Abstract: To reduce cost of defect redundancy and trimming in a semiconductor integrated circuit having multiple layer wirings and copper wirings, address for salvaging defect of a memory cell array in a semiconductor is stored by using a nonvolatile memory element constituting a floating electrode by a first layer of polysilicon, or the nonvolatile memory element is programmed in testing the semiconductor integrated circuit, thereby, a special process is not needed in forming the nonvolatile memory element, that is, the nonvolatile memory element can be formed in a process of forming CMOS device and apparatus of laser beam for programming is not needed since the programming is carried out in testing, time necessary for programming can be shortened and therefore, testing cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A comparator having a hit signal that is high, before a hit check is established in each way of an address array, and that goes low, when a mishit has been established. When a clock frequency is high, the address array is activated by the first clock signal, and thereafter, all ways of a data array are activated by the second clock signal before the hit check is established. When the hit check has been established, data read from a way which has the hit is output onto a data line and an operation in the way which has a mishit is stopped.

Abstract: A communication terminal apparatus which improves the a quality of an additional function such as image processing, music reproduction etc. over repressing power consumption is provided. The communication terminal apparatus has a transmission and reception unit adapted to transmit or receive a signal including a voice signal or an image signal, a decode processing unit adapted to decode a received signal, a first control circuit for controlling the transmission and reception unit and the decode processing unit, a second control circuit for processing an image signal which is outputted from the decode processing unit, a first power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the first control circuit, and a second power supply unit adapted to supply electric power to the second control circuit, and in case that the communication terminal apparatus is not operated for a given length of time, the second power supply unit reduces electric power to the second control circuit.

Abstract: A data processor which includes a first processor for executing a first instruction set and a second processor for executing a second instruction set different from the first instruction set. When the first processor executes a predetermined instruction of the first instruction set the second processor executes an instruction of the second instructions set. The first processor may be a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) type processor, the second processor may be a very long instruction word (VLIW) type processor, the first instruction set may be a RISC instruction set and the second instruction set may be a VLIW instruction set. The predetermined instruction of the RISC instruction set executed by the first processor may be a branch instruction causing a branch to a specific address space at which VLIW instructions are stored. Thereafter, the VLIW instructions at the specific address space are executed by the VLIW type processor.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided including a plurality of circuit blocks and adapted to cut off supply of power source voltage to any optional one of the circuit blocks. The integrated circuit includes an interblock interface circuit provided on a signal path from the optional circuit block to other circuit blocks and provided before its signal being branched thereto. The interblock interface circuit includes a signal gate for preventing signal transmission to other circuit blocks and includes storage unit for storing a signal right before the power cut.

Abstract: A data processor in which a speed of an address translating operation is raised is disclosed. A translation lookaside buffer is divided into a buffer for data and a buffer for instruction, address translation information for instruction is also stored into a translation lookaside buffer for data, and when a translation miss occurs in a translation lookaside buffer for instruction, new address translation information is fetched from the translation lookaside buffer for data. A high speed of the address translating operation can be realized as compared with that in case of obtaining address translation information from an external address translation table each time a translation miss occurs in the translation lookaside buffer for instruction.

Abstract: A data processor which includes a first processor for executing a first instruction set and a second processor for executing a second instruction set different from the first instruction set. When the first processor executes a predetermined instruction of the first instruction set the second processor executes an instruction of the second instructions set. The first processor may be a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) type processor, the second processor may be a very long instruction word (VLIW) type processor, the first instruction set may be a RISC instruction set and the second instruction set may be a VLIW instruction set. The predetermined instruction of the RISC instruction set executed by the first processor may be a branch instruction causing a branch to a specific address space at which VLIW instructions are stored. Thereafter, the VLIW instructions at the specific address space are executed by the VLIW type processor.

Abstract: The data processor has a set-associative cache memory capable of performing associative operation using tag information for an indexed cache line. The cache memory includes way prediction part for performing a selection of a way based on the prediction in parallel with the associative operation, generation part for generating way selection determining information based on the associative operation using the subsequent access address during a penalty cycle caused by a prediction miss of the way prediction part, and control part for making a way selected for the subsequent access address after the penalty cycle on the basis of the way selection determining information. Since a way to be hit at the subsequent cache access can be predetermined during the preceding penalty cycle, the cumulative number of penalty cycles can be reduced.

