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Semiconductor memory device and semiconductor device    

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United States Patent7403408   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/7403408.html
Inventor(s)Otori; Hiroshi (Mizuho, JP), Hasegawa; Masatoshi (Hamura, JP), Kusunoki; Mitsugu (Kunitachi, JP), Sakamoto; Masatoshi (Hamura, JP)
AbstractA semiconductor memory device that satisfies needs of both a large number of memory banks and a higher operation speed is provided. A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of data terminal pads, and a plurality of memory banks independently subject to memory access. Each of the memory banks is divided into a plurality of submemory banks. The data terminal pads are also divided into a plurality of groups so as to be associated with submemory banks obtained by the division. Blocks each including submemory banks obtained by the division and data terminal pads associated with the submemory banks are arranged so as not to overlap each other on a semiconductor chip.
   














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Inventor     Otori; Hiroshi (Mizuho, JP) , Hasegawa; Masatoshi (Hamura, JP) , Kusunoki; Mitsugu (Kunitachi, JP) , Sakamoto; Masatoshi (Hamura, JP)
Owner/Assignee     Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)
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Publication Date     July 22, 2008
Application Number     11/134,389
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
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Litigation
Filing Date     May 23, 2005
US Classification     365/51 365/230.03 365/63
Int'l Classification    
Examiner     Elms; Richard T.
Assistant Examiner     Nguyen; Hien N
Attorney/Law Firm     Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
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Parent Case    
Priority Data     May 24, 2004 [JP] 2004-152652
USPTO Field of Search     365/230.03 365/230.06 365/189.08 365/51 365/63
Patent Tags     semiconductor memory semiconductor
   
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 U.S. References
 
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2006/0176752
Lindstedt

Aug,2006

[0 after 0 votes]
6873563
Suwa et al.

Mar,2005

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2005/0024949
Hokari et al.

Feb,2005

[0 after 0 votes]
6141286
Vo et al.

Oct,2000

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5943285
Kohno

Aug,1999

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5473573
Rao

Dec,1995

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August 1994


Dec,1995

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The invention claimed is:

1. A semiconductor memory device comprising: a plurality of data terminal pads; a plurality of memory banks independently subject to memory access; and a peripheral circuit which extends substantially across a semiconductor chip in a first direction, wherein each of the memory banks is divided into a plurality of submemory banks, including a submemory bank disposed to a first side of the peripheral circuit and a submemory bank disposed to a second side of the peripheral circuit, said submemory bank disposed to the first side of the peripheral circuit can output data to a portion of the plurality of data terminal pads disposed to the first side of the peripheral circuit, and said submemory bank disposed to the second side of the peripheral circuit can output data to a portion of the plurality of data terminal pads disposed to the second side of the peripheral circuit.

2. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, further comprising a central portion which extends substantially across the semiconductor chip in a second direction, wherein said central portion is taken as a boundary, and in each of first and second semiconductor areas to opposite sides of said central area, a number of data terminal pads are arranged side by side in the second direction.

3. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein, as for the data terminal pads, pads associated with a bus width of total N bits are divided in the second direction into pads associated with upper bits and pads associated with lower bits, and the pads associated with upper bits and the pads associated with lower bits are respectively distributed uniformly in the first direction.

4. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 3, further comprising pads associated with a bus width of upper N bits, wherein in the same way as the bus width of total N bits, the pads associated with a bus width of upper N bits are arranged so as to be divided in the second direction into pads associated with upper bits and pads associated with lower bits, and the pads associated with upper bits and the pads associated with lower bits are respectively distributed uniformly in the first direction.

5. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 2, wherein each of the memory banks is formed with dynamic memory cells, and the semiconductor chip is mounted on a package associated with a static RAM.

6. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 5, wherein submemory banks in the first semiconductor area include a submemory bank that has a data transmission route passing over other submemory banks and leading to a data terminal pad formed on the second semiconductor area.

7. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 6, wherein, in each of the submemory banks, a data output main amplifier and a data input write amplifier are disposed in an area opposite to a row of the data terminal pads.

8. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 7, wherein each of the memory banks includes subarrays obtained by dividing a submemory bank into N/4 parts in a word line direction (N being a unit maximum number of bits) and into a plurality of parts in a bit line direction, and for each subarray, a dynamic memory cell is disposed at an intersection of a sub word line and a bit line, sub word drivers are provided on both sides of the subarray in the word line direction, a sub word line of the subarray is selected by a main word line and a sub word line selection line, and sense amplifiers are provided on both sides of the subarray in the bit line direction.

9. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 8, wherein, over each subarray, write and read input and output lines are extended in the bit line direction and connected to a corresponding main amplifier and a corresponding write amplifier.

10. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 1, wherein the data terminal pads are divided into a plurality of groups, each said group being associated with a respective group of submemory banks, and said groups of submemory banks and their associated groups of data terminal pads are disposed in blocks which do not overlap each other on the semiconductor chip, including a block disposed to the first side of the peripheral circuit and a block disposed to the second side of the peripheral circuit.

11. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 10, further comprising a central portion which extends substantially across the semiconductor chip in a second direction, wherein said central portion is taken as a boundary, and in each of first and second semiconductor areas to opposite sides of said central area, a number of data terminal pads are arranged side by side in the second direction.

12. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11, wherein, as for the data terminal pads, pads associated with a bus width of total N bits are divided in the second direction into pads associated with upper bits and pads associated with lower bits, and the pads associated with upper bits and the pads associated with lower bits are respectively distributed uniformly in the first direction.

13. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 12, further comprising pads associated with a bus width of upper N bits, wherein in the same way as the bus width of total N bits, the pads associated with a bus width of upper N bits are arranged so as to be divided in the second direction into pads associated with upper bits and pads associated with lower bits, and the pads associated with upper bits and the pads associated with lower bits are respectively distributed uniformly in the first direction.

14. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 11, wherein each of the memory banks is formed with dynamic memory cells, and the semiconductor chip is mounted on a package associated with a static RAM.

15. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 14, wherein submemory banks in the first semiconductor area include a submemory bank that has a data transmission route passing over other submemory banks and leading to a data terminal pad formed on the second semiconductor area.

16. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 15, wherein, in each of the submemory banks, a data output main amplifier and a data input write amplifier are disposed in an area opposite to a row of the data terminal pads.

17. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 16, wherein each of the memory banks includes subarrays obtained by dividing a submemory bank into N/4 parts in a word line direction (N being a unit maximum number of bits) and into a plurality of parts in a bit line direction, and for each subarray, a dynamic memory cell is disposed at an intersection of a sub word line and a bit line, sub word drivers are provided on both sides of the subarray in the word line direction, a sub word line of the subarray is selected by a main word line and a sub word line selection line, and sense amplifiers are provided on both sides of the subarray in the bit line direction.

18. The semiconductor memory device according to claim 17, wherein, over each subarray, write and read input and output lines are extended in the bit line direction and connected to a corresponding main amplifier and a corresponding write amplifier.
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