Operating circuit controlling device, semiconductor memory device and method of operating the same
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorsByoung Sung YOO, Jin Su PARK, Sang Don LEE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semiconductor memory device is kept in a busy state by controlling a ready/busy pad when a detection signal is output since an external voltage is less than a reference voltage, prevents generation of an operating voltage by a pump circuit by preventing generation of a pump clock, and resets a microcontroller by preventing generation of micro clock. Accordingly, the semiconductor memory device may be prevented from malfunctioning through a series of operations when the external voltage is less than the reference voltage.
Claims15
An operating circuit controlling device, comprising:
- a detection circuit configured to compare an external voltage with a reference voltage and activate a detection signal when the external voltage is less than the reference voltage;
- a control logic configured to keep an operating circuit in a busy state in response to the detection signal;
- a control signal generation circuit configured to generate first and second control signals in response to the detection signal;
- a pump clock generation circuit configured to generate a pump clock to be input to a pump circuit to generate an operating voltage of the operating circuit, wherein the pump clock generation circuit is configured to be disabled in response to the first control signal;
- a micro clock generation circuit configured to generate a micro clock, wherein the mircoclock generation circuit is configured to be disabled in response to the first control signal;
- and
- a microcontroller configured to control the operating circuit in response to the micro clock, wherein the microcontroller is configured to be reset in response to the second control signal when the micro clock generation circuit is disabled.
A semiconductor memory device, comprising:
- a memory array including memory cells coupled to word lines;
- an operating circuit configured to perform an operation on the memory cells;
- and
- a control circuit configured to compare an external voltage with a reference voltage and control the operating circuit to terminate the operation when the external voltage is less than the reference voltage.
A method of operating a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising:
- activating a detection signal when an external voltage is less than a first threshold value;
- keeping a current state in a busy state in response to the detection signal;
- disabling generation of a pump clock to be input to a pump circuit to generate an operating voltage of an operating circuit and generation of a micro clock to be input to a microcontroller to control the operating circuit in response to the detection signal;
- resetting the microcontroller in response to the detection signal when the generation of the micro clock is disabled;
- and
- discharging all word lines in response to the detection signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.