Internal power supply circuit for use in a semiconductor device

An internal power supply circuit for use in a semiconductor device, comprising:

• boosting means for boosting an external voltage to a second internal voltage of a higher level than that of a first internal voltage used in the semiconductor device, said first internal voltage being higher than the external voltage;
• retaining means for retaining the second internal voltage boosted by the boosting means;
• a transistor having a current path, a first end of which is connected to an output end of the boosting means and to the retaining means, and from a second end of which the first internal voltage is outputted;
• generating means connected to the second end of the current path of the transistor, for generating a comparison voltage to be compared, from the first internal voltage;
• and
• controlling means for controlling the transistor in accordance with a difference between the comparison voltage generated by the generating means and a reference voltage, thereby to render the transistor conductive and to discharge the second voltage retained in the retaining means through the transistor, when the comparison voltage is lower than the reference voltage.

An internal power supply circuit for use in a semiconductor device, comprising:

• boosting means for boosting an external voltage to a second internal voltage of a higher level than that of a first internal voltage used in the semiconductor device, said first internal voltage being higher than the external voltage;
• retaining means for retaining the second internal voltage boosted by the boosting means;
• generating means for generating the first internal voltage from the second internal voltage boosted by the boosting means, and for generating a comparison voltage to be compared, from the first internal voltage;
• and
• comparing means for comparing the comparison voltage outputted from the generating means with a reference voltage, and for stopping operation of the boosting means when the comparison voltage is higher than the reference voltage.

An internal power supply circuit for use in a semiconductor device, comprising:

• first boosting means for boosting an external voltage to a second internal voltage higher than a first internal voltage used in the semiconductor device, said first boosting means being operated in accordance with an activating signal which activate the semiconductor device, and said first internal voltage being higher than the external voltage;
• second boosting means for boosting the external voltage to the second internal voltage, said second boosting means having a current supply ability lower than a current supply ability of the first boosting means, and said second boosting means being operated in accordance with an inverted activating signal obtained by inverting the activating signal;
• retaining means for retaining the second internal voltage generated by the first boosting means and the second boosting means;
• and
• generating means for generating the first internal voltage from the second internal voltage generated by the first boosting means and the second boosting means, said first internal voltage generated by the generating means being supplied to the semiconductor device.

An internal power supply circuit for use in a semiconductor device, comprising:

• boosting means for boosting an external voltage to a second internal voltage of a higher level than that of a first internal voltage used in the semiconductor device, said first internal voltage being higher than the external voltage;
• retaining means for retaining the second internal voltage boosted by the boosting means;
• a transistor having a current path, a first end of which is connected to an output end of the boosting means and to the retaining means, and from a second end of which the first internal voltage is outputted;
• generating means connected to the second end of the current path of the transistor, for generating a comparison voltage to be compared, from the first internal voltage;
• detecting means for detecting a period for which an address is being transited;
• and controlling means for controlling the transistor in accordance with the difference between the comparison voltage generated by the generating means and a reference voltage, thereby to render the transistor conductive and to discharge the second voltage retained in the retaining means through the transistor, when the comparison voltage is lower than the reference voltage, and said controlling means designed to stop operating when the period for which the address signal is being transited is detected by the detecting means.

An internal power supply circuit for use in a semiconductor device, comprising:

• first boosting means for boosting an external voltage to a second internal voltage of a higher level than that of a first internal voltage used in the semiconductor device, said first internal voltage being higher than the external voltage;
• retaining means for retaining the second internal voltage boosted by the first boosting means;
• second boosting means for boosting the external voltage to the first internal voltage, said second boosting means having a current supply ability higher than a current supply ability of the first boosting means, and said first internal voltage boosted by the second boosting means being supplied to the semiconductor device;
• and
• supply means having an input end connected to a connection node connecting an output end of the first boosting means with the retaining means, and an output end connected to an output end of the second boosting means, said supply means designed to supply, when rendered conductive, the second internal voltage retained in the retaining means to the semiconductor device, when the first internal voltage outputted from the second boosting means is decreased.