Abstract: Memory modules and methods for fabricating and implementing memory modules wherein unique operating current values corresponding to specific memory devices on the memory modules are accessed from a database such that the operating current values may be implemented to improve system performance. Memory modules comprising a number of volatile memory devices may be fabricated. Operating current values corresponding to the specific memory devices on the memory module may be stored in a database and accessed during fabrication or during implementation of the memory modules in a system. System performance may be optimized by implementing the unique operating current values corresponding to the specific memory devices on the memory modules.

Abstract: A method of employing memory cells of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method comprises steps of storing configuration data in a plurality of memory cells of a memory of the integrated circuit; selecting unused memory cells of the memory of the integrated circuit for use as a scratchpad memory; providing access to the unused memory cells of the integrated circuit; and enabling use of the unused memory cell of the integrated circuit in a user mode as scratchpad memory. According to one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of input/output ports of the integrated circuit is coupled to a plurality of JTAG inputs coupled to the plurality of unused memory cells. A programmable logic device having memory cells for storing data, and a circuit employing a programmable logic device, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Multi-bit flash memory devices are provided. The multi-bit flash memory device includes an array of memory cells and a page buffer block including page buffers. Each of the page buffers has a single latch structure and performs a write operation with respect to memory cells according to loaded data. A buffer random access memory (RAM) is configured to store program data provided from an external host device during a multi-bit program operation. Control logic is provided that is configured to control the page buffer block and the buffer RAM so that program data stored in the buffer RAM is reloaded into the page buffer block whenever data programmed before the multi-bit program operation is compared with data to be currently programmed. The control logic is configured to store data to be programmed next in the buffer RAM before the multi-bit program operation is completed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for collecting data related to a status of an electrical power system, wherein data is continuously acquired from the electrical power system and is stored, at least temporarily, in a first volatile memory. Upon the occurrence of an event, the data stored in the first volatile memory is copied and permanently stored in a second non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided on a semiconductor substrate, and includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cells respectively coupled to the plurality of word lines and to the plurality of data lines. The erasable non-volatile memory cell each includes a MIS transistor having a floating gate having a first level polycrystalline silicon layer, a source, and a drain coupled to the corresponding data line, and a control gate formed of a semiconductor region in the semiconductor substrate, the control gate being coupled to the corresponding word line.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor memory system which may include a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory that share a common bus, and a method for controlling the operation of the non-volatile memory. The semiconductor memory system may include a non-volatile memory and a memory controller. The non-volatile memory may include a buffer memory that temporarily stores data to be read from or to be written to a memory cell array, and an internal controller. The memory controller may transmits a mode signal to the non-volatile memory in response to a control signal, the control signal corresponds to either a read mode or a write mode to be applied to the non-volatile memory. In response to the mode signal, the internal controller may control the data to be read to be stored in the buffer memory, if the read mode is to be applied, and the internal controller may control the buffer memory to stand-by until a write command is received, if the write mode is to be applied.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell is provided that includes: a substrate including diffusion regions for a read-out transistor; a capacitor formed in a poly-silicon layer adjacent the substrate, the capacitor including a floating gate for the read-out transistor and a control gate, the floating gate and the control gate each having finger extensions, the finger extensions from the floating gate interdigitating with the finger extensions from the control gate; and a programming line coupled to the control gate.

Abstract: Multiple bits are programmed in a NAND flash memory device by programming a memory cell with an LSB; storing the LSB into a cache register from the memory cell; programming the memory cell with an MSB that is stored in a main register; storing a data bit into the main register from the memory cell during a first verifying operation; storing a data bit into the cache register from the memory cell during a second verifying operation; and transferring the data bit to the main register from the cache register.

Abstract: An integrated DRAM-NVRAM, multi-level memory cell is comprised of a vertical DRAM device with a shared vertical gate floating plate device. The floating plate device provides enhanced charge storage for the DRAM part of the cell through the shared floating body in a pillar between the two functions. The memory cell is formed in a substrate with trenches that form pillars. A vertical wordline/gate on one side of a pillar is used to control the DRAM part of the cell. A vertical trapping layer on the other side of the pillar stores one or more charges as part of the floating plate device and to enhance the DRAM function through the floating body between the DRAM and floating plate device. A vertical NVRAM wordline/control gate is formed alongside the trapping layer and is shared with an adjacent floating plate device.

