The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 14, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 30, 1994
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A semiconductor memory device according to the present invention includes: a memory cell array including (2.sup.n +m) memory cells, wherein n and m are integers satisfying the relationship 2.sup.n <2.sup.n +m<2.sup.n+1 ; an address decoder for receiving an address signal of (n+l) bits and for specifying one of the (2.sup.n +m) memory cells in accordance with the address signal; an output circuit for outputting data stored in the memory cell specified by the decoding means; an empty address detecting circuit for receiving at least two bits of the address signal of (n+1) bits and for generating a detection signal which indicates whether the address signal represents an empty address or not; and a control circuit for receiving an enable signal and for generating a control signal for outputting the data stored in the specified memory cell in accordance with the enable signal, wherein the control circuit further receives the detection signal and generates a control signal for inhibiting the data from being output when the address signal specifies an empty address, regardless of the state of the enable signal.