US 5,631,872 AGranted

Low power consumption semiconductor dynamic random access memory device by reusing residual electric charge on bit line pairs

AssigneeNEC Corporation

InventorsIsao Naritake, Tadahiko Sugibayashi, Satoshi Utsugi, Tatsunori Murotani

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Abstract

A data refresh is indispensable for a semiconductor dynamic random access memory device, and electric charges are recycled from bit line pairs for a row of memory cell arrays to power supply lines for bit line drivers associated with the next row of memory cell arrays and from bit line pairs for the next row of memory cell arrays to power supply lines for the row of memory cell arrays, thereby reducing power consumption in the data refresh.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A semiconductor dynamic random access memory device comprising:

a plurality of memory cell arrays divided into a plurality of memory cell array groups, each of said plurality of memory cell array including a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in rows and columns and respectively storing data bits in the form of electric charge;
a plurality of bit line pair groups respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell arrays, each of said plurality of bit line pair groups including a plurality of bit line pairs respectively coupled to the columns of dynamic random access memory cells of associated one of said plurality of memory cell arrays for propagating said data bits thereto and therefrom;
a plurality of main word lines respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell array groups, and selectively changed to an active level;
a plurality of sub-word line groups respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell array groups, each of said plurality of sub-word line groups including a plurality of sub-word lines respectively coupled to the rows of dynamic random access memory cells and selectively changed to an active level so as to transfer said data bits between a selected row of dynamic random access memory cells and the associated one of said plurality of bit line pair groups;
a plurality of sub-arrays respectively coupled through said plurality of bit line pair groups to said plurality of memory cell arrays, and divided into a plurality of sub-array groups respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell array groups, each of said plurality of sub-arrays including
a plurality of precharge circuits respectively coupled to the plurality of bit line pairs of associated one of said plurality of bit line groups for charging said plurality of bit line pairs to an intermediate potential level in a first phase,
a plurality of sense amplifiers respectively having pairs of sense nodes connectable to said plurality of bit line pairs in a second phase after said first phase when said data bits are read out from a selected one of said rows of dynamic random access memory cells for generating small potential differences on said plurality of bit line pairs,
a first controlling means for causing said plurality of sense amplifiers to increase said small potential differences at said pairs of sense nodes to large potential differences in a third phase after said second phase,
a plurality of bit line drivers respectively coupled to said plurality of bit line pairs and powered through a power supply means for stepwise increasing said small potential differences on said plurality of bit line pairs to large potential differences in response to said large potential differences at said pairs of sense nodes, and
a second controlling means having a transfer sub-means for coupling said associated one of said plurality of bit line groups through said power supply means to another power supply means of another of said plurality of sub-arrays already increased small potential differences on associated bit line pairs to large potential differences and incorporated in the same sub-array group, thereby causing said plurality of bit line drivers to increase said small potential differences to middle potential differences in a fourth phase after said third phase, said second controlling means further having a power supply sub-means for coupling said power supply means to a source of power voltage, thereby increasing said middle potential differences to said large potential differences in a fifth phase after said fourth phase;
and
a charge transfer means coupled between said associated one of said plurality of bit line groups and another of said plurality of bit line groups associated with another of said plurality of memory cell groups for equalizing said another of said plurality of bit line groups to said associated one of said plurality of bit line groups in a sixth phase after said fifth phase when other small potential differences have already taken place on said another of said plurality of bit line groups.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A semiconductor dynamic random access memory device comprising:

a plurality of memory cell arrays divided into a plurality of memory cell array groups, each of said plurality of memory cell array including a plurality of dynamic random access memory cells arranged in rows and columns and respectively storing data bits in the form of electric charge;
a plurality of bit line pair groups respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell arrays, each of said plurality of bit line pair groups including a plurality of bit line pairs respectively coupled to the columns of dynamic random access memory cells of associated one of said plurality of memory cell arrays for propagating said data bits thereto and therefrom;
a plurality of main word lines respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell array groups, and selectively changed to an active level;
a plurality of sub-word line groups respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell array groups, each of said plurality of sub-word line groups including a plurality of sub-word lines respectively coupled to the rows of dynamic random access memory cells and selectively changed to an active level so as to transfer said data bits between a selected row of dynamic random access memory cells and the associated one of said plurality of bit line pair groups;
a plurality of sub-arrays respectively coupled through said plurality of bit line pair groups to said plurality of memory cell arrays, and divided into a plurality of sub-array groups respectively associated with said plurality of memory cell array groups, each of said plurality of sub-arrays including
a plurality of precharge circuits respectively coupled to the plurality of bit line pairs of associated one of said plurality of bit line groups for charging said plurality of bit line pairs to an intermediate potential level in a first phase,
a plurality of sense amplifiers respectively having pairs of sense nodes connectable to said plurality of bit line pairs in a second phase after said first phase when said data bits are read out from a selected one of said rows of dynamic random access memory cells for generating small potential differences on said plurality of bit line pairs,
a first controlling means for causing said plurality of sense amplifiers to increase said small potential differences at said pairs of sense nodes to large potential differences in a third phase after said second phase,
a plurality of bit line drivers respectively coupled to said plurality of bit line pairs and powered through a power supply means for stepwise increasing said small potential differences on said plurality of bit line pairs to large potential differences in response to said large potential differences at said pairs of sense nodes, and
a second controlling means having a transfer sub-means for coupling said associated one of said plurality of bit line groups through said power supply means to another power supply means of another of said plurality of sub-arrays already increased small potential differences on associated bit line pairs to large potential differences and incorporated in the same sub-array group, thereby causing said plurality of bit line drivers to increase said small potential differences to middle potential differences in a fourth phase after said third phase, said second controlling means further having a power supply sub-means for coupling said power supply means to a source of power voltage, thereby increasing said middle potential differences to said large potential differences in a fifth phase after said fourth phase;
and
a charge transfer means coupled between said associated one of said plurality of bit line groups and another of said plurality of bit line groups associated with another of said plurality of memory cell groups for equalizing said another of said plurality of bit line groups to said associated one of said plurality of bit line groups in a sixth phase after said fifth phase when other small potential differences have already taken place on said another of said plurality of bit line groups.

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