VOLTAGE STABILIZATION CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20110235443A1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Yong Mi, Lee, Jeong Hun, Hwang, Jeong Tae
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/189.011
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/147 Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/02 with means for avoiding parasitic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/22 Read-write [R-W] timing or clocking circuits; Read-write [R-W] control signal generators or management
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/222 Clock generating, synchronizing or distributing circuits within memory device

Abstract

A voltage stabilization circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes an operation speed detecting unit configured to detect an operation speed of the semiconductor memory apparatus to generate a detection signal, and a voltage line controlling unit configured to interconnect a first voltage line and a second voltage line in response to the detection signal.

Claims

1. A voltage stabilization circuit, comprising:

an operation speed detecting unit configured to detect an operation speed of a circuit to generate a detection signal; and

a voltage line controlling unit configured to interconnect a first voltage line and a second voltage line in response to the detection signal,

wherein a voltage level of the first voltage line is substantially equal to a voltage level of the second voltage line.

2. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage level of the first voltage line and the voltage level of the second voltage line include a ground level.

3. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage line controlling unit includes a switching unit that interconnects the first voltage line and the second voltage line if the detection signal is enabled.

4. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 1, wherein the operation speed detecting unit is configured to enable the detection signal if a predetermined CAS latency signal of a plurality of CAS latency signals is enabled.

5. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 4, wherein, when one of the predetermined CAS latency signals is enabled, the detection signal is enabled.

6. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 4, wherein the first voltage line supplies voltage to a data output circuit, and the second voltage line supplies voltage to a circuit except for the data output circuit.

7. A voltage stabilization circuit, comprising:

an operation speed detecting unit configured to detect an operation speed of a semiconductor memory apparatus to generate a detection signal; and

a voltage line controlling unit configured to allow a part of current applied to a first voltage line to be applied to a second voltage line in response to the detection signal,

wherein a voltage level of the first voltage line is substantially equal to a voltage level of the second voltage line.

8. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 7, wherein the voltage line controlling unit includes a switching unit that interconnects the first voltage line and the second voltage line if the detection signal is enabled.

9. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 7, wherein the operation speed detecting unit is configured to enable the detection signal if the operation speed is equal to or faster than a predetermined operation speed after a reset signal is disabled.

10. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 9, wherein the operation speed detecting unit is configured to measure a period of a clock to generate the detection signal after the reset signal is disabled.

11. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 10, wherein the operation speed detecting unit is configured to enable the detection signal if the period of the clock is shorter than a predetermined period after the reset signal is disabled.

12. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 11, wherein the operation speed detecting unit is configured to generate a first enable signal enabled if the reset signal is disabled, generate a second enable signal by delaying the first enable signal by the predetermined period, generate a delay signal by delaying the first enable signal by a predetermined time, and compare enable timing of the second enable signal with enable timing of the delay signal.

13. The voltage stabilization circuit of claim 12, wherein the operation speed detecting unit comprises:

an enable signal generator configured to generate the first enable signal in response to the reset signal;

a delay unit configured to generate the delay signal by delaying the first enable signal;

a clock delay unit configured to output the first enable signal as the second enable signal after the predetermined period; and

a timing comparator configured to generate the detection signal by comparing the enable timing of the second enable signal with the enable timing of the delay signal.

14. A semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:

a voltage stabilization circuit configured to distribute a part of current, which is applied to a first voltage line, to a second voltage line when an operation speed of the semiconductor integrated circuit is substantially equal to or faster than a predetermined operation speed; and

a data output circuit configured to receive voltage from the first voltage line to output data out of the semiconductor integrated circuit.

15. The semiconductor integrated circuit of claim 14, wherein the second voltage line applies voltage to a circuit except for the data output circuit.

16. The semiconductor integrated circuit of claim 14, wherein the voltage stabilization circuit comprises:

an operation speed detecting unit configured to enable a detection signal when a value of a CAS latency signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value; and

a voltage line controlling unit configured to interconnect the first voltage line and the second voltage line if the detection signal is enabled.

17. The semiconductor memory apparatus of claim 14, wherein the voltage stabilization circuit includes:

an operation speed detecting unit configured to generate the detection signal by comparing one period of a clock with a predetermined time if a reset is disabled; and

a voltage line controlling unit configured to interconnect the first voltage line and the second voltage line in response to the detection signal.

18. The semiconductor memory apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first voltage line includes a ground voltage line for data output and the second voltage line includes a ground voltage line.

19. The semiconductor memory apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first voltage line includes an external voltage line for data output and the second voltage line includes an external voltage line.