Semiconductor memory device

• US 8,750,023 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Furutani, Kazuma, Shionoiri, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Huan
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUERTA, PABLO S
• Application Number:
  US13/230,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20120063206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 365/149
• US Class Current: 365/149
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/404 with one charge-transfer gate, e.g. MOS transistor, per cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/405 with three charge-transfer gates, e.g. MOS transistors, per cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/02 electrically programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/2236 Copy

Abstract

An object is to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of copying memory data without using an external circuit. The semiconductor memory device includes a bit line to which first terminals of a plurality of memory cells are connected in common; a pre-charge circuit which is connected to the bit line and pre-charges the bit line with a specific potential in data reading; a data holding circuit comprising a capacitor which temporarily holds data read out from the memory cell or data which is written to the memory cell; and an inverted data output circuit which outputs inverted data of data held in the data holding circuit to the bit line. The inverted data output circuit includes a means for controlling output of inverted data of data held in the data holding circuit.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell unit comprising a plurality of memory elements;

a first transistor comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate;

an inverted data output circuit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first transistor and the output terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit and the second terminal of the first transistor; and

a capacitor electrically connected to the input terminal of the inverted data output circuit and the first terminal of the first transistor.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a second transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first transistor, the input terminal of the inverted data output circuit, and a seventh terminal of the capacitor and the sixth terminal is electrically connected to an eighth terminal of the capacitor.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a second transistor electrically connected to the memory cell unit.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a second transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit and the sixth terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the first transistor and the output terminal of the inverted data output circuit.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit, the second terminal of the first transistor, and the output terminal of the inverted data output circuit;

a data signal line electrically connected to the sixth terminal of the second transistor; and

a column gate control line electrically connected to the third gate of the second transistor.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the first transistor comprises oxide semiconductor.

7. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one selected from the group consisting of a camera, a goggle-type display, a navigation system, a sound reproducing device, a computer, a game machine, a portable information terminal, and an image reproducing device.

8. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell unit comprising a plurality of memory elements;

a first transistor comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate;

an inverted data output circuit comprising a three-state inverter circuit comprising an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first transistor and the output terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit and the second terminal of the first transistor; and

a capacitor electrically connected to the input terminal of the three-state inverter circuit and the first terminal of the first transistor.

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, wherein the three-state inverter circuit comprises a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, and a fifth transistor electrically connected in series between two wirings, wherein the input terminal of the three-state inverter circuit is electrically connected to a gate of the third transistor and a gate of the fourth transistor, and wherein the output terminal of the three-state inverter circuit is electrically connected to one terminal of the third transistor and one terminal of the fourth transistor.

10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, further comprising a third transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first transistor, the input terminal of the three-state inverter circuit, and a seventh terminal of the capacitor and the sixth terminal is electrically connected to an eighth terminal of the capacitor.

11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, further comprising a third transistor electrically connected to the memory cell unit.

12. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, further comprising a third transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit and the sixth terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the first transistor and the output terminal of the three-state inverter circuit.

13. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a third transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate,

wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit, the second terminal of the first transistor, and the output terminal of the three-state inverter circuit;

a data signal line electrically connected to the sixth terminal of the third transistor; and

a column gate control line electrically connected to the third gate of the third transistor.

14. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, wherein the first transistor comprises oxide semiconductor.

15. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, wherein the electronic device is one selected from the group consisting of a camera, a goggle-type display, a navigation system, a sound reproducing device, a computer, a game machine, a portable information terminal, and an image reproducing device.

16. A semiconductor memory device comprising:

a memory cell unit comprising a plurality of memory elements;

a first transistor comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a first gate;

an inverted data output circuit comprising;

an inverter comprising an input terminal and an output terminal,

wherein the input terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first transistor; and

a second transistor comprising a third terminal, a fourth terminal, and

a second gate, wherein the third terminal is electrically connected to the output terminal of the inverter and the fourth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit and the second terminal of the first transistor; and

a capacitor electrically connected to the input terminal of the inverter and the first terminal of the first transistor.

17. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, further comprising a third transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first transistor, the input terminal of the inverter, and a seventh terminal of the capacitor and the sixth terminal is electrically connected to an eighth terminal of the capacitor.

18. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, further comprising a third transistor electrically connected to the memory cell unit.

19. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, further comprising a third transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate, wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit and the sixth terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the first transistor and the fourth terminal of the second transistor.

20. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, further comprising:

a third transistor comprising a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, and a third gate,

wherein the fifth terminal is electrically connected to the memory cell unit, the second terminal of the first transistor, and the fourth terminal of the second transistor;

a data signal line electrically connected to the sixth terminal of the third transistor; and

a column gate control line electrically connected to the third gate of the third transistor.

21. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, wherein the first transistor comprises oxide semiconductor.

22. An electronic device comprising the semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device is one selected from the group consisting of a camera, a goggle-type display, a navigation system, a sound reproducing device, a computer, a game machine, a portable information terminal, and an image reproducing device.