IP Library Granted Patent US 9,196,353
Granted Patent B2
US 9,196,353 · App. 14/634,743 · Granted Nov 24, 2015

Semiconductor storage device with smaller driving force precharge

Inventor: Yuichiro Ishii (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
G11C11/419G11C5/148G11C7/12G11C2207/2227
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,196,353
App. No.
14/634,743
Granted
Nov 24, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor storage device includes an SRAM memory cell composed of a drive transistor, a transfer transistor and a load transistor, an I/O circuit that is connected to bit lines connected to the memory cell, and an operating mode control circuit that switches an operating mode of the I/O circuit between a resume standby mode and a normal operation mode, wherein the I/O circuit includes a write driver that writes data to bit lines, a sense amplifier that reads data from the bit lines, a first switch inserted between the bit lines and the write driver, a second switch inserted between the bit lines and the sense amplifier, a precharge circuit that precharges the bit lines, and a control circuit that controls the first and second switches and the precharge circuit according to a signal from the operating mode control circuit.

Claims (38)

1. A semiconductor storage device comprising:

an SRAM memory cell that is composed of a drive transistor, a transfer transistor and a load transistor;

an I/O circuit that is connected to bit lines connected to the memory cell; and

an operating mode control circuit that switches an operating mode of the I/O circuit between a resume standby mode and a normal operation mode, wherein

the I/O circuit includes:

a write driver that writes data to the bit lines,

a sense amplifier that reads data from the bit lines,

a first switch that is inserted between the bit lines and the write driver,

a second switch that is inserted between the bit lines and the sense amplifier,

a precharge circuit that precharges the bit lines, and

a control circuit that controls the first and second switches and the precharge circuit according to a signal from the operating mode control circuit, and

the control circuit turns off the first and second switches and the precharge circuit in the resume standby mode, and causes the precharge circuit to precharge the bit lines with a smaller driving force compared with in the normal operation mode when returning from the resume standby mode to the normal operation mode.

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

the precharge circuit includes:

a first precharge circuit that precharges the bit lines in the normal operation mode, and

a second precharge circuit that has a smaller driving force than the first precharge circuit and precharges the bit lines, and

the control circuit causes the second precharge circuit to precharge the bit lines when returning from the resume standby mode to the normal operation mode.

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

the control circuit turns off the second precharge circuit after precharge of the bit lines is completed, and causes the first precharge circuit to precharge the bit lines in the subsequent normal operation mode.

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

the operating mode control circuit supplies a power supply potential to the precharge circuit, and

when returning from the resume standby mode to the normal operation mode, the operating mode control circuit reduces the power supply potential supplied to the precharge circuit compared with in the normal operation mode.

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

the operating mode control circuit raises the power supply potential supplied to the precharge circuit to a potential used in the normal operation mode after precharge of the bit lines is completed.

6. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , comprising:

a source potential control circuit that is connected to a source line connected to a source of the drive transistor and supplies a potential to the source line, wherein

the source potential control circuit sets a potential of the source line at a ground potential in the normal operation mode, and sets a potential of the source line at a potential higher than the ground potential in the resume standby mode.

7. The semiconductor storage device according to claim 1 , comprising:

a word line driver that drives a word line connected to the memory cell, wherein

the word line driver includes:

a driver circuit that supplies a potential to the word line,

a power supply line of the driver circuit,

a first power supply switch that is inserted between the power supply line and a power supply,

a second power supply switch that is inserted between the power supply line and a power supply and has a smaller driving force than the first power supply switch, and

a control signal generation circuit that supplies a control signal to the first and second power supply switches, and

the control signal generation circuit closes the first power supply switch and opens the second power supply switch in the normal operation mode, opens the first and second power supply switches in the resume standby mode, and opens the first power supply switch and closes the second power supply switch when returning from the resume standby mode to the normal operation mode.

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

the control signal generation circuit closes the first power supply switch and opens the second power supply switch after the word line reaches a power supply potential.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044928/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2015
From: ISHII, YUICHIRO
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035155/0271 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-040521 · Mar 3, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150248929A1 · Sep 3, 2015