IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,947,918
Granted Patent B2
US 8,947,918 · App. 14/014,231 · Granted Feb 3, 2015

Semiconductor memory device

Inventor: Katsuyuki Fujita (Seoul, KR)
G11C11/1673G11C11/1675
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,947,918
App. No.
14/014,231
Granted
Feb 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a buffer configured to hold data input to an input/output circuit and to hold data read from the memory cell array, and a controller configured to receive a first command and an address from the outside and to read data, in response to the first command, from a memory cell group coupled to a selected word line designated by the address to the buffer. The controller receives a second command which is input after the first command and indicates a last command of a group of commands including write commands and/or read commands, and starts a write operation from the buffer to the memory cell array in response to the second command.

Claims (33)

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell array comprising memory cells;

word lines coupled to rows of the memory cell array;

bit lines coupled to columns of the memory cell array;

an input/output circuit configured to receive data from the outside and to output data to the outside;

a buffer configured to hold data input to the input/output circuit and to hold data read from the memory cell array via the bit lines; and

a controller configured to receive a first command and an address from the outside and to read data, in response to the first command, from a memory cell group coupled to a selected word line designated by the address to the buffer,

wherein the controller receives a second command which is input after the first command and indicates a last command of a group of commands including write commands and/or read commands, and

the controller starts a write operation from the buffer to the memory cell array in response to the second command.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second command is a precharge command to deactivate the word lines and the bit lines.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the group of commands includes write commands, and

the controller does not perform a write operation in which data is written from the buffer to the memory cell array in all write commands except for a last write command if the write commands instructs a write operation to the same column.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller ends the write operation when receiving a third command indicating a write operation from the buffer to the memory cell array is completed.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the third command is a precharge command to deactivate the word lines and the bit lines.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the controller measures a time elapsed since the reception of the second command, and

the controller determines that a write operation from the buffer to the memory cell array is completed if the measured time reaches a predetermined time.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising a counter configured to count a clock,

wherein the controller determines whether the measured time reaches the predetermined time using a count by the counter.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the memory cell array comprises groups each comprising memory cells, and

the controller performs write operations from the buffer to the memory cell array for the groups in parallel.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the memory cell array comprises groups each comprising memory cells, and

the controller interleaves data-transfer operations from the input/output circuit to the buffer for the groups.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller writes, to the memory cell array, the data held by the buffer from the input/output circuit in response to the write command.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller rewrites, to the memory cell array, the data held by the buffer from the memory cell array in response to the read command.

12. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a read circuit configured to read data from the memory cell array;

a correction circuit configured to perform error correction on data read by the read circuit; and

a write circuit configured to write the data held by the buffer to the memory cell array.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the memory cells includes a magnetoresistive effect element.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043709/0035 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2016
From: FUJITA, KATSUYUKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 038618/0018 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61804455 · Mar 22, 2013
Related Publication 20140286087A1 · Sep 25, 2014