Abstract: A single 4-transistor non-volatile memory (NVM) cell includes a shared static random access memory cell. The NVM cell utilizes a reverse Fowler-Nordheim tunneling programming technique that, in combination with the shared SRAM cell structure, allows an entire cell array to be programmed at two cycles. A single NVM cell approach with shared SRAM allows a 50% area reduction with an insignificant increase in program time.

Abstract: An improved CMOS high-voltage latch that stores data bits to be written to memory cells of a non-volatile memory is connected to a Vdd supply voltage during a standby mode of operation and during a load-data mode of operation. During a high-voltage write mode of operation, the HV terminal is connected to a HIGH-VOLTAGE supply voltage. A cross-coupled high-voltage CMOS latch is connected between the HV terminal and a ground terminal and has a latch input node B and a latch output node A. An input buffer is connected between the HV terminal and the ground terminal and has an input terminal connected to a DATA INPUT terminal. An output terminal of the input buffer is connected to the latch input node B. The input buffer is enabled during a load-data mode of operation to load data from a DATA INPUT terminal to the latch input node B of the cross-coupled high-voltage CMOS latch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device and a method for controlling a semiconductor device having a memory cell array having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, the method including detecting the number of bits to be written as division data that is divided from data to be programmed into the memory cell array, comparing the number of bits with a predetermined number of bits, inverting or not inverting the division data to produce inversion data in accordance with a result of comparing the number of bits with the predetermined number of bits, and programming the inversion data into the memory cell array. The method further includes detecting the number of bits to be written as next division data and comparing the number of bits of next division data with the predetermined number of bits, while concurrently programming the inversion data into the memory cell array.

Abstract: First and second complimentary static random-access-memory cell bit lines are coupled to first and second bit nodes through first and second access transistors controlled by a word line. A first inverter has an input coupled to the first bit node and an output coupled to the second bit node. A second inverter has an input coupled to the second bit node and an output coupled to the first bit node through a first transistor switch. A transistor switch is coupled between the output of a non-volatile memory cell and the first bit node. A control circuit coupled to the gate of the transistor switch. Either the drive level of the non-volatile memory cell is selected to overpower the output of the second inverter or the second inverter is decoupled from the first bit node while the output of the non-volatile memory cell is coupled to the first bit node.

Abstract: Disclosed is a NAND flash memory device comprising a memory cell array connected to a page buffer via a plurality of bitlines. The page buffer stores input data to be programmed in the memory cell array. The memory cell array is programmed by establishing bitline voltages for the plurality of bitlines according to the input data and then applying a wordline voltage to the memory cell array. The bitline voltages are established by first precharging the bitlines to a power supply voltage and then selectively discharging the bitlines according to the input data. The bitlines are discharged sequentially, i.e., some of the bitlines are discharged before others.

Abstract: An integrated semiconductor memory device includes at least one memory cell, at least one sense amplifier and a pair of bit lines connected to each sense amplifier, where each memory cell includes a selection transistor and a storage capacitor. The storage capacitor of each memory cell includes a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode, and the selection transistor of each memory cell includes a first source/drain region that is connected by a first contact connection to one bit line of a pair of bit lines corresponding with the memory cell, and a second source/drain region that is conductively connected to the first capacitor electrode of the storage capacitor of the memory cell. The second capacitor electrode of the storage capacitor of each memory cell is connected to the other bit line of the pair of bit lines corresponding with the memory cell.

Abstract: When a memory device receives two or more pluralities of bits from a host to store in a nonvolatile memory, the device first stores the bits in a volatile memory. Then, in storing the bits in the nonvolatile memory, the device raises the threshold voltages of some cells of the volatile memory to values above a verify voltage. While those threshold voltages remain substantially at those levels, the device raises the threshold voltages of other cells of the volatile memory to values below the verify voltage. In the end, every cell stores one or more bits from each plurality of bits. Preferably, all the cells share a common wordline. A data storage device operates similarly with respect to storing pluralities of bits generated by an application running on the system.

