High-voltage generator for word lines of a bank-activated semiconductor memory device

• US 6,038,178 A
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co. Ltd. (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co. Ltd. (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Oh, Young Nam
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Andrew Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/219,852
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.09, 365/226, 365/230.03, 365/189.11, 327/536, 327/537
• US Class Current: 365/189.09
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4074 Power supply or voltage generation circuits, e.g. bias voltage generators, substrate voltage generators, back-up power, power control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4085 Word line control circuits, e.g. word line drivers, - boosters, - pull-up, - pull-down, - precharge
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/08 Word line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, for word lines

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device operates at a high speed by applying high-voltage used for driving word lines in accordance with an activated state of a bank by using a high-voltage circuit controlled for each bank or by inserting control circuits in each output stage of the high-voltage circuit in the memory device adopting a number of banks. The memory device includes a high-voltage generation circuit that includes a number of unit high-voltage generation circuits that output a high-voltage of the same level, and a multi-bank circuit that includes a number of unit bank circuits driven independently in response to the high-voltage signal of a corresponding unit high-voltage generation circuit, a corresponding row decoder output signal and a corresponding column decoder output signal.

Claims

1. A high-voltage generator for word lines of a bank-activated semiconductor memory device, the generator comprising:

a high-voltage generation circuit that includes a number of unit high-voltage generation means that each output a high-voltage signal of a same level; and

a multi-bank circuit that includes a number of unit bank circuits that are each driven independently in response to the high-voltage signal from corresponding unit high-voltage generation means, a corresponding row decoder output signal, and a corresponding column decoder output signal;

wherein each of the row decoder output signals and each of the column decoder output signals are different from each other.

2. The generator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the unit high-voltage generation means includes:

a high-voltage sensing means for outputting a high-voltage level sensing signal by comparing a step-up high-voltage and a power voltage;

a ring oscillator, driven by the high-voltage level sensing signal, for generating a ring oscillator output signal having periodic pulses; and

a charge pump means, driven by the ring oscillator output signal, for outputting the high-voltage signal for activating the word line.

3. The generator of claim 1, further comprising:

control means, connected to output terminals of the unit high-voltage generation means, for compensating high-voltage signals that have overshoot or undershoot with respect to the other high-voltage signals.

4. The generator of claim 3, wherein the control means includes:

an MOS diode.

5. The generator of claim 3, further comprising:

bank control means, driven by a decoding signal transmitted from a command decoder, for outputting at least a first bank selection signal and a second bank selection signal to the control means.

6. The generator of claim 5, wherein the control means includes:

a first level shifter that is driven by the first bank selection signal;

a first switching means, driven by the first level shifter, and having a first terminal connected to a first high-voltage output stage;

a second level shifter that is driven by the second bank selection signal;

second switching means, driven by the second level shifter, and having a first terminal connected to a second high-voltage output stage; and

charge storage means, connected between a second terminal of the first switching means and a second terminal of the second switching means, for storing a charge during a precharge operation and for providing the charge for the high-voltage signal in which overshoot or undershoot occurs during bank activation.

7. The generator of claim 6, wherein the first switching means and the second switching means include:

an MOS transistor.

8. The generator of claim 6, wherein the charge storage means includes:

an MOS transistor.