Abstract: A comparator having a hit signal that is high, before a hit check is established in each way of an address array, and that goes low, when a mishit has been established. When a clock frequency is high, the address array is activated by the first clock signal, and thereafter, all ways of a data array are activated by the second clock signal before the hit check is established. When the hit check has been established, data read from a way which has the hit is output onto a data line and an operation in the way which has a mishit is stopped.

Abstract: A comparator is constituted such that a hit signal &phgr;hit is high, before hit check is established in each way of an address array, and such that the hit signal goes low, when a mishit has been established. When a clock frequency is relatively high, the address array is activated by the first clock signal, and thereafter, all ways of a data array are activated by the second clock signal before the hit check in the address array is established. When the hit check has been established, data read from a way in the data array which has hit is immediately outputted onto a data line and an operation in the way which has mishit is stopped. This novel constitution realizes a high-speed cache operation. When the clock frequency is relatively low, only a way in the data array that has hit is activated after completion of the hit check, thereby reducing power consumption at a low-speed operation.

Abstract: To reduce cost of defect redundancy and trimming in a semiconductor integrated circuit having multiple layer wirings and copper wirings, address for salvaging defect of a memory cell array in a semiconductor is stored by using a nonvolatile memory element constituting a floating electrode by a first layer of polysilicon, or the nonvolatile memory element is programmed in testing the semiconductor integrated circuit, thereby, a special process is not needed in forming the nonvolatile memory element, that is, the nonvolatile memory element can be formed in a process of forming CMOS device and apparatus of laser beam for programming is not needed since the programming is carried out in testing, time necessary for programming can be shortened and therefore, testing cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A data processor in which a speed of an address translating operation is raised is disclosed. A translation lookaside buffer is divided into a buffer for data and a buffer for instruction, address translation information for instruction is also stored into a translation lookaside buffer for data, and when a translation miss occurs in a translation lookaside buffer for instruction, new address translation information is fetched from the translation lookaside buffer for data. A high speed of the address translating operation can be realized as compared with that in case of obtaining address translation information from an external address translation table each time a translation miss occurs in the translation lookaside buffer for instruction.

Abstract: A comparator is constituted such that a hit signal .phi.hit is high, before hit check is established in each way of an address array, and such that the hit signal goes low, when a mishit has been established. When a clock frequency is relatively high, the address array is activated by the first clock signal, and thereafter, all ways of a data array are activated by the second clock signal before the hit check in the address array is established. When the hit check has been established, data read from a way in the data array which has hit is immediately outputted onto a data line and an operation in the way which has mishit is stopped. This novel constitution realizes a high-speed cache operation. When the clock frequency is relatively low, only a way in the data array that has hit is activated after completion of the hit check, thereby reducing power consumption at a low-speed operation.

Abstract: A data processor which includes a first processor for executing a first instruction set and a second processor for executing a second instruction set different from the first instruction set. When the first processor executes a predetermined instruction of the first instruction set the second processor executes an instruction of the second instructions set. The first processor may be a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) type processor, the second processor may be a very long instruction word (VLIW) type processor, the first instruction set may be a RISC instruction set and the second instruction set may be a VLIW instruction set. The predetermined instruction of the RISC instruction set executed by the first processor may be a branch instruction causing a branch to a specific address space at which VLIW instructions are stored. Thereafter, the VLIW instructions at the specific address space are executed by the VLIW type processor.

Abstract: A comparator is constituted such that a hit signal .phi.hit is high, before hit check is established in each way of an address array, and such that the hit signal goes low, when a mishit has been established. When a clock frequency is relatively high, the address array is activated by the first clock signal, and thereafter, all ways of a data array are activated by the second clock signal before the hit check in the address array is established. When the hit check has been established, data read from a way in the data array which has hit is immediately outputted onto a data line and an operation in the way which has mishit is stopped. This novel constitution realizes a high-speed cache operation. When the clock frequency is relatively low, only a way in the data array that has hit is activated after completion of the hit check, thereby reducing power consumption at a low-speed operation.