U.S. patent application number 11/566670 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-17 for method for outputting internal temperature data in semiconductor memory device and circuit of outputting internal temperature data thereby.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Seung-Hoon LEE, Chul-Woo PARK.
Application Number | 20070109013 11/566670 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36683843 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070109013 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Seung-Hoon ; et
al. |
May 17, 2007 |
METHOD FOR OUTPUTTING INTERNAL TEMPERATURE DATA IN SEMICONDUCTOR
MEMORY DEVICE AND CIRCUIT OF OUTPUTTING INTERNAL TEMPERATURE DATA
THEREBY
Abstract
A method for outputting internal temperature data in a
semiconductor memory device can output, at high speed, relatively
accurate temperature data externally, without continuously or
periodically driving a temperature sensor. The method for
outputting the internal temperature data comprises externally
outputting internal temperature data stored in a register in a
preceding driving cycle in response to a temperature data request
signal; driving a temperature sensor during a predefined time
section after the output of the internal temperature data is
completed; and storing the internal temperature data obtained from
the temperature sensor in the register. Power consumption is
reduced and accurate temperature data is output externally within a
shorter time.
Inventors: |
LEE; Seung-Hoon;
(Gyeonggi-do, KR) ; PARK; Chul-Woo; (Gyeonggi-do,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARGER JOHNSON & MCCOLLOM, P.C.
210 SW MORRISON STREET, SUITE 400
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
416 Maetan-Dong, Yeongtong-Gu Suwon-si,
Gyeonggid-do
KR
|
Family ID: |
36683843 |
Appl. No.: |
11/566670 |
Filed: |
December 4, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11335036 |
Jan 18, 2006 |
|
|
|
11566670 |
Dec 4, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
326/32 ;
374/E7.042 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01K 7/42 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
326/032 |
International
Class: |
H03K 19/003 20060101
H03K019/003 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 20, 2005 |
KR |
2005-0005277 |
Claims
1. A method for outputting internal temperature data of a
semiconductor memory device, comprising: driving a temperature
sensor during a predefined time section in response to an external
request signal as applied in case of a non-data access mode; and
externally outputting in response to an external temperature data
request signal internal temperature data as obtained from the
temperature sensor.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the external request
signal is an expansion mode register set (EMRS) command as provided
in an external memory controller connected to the semiconductor
memory device.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor
is a semiconductor temperature sensor in a band gap reference
type.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predefined time
section is below about 5 microseconds.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the internal
temperature data is output by a data output buffer, the data output
buffer being in an inactive state in a preceding data access
operation mode.
6. The method according to claim 1, including storing the internal
temperature data during the non-data access mode and externally
outputting the stored internal temperature data during a data
access operation mode.
7. A method for outputting internal temperature data of a
semiconductor memory device, comprising: externally outputting
internal temperature data as stored in a register during a
preceding driving cycle in response to a temperature data request
signal; driving a temperature sensor during a predefined time
section after the output of the internal temperature data is
completed; and storing the internal temperature data as obtained
from the temperature sensor in the register.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the temperature data
request signal is an expansion mode register set (EMRS) command as
provided in an external memory controller connected to the
semiconductor memory device.
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the temperature sensor
is a semiconductor temperature sensor in a band gap reference
type.
10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predefined time
section is below about 5 microseconds.
11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the internal
temperature data is output by a data output buffer, the data output
buffer being in an inactive state in a preceding data access
operation mode.
12. An internal temperature data output circuit of a semiconductor
memory device comprising: a sensor driving portion for receiving an
external command signal and generating a driving signal; a
temperature sensor for sensing an internal temperature of the
semiconductor memory device and generating internal temperature
data only when the driving signal is in a first state; a register
for storing the internal temperature data generated from the
temperature sensor; and a temperature data output controlling
portion for controlling the internal temperature data as stored in
the register to be externally output while maintaining the driving
signal in a second state in response to the external command
signal, and for storing the internal temperature data as output by
the temperature sensor to be updated in the register while
maintaining the driving signal that was in the first state in the
second state after the internal temperature data is externally
output.
13. The circuit according to claim 11, further comprising a circuit
block for changing a refreshing operation cycle of the
semiconductor memory device according to an internal temperature
change of the device, the circuit block being connected to the
temperature data output controlling portion.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/335,036, filed 18 Jan. 2006,
which claims priority from Korean Patent Application No.
10-2005-0005277, filed Jan. 20, 2005, the contents of which are
hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to temperature sensing to be
applied in a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to
a method for outputting internal temperature data in a volatile
semiconductor memory device such as Dynamic Random Access Memory
(DRAM) and a circuit for outputting the internal temperature data
thereby.
