Semiconductor memory device and driving method therefor

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

• a plurality of memory cells including floating bodies in electrically floating state and storing therein logic data according to the number of carriers accumulated in the floating bodies;
• a plurality of bit lines connected to the memory cells;
• a plurality of word lines connected to the memory cells;
• a plurality of sense amplifiers connected to the bit lines, and one of the sense amplifiers reading data stored in one of the memory cells selected by one of the bit lines and one of the word lines or writing data to the one of the memory cells selected by the one of the bit lines and the one of the word lines;
• a refresh controller instructing a refresh operation for restoring deteriorated storage states of the memory cells;
• a refresh interval timer setting a refresh interval between one refresh operation and a next refresh operation to a first interval in a data read mode or a data write mode, and setting the refresh interval to a second interval longer than the first interval in a data retention mode, the data read mode being a mode in which the data stored in the selected memory cell is read to an outside of the device, the data write mode being a mode in which data from the outside is written to the selected memory cell, the refresh interval timer including a first refresh interval timer setting the refresh interval to the first interval in the data read mode or the data write mode and a second refresh interval timer setting the refresh interval to the second interval in the data retention mode;
• and
• an operation detection timer outputting a mode signal for deciding the refresh interval to the first refresh interval timer and the second refresh interval timer, wherein
• the operation detection timer sets a logic of the mode signal to a first logic for setting the refresh interval to the first interval when an operation signal indicating the data read mode or the data write mode is active, and sets the logic of the mode signal to a second logic opposite to the first logic for setting the refresh interval to the second interval when the operation signal is inactive for a predetermined period.

A semiconductor memory device comprising:

• a plurality of memory cells including floating bodies in electrically floating state and storing therein logic data according to the number of carriers accumulated in the floating bodies;
• a plurality of bit lines connected to the memory cells;
• a plurality of word lines connected to the memory cells;
• a plurality of sense amplifiers connected to the bit lines, and one of the sense amplifiers reading data stored in one of the memory cells selected by one of the bit lines and one of the word lines or writing data to the one of the memory cells selected by the one of the bit lines and the one of the word lines;
• a refresh controller instructing a refresh operation for restoring deteriorated storage states of the memory cells;
• and
• a refresh interval timer setting a refresh interval between one refresh operation and a next refresh operation to a first interval in a data read mode or a data write mode, and setting the refresh interval to a second interval longer than the first interval in a data retention mode, the data read mode being a mode in which the data stored in the selected memory cell is read to an outside of the device, the data write mode being a mode in which data from the outside is written to the selected memory cell, wherein
• a mode input pin, a mode signal for deciding the refresh interval being input to the mode input pin from the outside of the device.

A method of driving a semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device including:

• a plurality of memory cells including floating bodies in electrically floating state and storing therein logic data according to the number of carriers accumulated in the floating bodies;
• a plurality of bit lines connected to a plurality of the memory cells;
• a plurality of word lines connected to a plurality of the memory cells;
• a plurality of sense amplifiers connected to the bit lines, and one of the sense amplifiers reading data stored in one of the memory cells selected by one of the bit lines and one of the word lines or writing data to one of the memory cells selected by one of the bit lines and one of the word lines;
• and
• a refresh controller instructing a refresh operation for restoring deteriorated storage states of the memory cells, wherein the method comprises:
• executing the refresh operation in a data read mode of reading the data stored in the selected memory cell to an outside or a data write mode of writing data from the outside to the selected memory cell while setting a refresh interval between one refresh operation and a next refresh operation to a first interval;
• and
• executing the refresh operation in a data retention mode while setting the refresh interval to a second interval longer than the first interval, wherein
• the semiconductor memory device further includes:
• a refresh interval timer setting the refresh interval to the first interval in the data read mode or the data write mode and setting the refresh interval to the second interval in the data retention mode;
• and
• an operation detection timer outputting a mode signal for deciding the refresh interval to the refresh interval timer,
• wherein the operation detection timer sets a logic of the mode signal to a first logic for setting the refresh interval to the first interval in the data read mode or the data write mode, and
• the operation detection timer sets the logic of the mode signal to a second logic opposite to the first logic for setting the refresh interval to the second interval in the data retention mode.