Multi-channel self refresh device

• US 9,431,087 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
• Original Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, TOAN K
• Application Number:
  US14/683,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 365/222, 711/106
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/406 Management or control of the refreshing or charge-regeneration cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/40611 External triggering or timing of internal or partially internal refresh operations, e.g. auto-refresh or CAS-before-RAS triggered refresh
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/40615 Internal triggering or timing of refresh, e.g. hidden refresh, self refresh, pseudo-SRAMs
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/40618 Refresh operations over multiple banks or interleaving
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/40626 Temperature related aspects of refresh operations
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/50016 of retention

Abstract

A multi-channel self refresh device may include period generation circuit configured to output a self refresh pulse signal having a predetermined time period in response to a refresh enable signal. The multi-channel self refresh device may include a channel region configured to activate a refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal, when a self refresh command signal corresponding to a channel from among a plurality of self refresh command signals is activated.

Claims

1. A multi-channel self refresh device comprising:

a period generation circuit configured to output a self refresh pulse signal having a predetermined time period in response to a refresh enable signal;

a channel region configured to activate a refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal, when a self refresh command signal corresponding to a channel from among a plurality of self refresh command signals is activated;

a combination unit configured to receive a plurality of self refresh signals and output a refresh enable signal.

2. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 1, wherein the combination unit activates and outputs the refresh enable signal when at least one of the plurality of self refresh signals is activated.

3. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 1, wherein the combination unit is configured to perform an OR logic operation on the plurality of self refresh signals received by the combination unit.

4. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 1, wherein the combination unit includes a NOR logic gate configured to receive the self refresh signals and an inverter configured to receive the output of the NOR logic gate and output the refresh enable signal.

5. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 1, wherein the period generation circuit includes:

a period generator configured to generate a period signal in response to the refresh enable signal; and

a masking unit configured to output the self refresh pulse signal by masking the period signal during a specific time period.

6. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 5, wherein the period generator includes a Temperature Compensated Self Refresh (TCSR) period generation circuit.

7. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 5, wherein the masking unit masks the period signal during the specific time period starting from an input time of a first period signal, deactivates the self refresh pulse signal, and outputs the deactivated self refresh pulse signal.

8. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 1, wherein the channel region includes a plurality of controllers for receiving a plurality of channels, respectively, each of the plurality of controllers including a Pulse for Self Refresh (PSRF) controller.

9. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 8, wherein the channel region includes:

a first PSRF controller configured to output a first refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal when a first self refresh command signal is activated; and

a second PSRF controller configured to output a second refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal when a second self refresh command signal is activated.

10. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 9, wherein the channel region further includes:

a first cell array coupled to the first PSRF controller and configured for receiving the first refresh signal from the first PSRF controller; and

a second cell array coupled to the second PSRF controller and configured for receiving the second refresh signal from the second PSRF controller,

wherein the first PSRF controller activates the first refresh signal at intervals of a predetermined time in response to a cell data retention time of the first cell array in response to receiving the self refresh pulse signal, and

wherein the second PSFR controller activates the second refresh signal at intervals of a predetermined time in response to a cell data retention time of the second cell array in response to receiving the self refresh pulse signal.

11. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 1, wherein the channel region, when the plurality of self refresh command signals is activated, masks the self refresh pulse signal during a specific time period, deactivates the refresh signal, and outputs the deactivated refresh signal.

12. A multi-channel self refresh device comprising:

a combination unit configured to output a refresh enable signal in response to receiving at least one self refresh signal from a plurality of self refresh signals;

a period generation circuit configured to output a self refresh pulse signal having a predetermined time period in response to the refresh enable signal;

a first Pulse for Self Refresh (PSRF)controller configured to output a first refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal when a first self refresh command signal is activated; and

a second PSRF controller configured to output a second refresh signal in response to the self refresh pulse signal when a second self refresh command signal is activated.

13. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 12, wherein the combination unit activates and outputs the refresh enable signal when at least one of the plurality of self refresh signals is activated.

14. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 12, wherein the period generation circuit includes:

a period generator configured to generate a period signal in response to the refresh enable signal; and

a masking unit configured to output the self refresh pulse signal by masking the period signal during a specific time period.

15. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 14, wherein the period generator includes a Temperature Compensated Self Refresh (TCSR) period generation circuit.

16. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 14, wherein the masking unit masks the period signal during the specific time period starting from an input time of a first period signal, deactivates the self refresh pulse signal, and outputs the deactivated self refresh pulse signal.

17. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 12, wherein the first PSRF controller, when the first self refresh command signal is activated, masks the self refresh pulse signal during a specific time period, deactivates the first refresh signal, and outputs the deactivated first refresh signal.

18. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 12, wherein the second PSRF controller, when the second self refresh command signal is activated, masks the self refresh pulse signal during a specific time period, deactivates the second refresh signal, and outputs the deactivated second refresh signal.

19. The multi-channel self refresh device according to claim 12, wherein the first PSRF controller is associated with a first channel, wherein the second PSRF controller is associated with a second channel.