage reaches a predetermined level to provide a determination result;
- and
- a controller for providing the control signal in response to a refresh time in the sleep mode.
A method for producing a boosted voltage for a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) having storage cells, the data of which is refreshed in a sleep mode, the method comprising:
- providing an output voltage to be used for operation of the DRAM;
- determining whether the output voltage reaches a predetermined level to provide a determination result;
- providing a control signal in response to a refresh time when the DRAM is in the sleep mode, thereby providing a boosted voltage as the output voltage in response to the determination result and the control signal;
- and
- activating each of a plurality of pump circuit segments individually in response to the control signal for producing the output voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.