[0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0005] Generally, for high-efficiency electronic systems such as
personal computers or electronic communication machinery, volatile
semiconductor memory devices such as DRAM onboard as memory have
become faster and more highly integrated. In case of semiconductor
memory devices onboard in battery-operated systems such as mobile
phones or laptop computers, the low power consumption
characteristics are critically required. Therefore, semiconductor
manufacturers have continuously worked to reduce the operating
current and standby current in order to provide a mobile oriented
low power solution.
[0006] The data retention characteristics of the memory cell in the
DRAM comprising one transistor and one storage capacitor are very
sensitive to temperature. Thus, if the memory cell can be
controlled suitably according to its temperature characteristics,
this can be useful in saving power. An approach to realize such
power saving by installing a temperature sensor in the
semiconductor memory device such as the DRAM and differentiating a
refresh cycle according to the temperature of a chip is well known
in this art.
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit 100 of a temperature sensor to
be installed in a semiconductor memory device. The temperature
sensor is a semiconductor temperature sensor of a band gap
reference type basically comprising a current mirror-type
differential amplifier and a diode, which is well known in this
art. Currents flowing in branches C and A of the temperature sensor
have temperature-current characteristics as shown in FIG. 2. In
FIG. 2, the horizontal axis indicates temperature and the vertical
axis indicates current. The characteristic graphs of the branches C
and A intersect at trip point TI.
[0008] However, the temperature sensor as described above is very
sensitive to a noise environment, and thus the deviation of the
temperature data as output according to the operation modes of the
semiconductor memory device may be great. Consequently, there are
problems in that accuracy of the obtained temperature data is
lowered and reliability of the temperature data is also lowered
accordingly.
[0009] In practice, an attempt has been made to transfer the
temperature of the DRAM chip into a chip-set such as a CPU or
memory controller so that the chip-set controls various operations
of the DRAM, for example, a refreshing operation. In such a case,
the temperature sensor is continuously or periodically activated to
perform a temperature sensing operation. When an external command
is applied like a waveform (Command) in FIG. 3 while the
temperature sensor is periodically operating, internal temperature
data is read-out in the DRAM until a transition of a waveform
(TS-RD) occurs. FIG. 3 illustrates temperature data output timing
according to the conventional art.
[0010] When the internal temperature data of the DRAM chip is
obtained by the manner shown in FIG. 3, the temperature data
obtained according to various operation modes of the DRAM may have
differences. That is, if the external command is applied when the
DRAM performs an operation of reading the data, it is difficult for
the temperature sensor to sense the present temperature data in a
sufficiently stable state, and it may output deviated temperature
data due to the noise environment. Consequently, the reliability of
the internal temperature data as obtained is lowered, and power
consumption is increased since the temperature sensor is in the
continuously or periodically operating state. Moreover, since an
output access time of the temperature data is indicated as access
section TA of FIG. 3, there is a problem in that the time for the
chip-set to obtain the temperature data becomes somewhat long.
[0011] In order to obtain accurate temperature data, it is
preferable to ensure that the environment is without any noise,
during which the temperature sensor can perform the temperature
sensing operation in a sufficiently stable state, for more than the
time for responding to the sensing of the temperature sensor. Thus,
measures to make it possible to obtain more reliable temperature
data within a shorter time, without damaging/interrupting the
performance of the semiconductor memory device, are required in the
battery-operated systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Therefore, the present invention is directed to provide a
semiconductor memory device to solve the aforementioned
conventional problems.
[0013] One aspect of the present invention is a method for
outputting internal temperature data in a semiconductor memory
device which can provide a temperature sensor onboard in the
semiconductor memory device with a stable operation environment,
and a circuit for outputting the internal temperature data
thereby.
[0014] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for
outputting internal temperature data in a semiconductor memory
device which can reliably obtain temperature data of a chip,
without continuously or periodically operating a temperature
sensor.
[0015] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for
outputting internal temperature data in a semiconductor memory
device which can output relatively accurate temperature data at
high speed, without continuously or periodically operating a
temperature sensor, and a circuit for outputting the internal
temperature data thereby.
[0016] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for
outputting temperature data so as to obtain more reliable
temperature data within a shorter time, minimizing or reducing
power consumed in a temperature sensor onboard in the DRAM.
