Refresh period generating circuit

A refresh period generating circuit, which generates a refresh period in refreshing a DRAM cell, comprising:

• an oscillation circuit which oscillates at an oscillating frequency with temperature dependence on ambient temperature;
• a dividing circuit which divides an oscillation output of said oscillation circuit and outputs signals having a plurality of different frequencies;
• a temperature detector which detects said ambient temperature;
• and
• a selector which switches and selects among the signals of said dividing circuit based on an output of said temperature detector, and outputs a signal as a reference of said refresh period,
• wherein said oscillating frequency of said oscillation circuit has substantially said temperature dependence at least within a range from a first temperature point to a second temperature point lower than said first temperature point,
• and wherein in said selector, one or more switching temperature points are set, selection is performed such that a signal of higher temperature has a frequency higher than that of a signal of lower temperature at each switching temperature point, and all said switching temperature points are not included within a range from said first temperature point to said second temperature point.

A refresh period generating circuit which generates a refresh period in refreshing a DRAM cell, comprising:

• an oscillation circuit which oscillates at a frequency with temperature dependence on ambient temperature;
• a dividing circuit which divides an oscillation output of said oscillation circuit and outputs signals having a plurality of different frequencies;
• a temperature detector which detects said ambient temperature;
• and
• a selector which switches and selects among the signals of said dividing circuit based on an output of said temperature detector, and outputs a signal as a reference of said refresh period,
• wherein said temperature dependence in said oscillation circuit includes a positive temperature coefficient in a predetermined temperature range, and does not include a positive temperature coefficient out of said predetermined temperature range,
• wherein said selector switches said division outputs out of said predetermined temperature range,
• and wherein a region of high temperatures out of said predetermined temperature range is regarded as an oscillation range of 77% or more of a maximum oscillating frequency, and a region of low temperatures out of said predetermined temperature range is regarded as an oscillation range of 130% or less of a minimum oscillating frequency.