Abstract: A method is provided for programming a nonvolatile memory array including an array of memory cells, where each memory cell including a substrate, a control gate, a charge storage element having at least two charge storage areas for storing at least two independent charges, a source region and a drain region. The method includes designating at least one memory cell as a high-speed memory cell and pre-conditioning the high-speed memory cells by placing a first of the at least two charge storage areas into a programmed state, and subsequently enabling the programming on the second area with much higher rate.

Abstract: A memory circuit includes a controlled current source coupled to an input to a nonvolatile cell, and a second controlled current source coupled to a volatile cell, the volatile cell coupled to receive current from the controlled current source via the nonvolatile cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided on a semiconductor substrate, and includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory cells respectively coupled to the plurality of word lines and to the plurality of data lines. The erasable non-volatile memory cell each includes a MIS transistor having a floating gate having a first level polycrystalline silicon layer, a source, and a drain coupled to the corresponding data line, and a control gate formed of a semiconductor region in the semiconductor substrate, the control gate being coupled to the corresponding word line.

Abstract: A differential non-volatile content addressable memory array has a differential non-volatile content addressable memory cell which uses a pair of non-volatile storage elements. Each of the non-volatile storage elements can be a split-gate floating gate transistor or a stack gate floating gate transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal, a channel therebetween and a floating gate over at least a portion of the channel to control the conduction of electrons in the channel, and a control gate. The floating gate storage transistor can be in one of two states: a first state, such as erase, in which current can flow between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a second state, such as programmed, in which substantially no current flows between the first terminal and the second terminal. A pair of differential compare data lines connects to the control gate of each of the pair of non-volatile floating gate transistors.

Abstract: A single-gate non-volatile memory and an operation method thereof, wherein a transistor and a capacitor structure are embedded in a semiconductor substrate; the transistor comprises: a first electrically-conductive gate, a first dielectric layer, and multiple ion-doped regions; the capacitor structure comprises: a second electrically-conductive gate, a second dielectric layer, and a second on-doped region; the first electrically-conductive gate and the second electrically-conductive gate are interconnected to form a single floating gate of a memory cell; a reverse bias is used to implement the reading, writing, and erasing operations of the single-floating-gate memory cell; in the operation of a single-gate non-volatile memory with an isolation well, positive and negative voltages are applied to the drain, the gate, and the silicon substrate/the isolation well to create an inversion layer so that the absolute voltage, the area of the voltage booster circuit, and the current consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: A nonvolatile RAM for reading and writing data in a random manner includes a memory area configured by a plurality of memory cells suited to a nonvolatile-mode write operation, in which the stored content thereof is not lost irrespective of a power-off event, and a volatile-mode write operation, in which the stored content thereof is lost in the power-off event. A register designates a first portion of the memory area adapted to the nonvolatile-mode write operation regarding fixed data such as program codes and a second portion of the memory area serving as a work area adapted to the volatile-mode write operation. A control circuit performs the nonvolatile-mode write operation on the first portion of the memory area while performing the volatile-mode write operation on the second portion of the memory area.

Abstract: An integrated DRAM-NVRAM, multi-level memory cell is comprised of a vertical DRAM device with a shared vertical gate floating plate device. The floating plate device provides enhanced charge storage for the DRAM part of the cell through the shared floating body in a pillar between the two functions. The memory cell is formed in a substrate with trenches that form pillars. A vertical wordline/gate on one side of a pillar is used to control the DRAM part of the cell. A vertical trapping layer on the other side of the pillar stores one or more charges as part of the floating plate device and to enhance the DRAM function through the floating body between the DRAM and floating plate device. A vertical NVRAM wordline/control gate is formed alongside the trapping layer and is shared with an adjacent floating plate device.

Abstract: A circuit of non-volatile memory which includes a plurality of memory units is disclosed. The memory unit comprises a first switch, a second switch, a data line, a voltage storage component, and a plurality of memory components connected in series. The first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the first voltage. The data line is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch. The first terminal of the voltage storage component is coupled to the data line, and the second terminal of the voltage storage component is coupled to the ground. The first terminal of the second switch is coupled the data line. In addition, the third terminal of each memory component is coupled to the first terminal of the next memory component, and the second terminal of the each memory component is coupled to second voltage.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory and a memory controller operating to control the memory. The memory includes a random accessible memory including a memory cell array operable in a random access mode, a NAND flash memory, and a selection circuit making the memory controller operate either one of the random accessible memory or the NAND flash memory.