[0017] In accordance with exemplary embodiments of some of the
aforementioned aspects, a method for outputting internal
temperature data comprises externally outputting the internal
temperature data stored in a register during a preceding driving
cycle in response to a temperature data request signal; driving a
temperature sensor during a predefined time section after the
output of the internal temperature data is completed, and storing,
in the register, the internal temperature data obtained from the
temperature sensor.
[0018] Preferably, the temperature data request signal may be an
expansion mode register set (EMRS) command as provided in an
external memory controller connected to the semiconductor memory
device, and the temperature sensor may be a semiconductor
temperature sensor of a band gap reference type.
[0019] Further, it may be suitable that the predefined time section
is below about 5 microseconds, and the internal temperature data
can be output by a data output buffer which is in an inactive state
in a preceding data access operation mode.
[0020] According to the method for outputting the temperature data,
power consumption can be reduced and relatively accurate
temperature data can be externally output within a shorter
time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The above and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in
the art by describing in detail preferred embodiments thereof with
reference to the attached drawings in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit configuration of a conventional
temperature sensor;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a graph showing output characteristics of the
circuit of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates temperature data output timing according
to the conventional art;
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates temperature data output timing according
to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 5 illustrates temperature data output timing according
to a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary circuit as applied
to realize the embodiments of the present invention; and
[0028] FIG. 7 illustrates the operation timing of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of
the present invention will be more apparent from the preferred
embodiments described in detail hereinafter, with reference to the
accompanying drawings. However, the invention should not be
construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein.
Rather, these embodiments are presented as teaching examples. It
should be noted that in the drawings, the same or similar portions
are indicated using the same or similar reference numbers for the
convenience of explanation and understanding.
[0030] FIG. 4 illustrates temperature data output timing according
to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a
timing relation in which internal temperature data of a
semiconductor memory device is externally output when an external
request signal, e.g., an expansion mode register set (EMRS)
command, is applied while the semiconductor memory device is not in
a data access mode and a temperature sensor is in an inactive
state; that is, it is not continuously or periodically activated.
In FIG. 4, a section TE of a waveform EMRS is an active section of
the EMRS command, and a section OT of a sensor operation waveform
TS is an operation section of sensing a temperature by the
temperature sensor. Thus, the time for externally outputting the
internal temperature data obtained from the temperature sensor is
represented as an access section or interval TA I of a waveform
TS_RD.
[0031] Differently from the manner in FIG. 3, the method for
outputting the internal temperature data according to the first
embodiment has advantages of reducing power consumption and
enabling the external output of the relatively accurate temperature
data. However, it may be disadvantageous if this method is applied
to a semiconductor memory device having a very high speed operation
since the access time of the temperature data becomes relatively
longer.
[0032] Below is described a second embodiment which is able to
greatly shorten the access time of the first embodiment, with
reference to drawings. FIG. 5 illustrates temperature data output
timing according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
With reference to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the transition
section of a waveform TS_RD is different from that of FIG. 4. As
indicated by an access section TA2, the access time is shortened,
compared to the case of the first embodiment. In the second
embodiment, a method of outputting internal temperature data of a
semiconductor memory device is preceded by the following steps.
When a temperature data request signal is applied by a command of
the EMRS, in response to this signal, the internal temperature data
stored in a register during a preceding driving cycle is output
externally. After the output of the internal temperature data is
completed, a temperature sensor is driven during a predefined time
section or interval OT. For example, during the time section OT as
defined below about 5 microseconds, the internal temperature data
obtained from the temperature sensor is stored in the register. In
this case, if the internal temperature data is already stored in
the register, this means that data is updated after a second
storing operation. In general, it is known that a temperature of a
memory chip changes less than 0.5.degree. C, within 10
milliseconds, and thus there is no problem in the operating
stability if the temperature sensor is operated at a random time
within the time section below 10 milliseconds.
[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary circuit
as applied to realize the embodiments of the present invention and
FIG. 7 illustrates operation timing of FIG. 6.
