IP Library Granted Patent US 7,489,576
Granted Patent B2
US 7,489,576 · App. 11/723,830 · Granted Feb 10, 2009

Semiconductor storage device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,489,576
App. No.
11/723,830
Granted
Feb 10, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor storage device has first and second cell arrays including a plurality of memory cells to store data, a sense amplifier selectively connected with either one of the first and second cell arrays, a first precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the first cell array to a predetermined voltage, a second precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the second cell array to a predetermined voltage, a first switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the first cell array, a second switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the second cell array, and a switch controller to control conductive state of the first and second switch circuits. In non-selection state where the sense amplifier does not access any of the cell arrays, the switch controller controls one of the switch circuits into conducting state.

Claims (51)

1. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

a first and a second cell arrays including a plurality of memory cells to store data;

a sense amplifier selectively connected with either one of the first and the second cell arrays;

a first precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the first cell array to a predetermined voltage;

a second precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the second cell array to a predetermined voltage;

a first switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the first cell array;

a second switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the second cell array; and

a switch controller to control a conductive state of the first and the second switch circuits,

wherein in a non-selection state where the sense amplifier does not access any of the first and the second cell arrays, the switch controller controls one of the first and the second switch circuits into the conductive state according to a previous result of a current inspection in a standby state,

and wherein the switch controller includes a non-selection state storage section to store the conductive state of the first and the second switch circuits in the non-selection state according to a result of the current inspection in the standby state.

2. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

if a current amount in the standby state is smaller than a predetermined value as a result of the current inspection in the standby state, the switch controller controls both of the first and the second switch circuits into the conductive state.

3. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first and the second precharge circuits are connected with a first power supply through a current limiter.

4. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first and the second precharge circuits respectively include a current limiter and are connected with a first power supply connected in common with the first and the second precharge circuits.

5. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first and the second precharge circuits respectively include a current limiter and are connected with first power supplies connected respectively with the first and the second precharge circuits.

6. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the non-selection state storage section includes a fuse.

7. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , wherein

the non-selection state storage section includes a nonvolatile memory.

8. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

a first and a second cell arrays including a plurality of memory cells to store data;

a sense amplifier selectively connected with either one of the first and the second cell arrays;

a first precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the first cell array to a predetermined voltage;

a second precharge circuit to set a pair of bit lines in the second cell array to a predetermined voltage;

a first switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the first cell array;

a second switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with the second cell array; and

a switch controller to control a conductive state of the first and the second switch circuits,

wherein in a non-selection state where the sense amplifier does not access any of the first and the second cell arrays, the switch controller controls one of the first and the second switch circuits into the conductive state according to a previous result of a current inspection in a standby state,

and wherein the current inspection in the standby state measures a current amount in the standby state for each of the first and the second cell arrays, and

the switch controller sets one of the first and the second switch circuits to connect the sense amplifier with one of the first and the second cell arrays having a larger current amount in the standby state into a blocked state in the non-selection state.

9. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein

if a current amount in the standby state is smaller than a predetermined value as a result of the current inspection in the standby state, the switch controller controls both of the first and the second switch circuits into the conductive state.

10. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein

the first and the second precharge circuits are connected with a first power supply through a current limiter.

11. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein

the first and the second precharge circuits respectively include a current limiter and are connected with a first power supply connected in common with the first and the second precharge circuits.

12. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein

the first and the second precharge circuits respectively include a current limiter and are connected with first power supplies connected respectively with the first and the second precharge circuits.

13. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein the switch controller includes a non-selection state storage section to store the conductive state of the first and the second switch circuits in the non-selection state according to a result of the current inspection in the standby state, and the non-selection state storage section includes a fuse.

14. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 8 , wherein the switch controller includes a non-selection state storage section to store the conductive state of the first and the second switch circuits in the non-selection state according to a result of the current inspection in the standby state, and the non-selection state storage section includes a nonvolatile memory.

15. A test method of a semiconductor storage device including a first switch circuit to connect a sense amplifier with a first cell array, a second switch circuit to connect the sense amplifier with a second cell array, a non-selection state storage section to store state of the first and the second switch circuits in non-selection state where the sense amplifier does not access any of the first and the second cell arrays, and a switch controller to control a conductive state of the first and the second switch circuits, the method comprising:

measuring a first standby current by setting the first switch circuit into a conducting state and the second switch circuit into a non-conducting state;

measuring a second standby current by setting the first switch circuit into the non-conducting state and the second switch circuit into the conducting state; and

storing a switch circuit state where a smaller current amount of the first standby current or the second standby current is obtained into the non-selection state storage section,

wherein the switch controller includes a non-selection state storage section to store the conducting state of the first and the second switch circuits in the non-selection state according to a result of a previous current inspection in a standby state.

16. The test method of the semiconductor storage device according to claim 15 , further comprising:

measuring third standby current by setting the first and the second switch circuits into the conducting state,

wherein if the third standby current is smaller than a predetermined current amount, the measurement of the first and the second standby current is not performed.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025311/0860 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2007
From: HIROTA, TAKUYA; YANAGIDA, TAKAO
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019125/0125 →