Abstract: A memory cell that has both a DRAM cell and a non-volatile memory cell. The non-volatile memory cell might include a flash memory or an NROM cell. The memory cell is comprised of a vertical floating body transistor with dual gates, one on either side of a vertical pillar of a substrate. One gate is a polysilicon gate and gate insulator that is adjacent to the floating body of the transistor and acts as a DRAM cell. The non-volatile memory cell is constructed on the other side of the pillar with a floating gate or NROM structure. The DRAM and non-volatile cells are linked by a drain region coupling the two cells to a memory array bitline. The bottom of trenches on either side of the pillar have source regions that are linked to respective source lines of the memory array.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to non-volatile memory devices and their methods of manufacture. Embodiments comprise an array of non-volatile memory cells, the array comprising a multiplicity of array columns having at least one redundant column of non-volatile memory cells adapted to replace a defective array column, a column decoder, and a column redundancy unit. The column decoder is adapted to receive an address of a memory cell to which data is to be written or from which data is to be read. The column redundancy unit is adapted to decide whether the decoded address is to be written to or read from an array from or a redundant column. The data required by the column redundancy unit is stored in a column redundancy memory, which is connected to the column redundancy unit by means of a dedicated column redundancy bus.

Abstract: An integrated DRAM-NVRAM, multi-level memory cell is comprised of a vertical DRAM device with a shared vertical gate floating plate device. The floating plate device provides enhanced charge storage for the DRAM part of the cell through the shared floating body in a pillar between the two functions. The memory cell is formed in a substrate with trenches that form pillars. A vertical wordline/gate on one side of a pillar is used to control the DRAM part of the cell. A vertical trapping layer on the other side of the pillar stores one or more charges as part of the floating plate device and to enhance the DRAM function through the floating body between the DRAM and floating plate device. A vertical NVRAM wordline/control gate is formed alongside the trapping layer and is shared with an adjacent floating plate device.

Abstract: An integrated DRAM-NVRAM, multi-level memory cell is comprised of a vertical DRAM device with a shared vertical gate floating plate device. The floating plate device provides enhanced charge storage for the DRAM part of the cell through the shared floating body in a pillar between the two functions. The memory cell is formed in a substrate with trenches that form pillars. A vertical wordline/gate on one side of a pillar is used to control the DRAM part of the cell. A vertical trapping layer on the other side of the pillar stores one or more charges as part of the floating plate device and to enhance the DRAM function through the floating body between the DRAM and floating plate device. A vertical NVRAM wordline/control gate is formed alongside the trapping layer and is shared with an adjacent floating plate device.

Abstract: A memory element comprises a resistance element having a first resistance value in a first state and a second resistance value in a second state, it being possible to convert the resistance element from the first state into the second state and from the second state into the first state and the first resistance value and the second resistance value being different, a current generating device, coupled to a first terminal of the resistance element, the current generating device being designed to generate a current with a first amplitude through the resistance element when a predetermined potential is present at a second terminal of the resistance element, in order to convert the resistance element into the first state for setting the first resistance value, or to generate a current with a second amplitude through the resistance element when the predetermined potential is present at the second terminal of the resistance element, in order to convert the resistance element into the second state for setting the se

Abstract: A volatile semiconductor memory includes a self-test controller detecting a defect of a memory cell, and an address storage storing a defective address indicating an address of a defective memory cell, and a refresh adjust circuit setting a refresh cycle of a memory cell designated by the defective address to be shorter than a refresh cycle of a normal memory cell.

Abstract: A method for data storage includes providing a memory, which includes first memory cells having a first reading latency and second memory cells having a second reading latency that is higher than the first reading latency. An item of data intended for storage in the memory is divided into first and second parts. The first part is stored in the first memory cells and the second part is stored in the second memory cells. In response to a request to retrieve the item of data from the memory, the first part is read from the first memory cells and provided as output. The second part is read from the second memory cells, and provided as output subsequently to outputting the first part.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory cell includes a volatile storage device that stores a corresponding logic state in response to electrical stimulus; and a shadow memory device coupled to the volatile storage device. The shadow memory device receives and stores the corresponding logic state in response to electrical stimulus. The shadow memory device includes a non-volatile nanotube switch that stores the corresponding state of the shadow device.

