Granted Patent B2

US 7,317,649 · App. 11/393,666 · Granted Jan 8, 2008

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A semiconductor storage device, comprising:

one or more unit blocks each including a plurality of memory cells formed at intersections between a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines;

a first row of sense amplifiers which is arranged on one side of said plurality of bit lines and includes a plurality of sense amplifiers for amplifying data of said plurality of memory cells through said plurality of bit lines in each said unit block;

a second row of sense amplifiers which is arranged on an other side of said plurality of bit lines and includes a plurality of sense amplifiers for amplifying data of said plurality of memory cells through said plurality of bit lines in each said unit block;

first switch means which switches a connection state between said one side of said plurality of bit lines and said first row of sense amplifiers;

second switch means which switches a connection state between said other side of said plurality of bit lines and said second row of sense amplifiers;

third switch means which is arranged in an approximate center of said plurality of bit lines in an extending direction thereof and switches a connection state in which one side and an other side of said plurality of bit lines is either connected or disconnected; and

refresh control means which sets a state in which said plurality of bit lines is disconnected by said third switch means in refresh operation so as to divide said unit block into a first area on said one side of said plurality of bit lines and a second area on said other side thereof, controls said refresh operation using said first switch means and said first row of sense amplifiers when a selected word line to be refreshed is in said first area, and controls said refresh operation using said second switch means and said second row of sense amplifiers when said selected word line to be refreshed is in said second area.

2. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein said refresh control means performs pre-charge operation for said plurality of bit lines and thereafter performs two-cycle refresh operation in which said plurality of bit lines is divided into half for each cycle using said first or second row of sense amplifiers.

3. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein said memory cell array is configured using a shared sense amplifier system in which adjacent said unit blocks between which said first or second row of sense amplifiers is arranged share said first or second row of sense amplifiers.

4. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein each of said first, second and third switch means includes a transistor switch controlled on/off by a selection control line connected to a gate thereof.

5. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein each said sense amplifier included in said first and second rows of sense amplifiers has two input terminals for connecting a bit line pair composed of two bit lines, and said memory cell is formed at one of two intersections of said bit line pair on an arbitrary word line of said unit block.

6. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 5 , wherein said memory cell array has a ¼ pitch cell array configuration,

and of four adjacent bit lines, said first and second switch means switch a connection state of odd number bit lines and a connection state of even number bit lines respectively to said two input terminals of each said sense amplifier.

7. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 5 , wherein said memory cell array has a ½ pitch cell array configuration,

and of four adjacent bit lines, said first and second switch means switch a connection state of a bit line pair composed of adjacent two bit lines on one side and a connection state of a bit line pair composed of adjacent two bit lines on an other side respectively to said two input terminals of each said sense amplifier.

8. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein said refresh control means controls so that said selected word line in said first area and said selected word line in said second area are both set to be refreshed, and a refresh operation using said first switch means and said first row of sense amplifiers and a refresh operation using said second switch means and said second row of sense amplifiers are performed at the same timing.

9. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second areas includes half of said plurality of word lines in said unit block.

10. A semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein said refresh control means controls self refresh operation at a predetermined interval to hold data during stand-by.

11. A semiconductor storage device, comprising:

a plurality of memory cells formed at intersections between a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, the plurality of bit lines having first ends and second ends, respectively;

a first row of sense amplifiers, coupled to the first ends of said plurality of bit lines, including a plurality of sense amplifiers for amplifying data of said plurality of memory cells through said plurality of bit lines;

a second row of sense amplifiers, coupled to the second ends of said plurality of bit lines, including a plurality of sense amplifiers for amplifying data of said plurality of memory cells through said plurality of bit lines;

a first switch unit configured for connecting said first ends of said plurality of bit lines with said first row of sense amplifiers;

a second switch unit configured for connecting said second ends of said plurality of bit lines with said second row of sense amplifiers;

a third switch unit disposed between the first and second ends of said plurality of bit lines for dividing the plurality of bit lines into first and second portions, respectively, and configured for connecting the first portions with the second portions, respectively; and

a refresh control unit configured for controlling the third switch unit to disconnect the first portions from the second portions, respectively, in refresh operation, controlling said refresh operation using said first switch unit and said first row of sense amplifiers when a selected word line to be refreshed is associated with the first portions of the plurality of bit lines, and controlling said refresh operation using said second switch unit and said second row of sense amplifiers when said selected word line to be refreshed is associated with said second portions of the plurality of bit lines.

Assignments (9)