Clock signal generation apparatus for use in semiconductor memory device and its method

Abstract

A clock signal generation apparatus for generating a reference clock signal for outputting data in synchronization with an external clock signal from a semiconductor memory device, including: a clock signal generation unit for receiving an internal clock signal to generate the reference clock signal according to a control signal; and a control unit for generating the control signal based on a read command, a write command and an external address.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A clock signal generation apparatus for generating a reference clock signal for outputting data in synchronization with an external clock signal from a semiconductor memory device, comprising:
 a clock signal generation unit for receiving the external clock signal to generate the reference clock signal in response to a control signal; and 
 a control unit for generating the control signal based on a read command, a write command and an external address, wherein the clock signal generation unit generates the reference clock signal when the control signal is activated and does not generate the reference clock signal when the control signal is inactivated. 
 
     
     
       2. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the clock signal generation unit generates the reference clock signal when the control signal is a logic LOW when activated and does not generate the reference clock signal when the control signal is a logic HIGH when inactivated. 
     
     
       3. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim  2  1, wherein the control signal is in an activated state for a predetermined time after the control signal is activated in response to the a read signal, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a value of adding a predetermined delay time and a burst length (BL) to a column address strobe (GAS CAS) latency. 
     
     
       4. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined delay time corresponds to from about a half clock cycle to about two clock cycles. 
     
     
       5. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the control signal is inactivated when the a write signal is activated according to the write command. 
     
     
       6. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes:
 a clock controller for generating the control signal according to a read signal, a write signal, a data output off signal and a bank active signal, wherein the read signal or the write signal is activated when the read command or the write command is inputted to the semiconductor memory device; and 
 a mode register for generating the data output off signal and the bank active signal based on the read command and the external address. 
 
     
     
       7. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the control signal is inactivated when the bank active signal is in a logic high level and the data output off signal is in a logic high level. 
     
     
       8. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the bank active signal is in a logic low level when none of a plurality of banks included in the semiconductor memory device is activated. 
     
     
       9. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the data output off signal becomes in a logic low level after time corresponded to the CAS latency is passed after the read signal is activated according to the read command, and a logic level of the data output off signal is kept as a logic low level for the BL. 
     
     
       10. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a command signal receiver for receiving the external clock signal and a plurality of command signals to thereby generate an internal clock signal and transfers the plurality of command signals; and 
 a command decoder for decoding the plurality of command signals outputted from the command signal to thereby generate the read signal and the write signal. 
 
     
     
       11. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the reference clock signal includes a first reference clock signal and a second reference clock signal and the dock clock signal generation unit includes:
 a first reference clock signal generator for receiving the internal clock signal to generate the first reference clock signal in synchronization with a rising edge of the internal clock signal according to the control signal; and 
 a second reference clock signal generator for receiving the internal clock signal to generate the second reference clock signal in synchronization with a falling edge of the internal clock signal according to the control signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first reference clock signal generator includes:
 a first inverter for inverting the internal clock signal; 
 a second inverter for inverting an output of the first inverter; 
 a first delay for delaying an output of the second inverter; 
 a first NOR gate for performing a logic NOR operation to an output of the first delay and the control signal; 
 a first NAND gate for performing a logic NAND operation to the output of the second inverter and an output of the first NOR gate; and 
 a third inverter for inverting an output of the first NAND gate to thereby generate the first reference clock signal. 
 
     
     
       13. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first reference clock signal generator includes:
 a transfer gate for transferring the internal clock signal; 
 a fourth inverter for inverting an output of the transfer gate; 
 a second delay for delaying an output of the fourth inverter; 
 a second NOR gate for performing a logic NOR operation to an output of the second delay and the control signal; 
 a second NAND gate for performing a logic NAND operation to the output of the third inverter and an output of the second NOR gate; and 
 a fifth inverter for inverting an output of the second NAND gate to thereby generate the second reference clock signal. 
 
     
     
       14. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a pulse width of the first reference clock signal and a pulse width of the second reference clock signal correspond to a delay amount of the first delay and a delay amount of the second delay respectively. 
     
     
       15. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the clock controller includes:
 a first inverter for inverting the read signal; 
 a logic operation unit for performing a logic operation to the data output off signal, the bank active signal and the write signal; 
 a delay unit for delaying an output of the logic operation unit for the a predetermined delay time; 
 a latch unit for latching an output of the first inverter and an output of the delay unit; and 
 a second inverter for inverting an output of the latch unit to thereby generate the control signal. 
 
     
     
       16. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the logic operation unit includes:
 a first NAND gate for performing a logic NAND operation to the data output off signal and the bank active signal; 
 a third inverter for inverting an output of the first NAND gate; and 
 a NOR gate for performing a logic NOR operation to an output of the third inverter and the write. 
 
     
     
       17. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the delay unit includes even numbers of inverters. 
     
     
       18. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the latch unit includes:
 a second NAND gate and a third NAND gate, the second NAND gate performing a logic NAND operation to the output of the first inverter and an output of the third NAND gate and the third NAND gate performing a logic NAND operation to the output of the delay unit and an output of the second NAND gate. 
 
