Semiconductor device having memory blocks

• US 8,284,625 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Application Number:
  US12/699,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20100138681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 365/226, 365/227, 365/229, 713/324, 713/103, 235/492
• US Class Current: 365/226
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/142 Contactless power supplies, e.g. RF, induction, or IR
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/2007 Bonding of semiconductor wafers to insulating substrates or to semiconducting substrates using an intermediate insulating layer H01L21/2011 takes precedence; bonding of semiconductor wafers to semiconductor wafers for junction formation H01L21/187
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/13 combined with thin-film or thick-film passive components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78675 with normal-type structure, e.g. with top gate

Abstract

A semiconductor device capable of stabilizing power supply by suppressing power consumption as much as possible. The semiconductor device of the invention includes a central processing unit having a plurality of units and a control circuit, and an antenna. The control circuit includes a means for outputting, based on a power supply signal including data on power supply from an antenna (through an antenna) or a load signal obtained by an event signal supplied from each of the units, one or more of a first control signal for stopping power supply to one or more of the units, a second control signal for varying a power supply potential supplied to one or more of the units, and a third control signal for stopping supplying a clock signal to one or more of the units.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of memory blocks;

a control circuit; and

a power supply circuit,

wherein each of the memory blocks comprises;

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells each having a memory element in a region where a bit line and a word line cross each other with an insulator interposed therebetween; and

a row decoder electrically connected to the memory cell array,

wherein the control circuit is configured to output first control signals and second control signals and to set each of the memory blocks to a normal mode or a standby mode,

wherein each one of the first control signals controls a first power supply potential supplied to a corresponding one of the memory cell array of the memory blocks, and

wherein each one of the second control signals controls a second power supply potential supplied to a corresponding one of the row decoder of the memory blocks.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a central processing unit configured to output an operation signal to the control circuit.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a dedicated circuit configured to output an operation signal to the control circuit.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a glass substrate,

wherein the plurality of memory blocks and the control circuit are provided over the glass substrate.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible substrate,

wherein the plurality of memory blocks and the control circuit are provided over the flexible substrate.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the memory cells included in the memory blocks and provided in the same column are connected to the same bit line.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the memory cells included in the memory blocks are connected to the same column decoder.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the memory blocks comprises a column decoder that operates independently of each other.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the bit line is provided independently for each of the memory blocks.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the word line is provided independently for each of the memory blocks.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the memory blocks is selected from the group consisting of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), an FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), a mask ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and a flash memory.

12. A semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of memory blocks;

a control circuit;

a power supply circuit; and

a plurality of switches provided between the memory blocks and the power supply circuit, wherein each of the plurality of switches corresponds to one of the plurality of memory blocks,

wherein each of the memory blocks comprises;

a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells each having a memory element in a region where a bit line and a word line cross each other with an insulator interposed therebetween; and

a row decoder electrically connected to the memory cell array,

wherein the control circuit is configured to output first control signals and second control signals to the plurality of switches, and to set each of the memory blocks to a normal mode or a standby mode,

wherein each one of the first control signals controls a first power supply potential supplied to a corresponding one of the memory cell array of the memory blocks, and

wherein each one of the second control signals controls a second power supply potential supplied to a corresponding one of the row decoder of the memory blocks.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising a central processing unit configured to output an operation signal to the control circuit.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising a dedicated circuit configured to output an operation signal to the control circuit.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising a glass substrate,

wherein the plurality of memory blocks and the control circuit are provided over the glass substrate.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 12, further comprising a flexible substrate,

wherein the plurality of memory blocks and the control circuit are provided over the flexible substrate.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein the memory cells included in the memory blocks and provided in the same column are connected to the same bit line.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein the memory cells included in the memory blocks are connected to the same column decoder.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein each of the memory blocks comprises a column decoder that operates independently of each other.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein the bit line is provided independently for each of the memory blocks.

21. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein the word line is provided independently for each of the memory blocks.

22. The semiconductor device according to claim 12,

wherein each of the memory blocks is selected from the group consisting of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), an FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), a mask ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and a flash memory.

23. A semiconductor device comprising:

a CPU;

a control circuit operationally connected to the CPU;

a first memory block and a second memory block, each comprising a memory cell array and a decoder;

a first switch configured to selectively supply the first memory block with one of a first potential and a second potential in accordance with a first control signal from the control circuit; and

a second switch configured to selectively supply the second memory block with one of the first potential and the second potential in accordance with a second control signal from the control circuit.

24. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein the decoder is a row decoder.

25. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein the first switch is electrically connected to the decoder.

26. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein the first switch is electrically connected to the memory cell array.

27. The semiconductor device according to claim 23, wherein each of the first and second memory blocks is selected from the group consisting of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), an FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), a mask ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and a flash memory.

28. A semiconductor device comprising:

a CPU;

a control circuit operationally connected to the CPU;

a first memory block and a second memory block, each comprising a memory cell array and a decoder;

a first switch configured to selectively supply the memory cell array of the first memory block with one of a first potential and a second potential in accordance with a first control signal from the control circuit;

a second switch configured to selectively supply the memory cell array of the second memory block with one of the first potential and the second potential in accordance with a second control signal from the control circuit;

a third switch configured to selectively supply the decoder of the first memory block with one of a third potential and a fourth potential in accordance with a third control signal from the control circuit; and

a fourth switch configured to selectively supply the decoder of the second memory block with one of the third potential and the fourth potential in accordance with a fourth control signal from the control circuit.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 28, wherein the decoder is a row decoder.

30. The semiconductor device according to claim 28, wherein each of the first and second memory blocks is selected from the group consisting of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), an FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), a mask ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and a flash memory.