Various embodiments are disclosed for performing address fault detection in a memory system using a hierarchical ROM encoding system. In one embodiment, a hierarchical ROM encoding system comprises two levels of ROM encoders that are used to detect an address fault. In another embodiment, a hierarchical ROM encoding system comprises three levels of ROM encoders that are used to detect an address fault.

A memory system includes a status information register configured for checking threshold voltages of select transistors included in memory blocks, storing status information on a check result, and outputting a code based on the status information, a status monitor configured to receive the code from the status information register, determine a number of select transistors that have shifted according to the code, and output status signal based on the number of the select transistors that have shifted, and a central processing unit configured for outputting a setup command set for setting parameters of the memory blocks, outputting a re-program command set for re-programming the select transistors, or outputting a bad block address for processing the memory blocks as bad blocks in response to the status signals.

Apparatuses for controlling latencies on input signal paths in semiconductor devices are disclosed. An example apparatus includes: a clock input buffer that provides a reference clock signal and a system clock signal based on an external clock signal; a command decoder that latches command signals with the system clock signal and further provides a signal based on the command signals; and a command delay adjustment circuit including: a clock synchronizing circuit that receives the signal, latches the signal with the system clock signal and provides a clock-synchronized read signal responsive to a shift cycle parameter.

The present invention provides a semiconductor memory device that can perform failure detection of an address decoder by a simple method with a low area overhead. The semiconductor memory device includes: a first memory array having a plurality of first memory cells arrange in matrix; a plurality of word lines provided corresponding to each of the memory cell rows; an address decoder for selecting a word line from the word lines based on the input address information; a second memory array that is provided adjacent to the first memory array in the column direction, having a plurality of second memory cells able to read address information used in the selection of the previously stored word line, according to the selection of the word line extended to the second memory array; and a comparison circuit for comparing the input address information with the address information read from the second memory array.

The present invention relates to a method of validating a memory device. The method includes validating a second memory device based on one or more first microcode instructions stored in a validated predetermined part of a first memory device to detect the operational status of the second memory device. Further, the method includes receiving one or more second microcode instructions upon validating the second memory device. Finally, validating the first memory device based on the one or more second microcode instructions stored in the second memory device to detect the operational status of the first memory device.

A memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines, a wordline driving circuit including a plurality of sub-wordline decoders respectively connected to the plurality of wordlines, wherein each of the sub-wordline decoders is configured to input a first driving signal to the respectively connected wordline when the wordline is selected, and wherein each sub-wordline decoder is configured to input a predetermined power supply voltage to the respectively connected wordline when the wordline is unselected, The memory device may include a sense amplifier circuit including sense amplifiers connected to the bitlines, and a logic circuit configured to determine a failure of at least one of the memory cell array and the wordline driving circuit.

A method for detecting a reading error of a datum in memory. A binary word which is representative of the datum and an error correcting or detecting code is read by: reading a first part of the binary word stored at a first address in a first memory circuit; and reading a second part of the binary word stored at a second address in a second memory circuit. The first and second parts read from the first and second memory circuits, respectively, are concatenated to form a read binary word. The datum is then obtained by removing the error correcting or detecting code from the read binary word. A new error correcting or detecting code is calculated from the obtained datum and compared to the removed error correcting or detecting code to detect error in the obtained datum.

A resistor-capacitor (RC) sensor circuit of an electronic device is driven to a drive voltage using a representative copy of a current that drives an electronic circuit line of the electronic device. The RC sensor circuit is to sample voltages that are indicative of an RC time constant of the electronic circuit line. A first sample voltage is determined by sampling a first representative voltage generated at the RC sensor circuit by driving the RC sensor circuit with the representative copy of the current over a first time period. A second sample voltage is determined by sampling a second representative voltage generated at the RC sensor circuit by driving the RC sensor circuit with the representative copy of the current over a second time period. A ratio of the first sample voltage and the second sample voltage is indicative of the RC time constant of the electronic circuit line.

A semiconductor system includes a slave including a plurality of unit memory regions. The semiconductor system further includes a master configured to perform a training operation by writing test data to the plurality of unit memory regions, reading the written test data, and determining a pass/fail result for the read test data.

A method for detecting a reading error of a datum in memory. A binary word which is representative of the datum and an error correcting or detecting code is read by: reading a first part of the binary word stored at a first address in a first memory circuit; and reading a second part of the binary word stored at a second address in a second memory circuit. The first and second parts read from the first and second memory circuits, respectively, are concatenated to form a read binary word. The datum is then obtained by removing the error correcting or detecting code from the read binary word. A new error correcting or detecting code is calculated from the obtained datum and compared to the removed error correcting or detecting code to detect error in the obtained datum.