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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2014

Filed:

Jan. 17, 2013
Applicant:

Etron Technology, Inc., Hsinchu, TW;

Inventors:

Chun Shiah, Hsinchu, TW;

Sen-Fu Hong, Tainan, TW;

Assignee:

Etron Technology, Inc., Hsinchu, TW;

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 7/00 (2006.01); G11C 11/402 (2006.01); G11C 11/406 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11C 11/402 (2013.01); G11C 11/40615 (2013.01); G11C 11/40603 (2013.01); G11C 11/40618 (2013.01);
Abstract

A memory includes a determination circuit, a plurality of refresh counters, and a plurality of banks. The determination circuit receives a refresh command. The plurality of refresh counters are coupled to the determination circuit. Each refresh counter of the plurality of refresh counters corresponds to one bank of the plurality of banks. The determination circuit detects whether a first bank of the plurality of banks is enabled or a number counted by a first refresh counter of the plurality of refresh counters corresponding to the first bank is equal to a predetermined value. Then, the determination circuit optionally refreshes one bank of the plurality of banks according to a detection result. Thus, the memory still refreshes an idle bank according to a refresh command even if the plurality of banks are not all idle.


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