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a semiconductor memory device 20 connected to a
CPU 10 through various signal lines. A circuit for outputting
internal temperature data in the semiconductor memory device 20
comprises a plurality of circuit blocks 21-28. An EMRS outputs a
master command signal Master-MRS in response to an external command
signal EMRS. A sensor driving portion 22 receives the master
command signal Master-MRS as output by an EMRS 21 and generates a
driving signal Ptenb. In FIG. 7, it is shown that the state of the
driving signal Ptenb is being transmitted from a high level to a
low level when the master command signal Master-MRS is transmitted
from "low" to "high". Herein, the duration of applying the external
command signal by the EMRS 21 defines the state in which the
semiconductor memory device 20 does not perform a data accessing
operation. Thus, a sensing operation of the temperature sensor is
stably ensured. The timing signals Command, DQ<0:3> shown in
FIG. 7 will be explained after the operation of the temperature
sensor 23 is explained. The temperature sensor 23 senses an
internal temperature of the device 20 only when the driving signal
Ptenb is in a first state (for instance, during five .mu. seconds,
e.g., at a low level in FIG. 7), thereby generating the internal
temperature data OUT. The internal temperature data as output from
the temperature sensor 23 is stored in a register update portion 24
including a register. As shown in FIG. 7, the operation of the
temperature sensor 23 is in a stop state when the driving signal
Ptenb is maintained in a second state (e.g., at a high level) by a
transition of the external command signal. Ultimately, when the
temperature sensor 23 operates during a predetermined time and is
again switched to the stop state by the second state of the driving
signal Ptenb after the external command signal EMRS is applied, the
register update portion 24 updates the temperature data OUT that is
output from the temperature sensor 23 and stored in the internal.
Accordingly, the internal temperature data as output by the
temperature sensor 23 is updated and stored in the register. The
new updated internal temperature data Tdata is applied to the data
output buffer 25. Herein, it is preferable that the internal
temperature data is output by the data output buffer 25 which is in
an inactive state in a preceding data access operation mode.
[0035] Now referring to the timing signals Command, DQ<0:3>
shown in FIG. 7, when the command signal Command is transmitted to
"high" after the external command signal EMRS is applied to the
memory device 20, the internal temperature data Tdata, not normal
data read out by memory cells, is read out as data DQ<0:3>
through the data output buffer 25. Herein, the data DQ<0:3>
is internal temperature data that has been stored and updated in
the previous data access operation mode. That is, the internal
temperature data sensed during the current operation cycle is first
stored in the data output buffer that is not served in outputting
normal data, and then is read out into the external side of memory
devices in response to a command signal instructing to read the
temperature data during an operation cycle. Ultimately, the output
operation of the internal temperature data as shown in FIG. 7 means
outputting in the current operation cycle the internal temperature
data that already stored in the previous operation cycle. The
output lines of the command decoder 26 and EMRS 21 block shown in
FIG. 6 are connected to the data output buffer 25 to control the
output operation of the internal temperature data. Accordingly, the
data output buffer that was in an inactive state in the previous
data access operation mode is activated by the command signal
Command and the master command signal Master-MRS that are generated
in response to the external command signal EMRS, thereby performing
the output of the internal temperature data. FIG. 7 shows the
operation timing of the circuit of FIG. 6 as described above.
[0036] In the circuit of FIG. 6, a self-cycle controlling portion
27 and a self-oscillator 28 can be provided to control a
self-refresh cycle. In addition, an example of the prior art, in
which the refresh of semiconductor memory is controlled according
to a temperature by applying the EMRS command, is disclosed in U.S.
Patent Publication No. 2003/0056057 published Mar. 20, 2003 in the
U.S.A., which will be referred to for the application of the EMRS
command. In the embodiments, the external CPU connected to the
memory device or the EMRS command provided in the memory controller
serves as the example of the temperature data request signal.
However, other logic signals can of course be utilized for
different cases. Further, as the example of the temperature sensor,
the semiconductor temperature sensor of the band gap reference type
is mentioned but other temperature sensors are usable.
[0037] Consequently, the access time of the temperature data is
reduced by reading-out the temperature data into the external
output pin by the output buffer at the random time when the
temperature sensor is in the OFF state, and the temperature data of
the chip can be accurately output in the environment having almost
no noise effect by activating the temperature sensor when the
device is not performing any refreshing operation or a data-reading
or writing operation.
[0038] As described above, according to the present invention,
power consumption can be reduced and accurate temperature data can
be externally output within shorter time. Therefore, the technique
of the present invention has the advantage of being more suitably
applied to the mobile oriented memory requiring the low power
characteristics.
[0039] A person skilled in this art can understand that the
concepts described herein may be applied to specific applicable
examples in various ways. The specific configuration of the
operation timing or circuits as described above indicates some of
the embodiments of the present invention, and a more efficient
method available to the circuit designers in the art may be
possible. Thus, the specific realization thereof should belong to
the present invention and be within the scope of the claims.
[0040] The present invention has been described using preferred
exemplary embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the
scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
On the contrary, the scope of the invention is intended to include
various modifications and alternative arrangements within the
capabilities of persons skilled in the art using presently known or
future technologies and equivalents. The scope of the claims,
therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to
encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
* * * * *