     
     
       19. A method for generating a reference clock signal for outputting data in synchronization with an external clock signal from a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising the steps of:
 generating a control signal based on a read command, a write command and an external address; and 
 generating the reference clock signal based on an internal clock signal in response to the control signal, wherein the reference clock signal is generated when the control signal is activated and the reference clock signal is not generated when the control signal is inactivated. 
 
     
     
       20. The method as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 generating the internal clock signal based on the external clock signal; and 
 decoding a plurality of command signals inputted to the semiconductor memory device for generating a read signal and a write signal. 
 
     
     
       21. The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the step of generating the control signal includes the steps of:
 generating a data output off signal and a bank active signal according to the read command and the external address; and 
 generating the control signal according to the read signal, the write signal, the data output off signal and the bank active signal. 
 
     
     
       22. The method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the reference clock signal is generated when the control signal is a logic LOW when activated and the control signal is a logic HIGH when inactivated. 
     
     
       23. The method as recited in claim  22  20, wherein the control signal is activated for a predetermined time, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a value of adding a predetermined delay time and a burst length (BL) to a column address strobe (CAS) latency. 
     
     
       24. The method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the step of generating the control signal includes the steps of:
 performing logic operations to the data output off signal, the bank active signal and the write signal; and 
 delaying a result of the step of performing logic operations for the predetermine predetermined delay time. 
 
     
     
       25. The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the step of generating the reference clock signal includes the steps of:
 generating a first reference clock signal based on the internal clock signal in synchronization with a rising edge of the internal clock signal according to the control signal; and 
 generating a second reference clock signal based on the internal clock signal in synchronization with a falling edge of the internal clock signal according to the control signal. 
 
     
     
       26. A clock signal generation apparatus for generating a reference clock signal for outputting data in synchronization with an external clock signal from a semiconductor memory device, comprising:
 a clock signal generation unit for receiving the external clock signal to generate the reference clock signal in response to a control signal; and 
 a control unit for generating the control signal based on a read command, a write command and an external address, 
 wherein the control signal is in an activated state for a predetermined time after the control signal is activated in response to the read signal command, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a value of adding a predetermined delay time and a burst length (BL) to a column address strobe (CAS) latency, and wherein the clock signal generation unit generates the reference clock signal when the control signal is activated and does not generate the reference clock signal when the control signal is inactivated. 
 
     
     
       27. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference clock signal is held at a constant logic level when the control signal is inactivated. 
     
     
       28. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the constant logic level is a logic low level. 
     
     
       29. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference clock signal is a pair of reference clock signals. 
     
     
       30. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the pair of reference clock signals comprises a rising clock signal and a falling clock signal. 
     
     
       31. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference clock signal is generated without using a delay locked loop (DLL). 
     
     
       32. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the control signal is activated when the read command is received. 
     
     
       33. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the control signal is activated after a CAS latency following receipt of the read command. 
     
     
       34. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 33, wherein the control signal is inactivated after a burst length following activation of the control signal. 
     
     
       35. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the control signal is inactivated when the write command is received. 
     
     
       36. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the external address is an external bank address for selecting one of a plurality of banks. 
     
     
       37. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein a predetermined bank is activated in response to the external bank address and an activate command. 
     
     
       38. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein a bank activate signal is activated in response to the activate command and the external bank address for any one or more banks among the plurality of banks. 
     
     
       39. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein the control signal is inactivated when the bank activate signal is inactivated. 
     
     
       40. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein generating the reference clock signal further comprises holding the reference clock signal at a constant logic level when the control signal is inactivated. 
     
     
       41. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the constant logic level is a logic low level. 
     
     
       42. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein generating the reference clock signal further comprises generating a pair of reference clock signals. 
     
     
       43. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein generating a pair of reference clock signals further comprises generating a rising clock signal and a falling clock signal. 
     
     
       44. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein generating the reference clock signal further comprises generating the reference clock signal without using a delay locked loop (DLL). 
     
     
       45. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein generating a control signal further comprises activating the control signal when the read command is received. 
     
     
       46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein activating the control signal further comprises activating the control signal after a CAS latency following receipt of the read command. 
     
     
       47. The method as recited in claim 46, wherein generating a control signal further comprises inactivating the control signal after a burst length following activation of the control signal. 
     
     
       48. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein generating a control signal further comprises inactivating the control signal when the write command is received. 
     
     
       49. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the external address is an external bank address for selecting one of a plurality of banks. 
     
     
       50. The method as recited in claim 49, the method further comprising activating a predetermined bank in response to the external bank address and an activate command. 
     
     
       51. The method as recited in claim 50, the method further comprising activating a bank activate signal in response to the activate command and the external bank address for any one or more banks among the plurality of banks. 
     
     
       52. The method as recited in claim 51, the method further comprising inactivating the control signal when the bank activate signal is inactivated. 
     
     
       53. The clock signal generation apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the control signal is a logic LOW when activated and the control signal is a logic HIGH when inactivated.