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:
Oct. 27, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 26, 1996
Hidekazu Takata, Nara-ken, JP;
Thomas Mnich, Woodland Park, CO (US);
David Novosel, New Wilmington, PA (US);
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A semiconductor memory device includes a ferroelectric memory having a non-volatile operation mode and a volatile operation mode; an input terminal to which an input signal indicating a voltage level of a power source voltage is input; a first signal generating circuit outputting a first control signal for regulating activation and inactivation of the non-volatile operation mode to the ferroelectric memory; and a second signal generating circuit outputting a second control signal for regulating the activation and inactivation of the non-volatile operation mode to the first signal generating circuit, based on the input signal. The non-volatile operation mode and the volatile operation mode are automatically switched with each other in accordance with changes in the voltage level of the power source voltage under a first operation condition, and only the volatile operation mode is activated under a second operation condition.