Abstract: A system and method for programming both sides of the non-volatile portion in a semiconductor memory is disclosed. The present invention erases and then programs the memory stacks in the non-volatile portion of an nvSRAM.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory array having a first memory cell array with a number of first memory cells and a second cell array with a number of second memory cells. The memory cells in the first and second memory cell arrays are arranged in rows and columns. Each column of second memory cells in the second memory array is coupled to a column of first memory cells in the first memory array.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a composite storage circuit capable of executing a writing operation and reading operation at high speed, and as the result of that, a semiconductor apparatus capable of realizing an instant-on function and an instant-off function is provided. The composite storage circuit is constituted of a volatile storage circuit and a non-volatile storage circuit connected in parallel, and the same information as storage information in the volatile storage circuit is stored in the non-volatile storage circuit. Moreover, as a power supply to the volatile storage circuit decreases, storage information in the volatile storage circuit is written in the non-volatile storage circuit. Further, after a power failure or a decreased power supply, storage information from the non-volatile storage circuit is returned to the volatile storage circuit upon restarting power feeding. Further, a semiconductor apparatus is constituted by having the composite storage circuit described above.

Abstract: Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile modes and methods of operation.

Abstract: An integrated DRAM-NVRAM, multi-level memory cell is comprised of a vertical DRAM device with a shared vertical gate floating plate device. The floating plate device provides enhanced charge storage for the DRAM part of the cell through the shared floating body in a pillar between the two functions. The memory cell is formed in a substrate with trenches that form pillars. A vertical wordline/gate on one side of a pillar is used to control the DRAM part of the cell. A vertical trapping layer on the other side of the pillar stores one or more charges as part of the floating plate device and to enhance the DRAM function through the floating body between the DRAM and floating plate device. A vertical NVRAM wordline/control gate is formed alongside the trapping layer and is shared with an adjacent floating plate device.

Abstract: An improved flash EEPROM memory-based storage subsystem includes one or more flash memory arrays, each with three data registers and a controller circuit. During a flash program operation, one data register is used to control the program operation, a second register is used to hold the target data value, and a third register is used to load the next sector's data. Subsequent to a flash program operation, a sector's data are read from a flash array into the first data register and compared to the target data stored in the second register. When the data is verified good, the data from the third register is copied into the first and second registers for the next program operation. This creates an improved performance system that doesn't suffer data transfer latency during program operations that require data verification after the program operation is complete. Alternate embodiments perform the comparison using two register implementations and a single register implementations.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for collecting data related to a status of an electrical power system, wherein data is continuously acquired from the electrical power system and is stored, at least temporarily, in a first volatile memory. Upon the occurrence of an event, the data stored in the first volatile memory is copied and permanently stored in a second non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A flash memory device comprises an array of memory cells capable of storing different numbers of bits per cell. A page buffer circuit for the flash memory device comprises a plurality of page buffers, each operating during programming, erasing, and reading operations of the memory cells. A control logic unit controls functions of the page buffers in accordance with the number of bits stored in corresponding memory cells.

Abstract: A memory cell that has both a DRAM cell and a non-volatile memory cell. The non-volatile memory cell might include a flash memory or an NROM cell. The memory cell is comprised of a vertical floating body transistor with dual gates, one on either side of a vertical pillar of a substrate. One gate is a polysilicon gate and gate insulator that is adjacent to the floating body of the transistor and acts as a DRAM cell. The non-volatile memory cell is constructed on the other side of the pillar with a floating gate or NROM structure. The DRAM and non-volatile cells are linked by a drain region coupling the two cells to a memory array bitline. The bottom of trenches on either side of the pillar have source regions that are linked to respective source lines of the memory array.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of tiles. One tile is a master tile. Other tiles contain writable registers of memory structures. Information for configuring circuitry of the tile is stored in the register in the tile. An individual one of the registers can be written via the master tile. Each memory structure of a register includes a non-volatile floating gate cell (that stores the configuration information) as well as a volatile cell. All transistors have the same gate insulator thickness. Although a programming pulse signal is applied to all memory structures, the state of the non-volatile cell of a memory structure is only changed if the state stored by the associated non-volatile cell differs from the state stored by the volatile cell. Floating gates are automatically refreshed by the programming pulse signal. By storing configuration information in each tile, inefficiencies associated with using blocks of non-volatile memory are avoided.

Abstract: A page buffer circuit of a memory device including a plurality of Multi-Level Cells (MLCs) connected to at least a pair of bit lines includes a Most Significant Bit (MSB) latch, a Least Significant Bit (LSB) latch, a data I/O circuit, an inverted output circuit, a MSB verification circuit, and a LSB verification circuit. The MSB latch is configured to sense a voltage of a sensing node in response to a control signal and store an upper sensing data, and output an inverted upper sensing data, or store an input data and output an inverted input data. The LSB latch is configured to sense a voltage of the sensing node in response to the control signal, and store and output a lower sensing data, or store and output an input data received through the MSB latch. The data I/O circuit is connected to the MSB latch and a data I/O line, and is configured to perform the input and output of a sensing data or the input and output of a program data.

Abstract: A non volatile memory device and a memory system having the same are disclosed. The non volatile memory device may include a memory cell array having a plurality of non volatile memory cells, a DRAM interface for exchanging data, a command and an address with an external device, a controller for selecting one of the memory cells in response to the address and performing a control operation for one of outputting data of the selected memory cell to the external device in response to the command and storing data received from the external device, and a DRAM buffer memory. The DRAM buffer memory has dynamic memory cells, and each of the dynamic memory cells has one transistor with a floating body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flash memory device and a reading method thereof wherein, in a page buffer of a flash memory device, a transmitting unit is disposed between a bit line and a sensing node and the lengths of the sensing node wiring are configured to be the identical across all page buffers. In addition, the wirings of a plurality of sensing nodes are disposed on separate levels, low and high, so as to not to be adjacent to each other, such that the loading time of the sensing nodes of the page buffers are uniform and the coupling capacitance between the sensing node wirings is excluded, thereby resulting in an accurate reading operation of data.

Abstract: A memory cell has a selection transistor constituted of an MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a cell transistor constituted of an MOS transistor having the same polarity as the selection transistor, in such a configuration that these two transistors are connected in series. A bit line is connected to a drain region of the selection transistor and a word line is connected to the gate electrode thereof. A gate electrode of the cell transistor is not electrically connected anywhere so as to be in a floating potential state, while a drain region thereof is connected to a source region of the selection transistor. A source line is connected to a source region of the cell transistor.

Abstract: An integrated DRAM-NVRAM, multi-level memory cell is comprised of a vertical DRAM device with a shared vertical gate floating plate device. The floating plate device provides enhanced charge storage for the DRAM part of the cell through the shared floating body in a pillar between the two functions. The memory cell is formed in a substrate with trenches that form pillars. A vertical wordline/gate on one side of a pillar is used to control the DRAM part of the cell. A vertical trapping layer on the other side of the pillar stores one or more charges as part of the floating plate device and to enhance the DRAM function through the floating body between the DRAM and floating plate device. A vertical NVRAM wordline/control gate is formed alongside the trapping layer and is shared with an adjacent floating plate device.

Abstract: A nonvolatile storage is disclosed which has a plurality of blocks each serving as one unit in erasing operation and performs a plurality of erasing operations successively, the nonvolatile storage comprising: a volatile memory cell array for storing erase setting information on each block, the information indicating whether or not its associated block is a target to be erased; a write amplifier for writing the erase setting information in the volatile memory cell array; a first readout amplifier for reading out the erase setting information on a target block from the volatile memory cell array upon start of the erasing operation; and a second readout amplifier for reading out the erase setting information on a target block from the volatile memory cell array upon start of readout operation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a card having a controller and a clock control circuit. The controller incorporates a core logic, and the clock control circuit incorporates a PLL. When a card becomes idle to wait for commands, the clock control circuit stops the supply of a clock signal to the core logic. The clock control circuit can operate in two clock control modes. In the first clock control mode, the circuit stops the PLL. In the second clock control mode, the circuit shuts off the clock signal to be supplied from the PLL to the controller.