Runtime memory cell row defect detection and replacement includes detecting in a memory of a computer system operating in a runtime operating system mode, a defective row of memory cells having at least one defective cell. In response to the detection of the defective row, interrupting the operating system of the computer system and, in a runtime system maintenance mode, replacing the defective row of memory cells with a spare row of memory cells as a replacement row of memory cells. Execution of the operating system is then resumed in the runtime operating system mode Other aspects and advantages are described.

A memory device includes a row decoder, a column decoder, and a repair control circuit, which is configured to: (i) compare a row address with a stored failed row address, (ii) compare a column address with a stored failed column address, (iii) control the row decoder to activate the at least one of a plurality of redundancy word lines when the row address corresponds to the failed row address, and (iv) control the column decoder to activate at least one of a plurality of redundancy bit lines when the column address corresponds to the failed column address. The repair control circuit varies a repair unit according to an address input during a repair operation.

A semiconductor device includes a memory bank including a first memory block, a second memory block, and a redundancy memory block, and a column line selection circuit configured, when a fail occurs in a first column line of the first memory block, to replace the first column line of the first memory block with a first redundancy line of the redundancy memory block, and replace a second column line of the second memory block with a second redundancy line of the redundancy memory block.

A method includes replacing an address of a first normal memory cell in a first column of a first memory block with a destination address that is an address of a second normal memory cell in a second column of the first memory block, and reassigning the address of the second normal memory cell in the second column of the first memory block to an address of a first redundancy memory cell in a redundancy block of the memory device.

A repair method of a memory includes dividing a plurality of general bits into a plurality of first groups and dividing a plurality of redundancy bits into a plurality of second groups. When one of the plurality of first groups has a defective bit, one of the plurality of second groups is selected to replace the first group which has the defective bit. Because the repair method uses a group as a repair unit, a repair circuit is simpler and smaller and a processing speed of the repair circuit is faster.

Methods, systems, and devices for programming anti-fuses are described. An apparatus may include a repair array including elements for replacing faulty elements in a memory array and may further include an array of anti-fuses for indicating which, if any, elements of the memory array are being replaced by elements within the repair array. The array of anti-fuses may indicate an address of an element of the memory array being replaced by an element within the repair array. The array of anti-fuses may indicate an enablement or disablement of the element within the repair array indicating whether the element within the repair array is enabled to replace the element of the memory array. The array of anti-fuses may include anti-fuses with lower reliability and anti-fuses with higher reliability. An anti-fuse associated with the enabling of the element within the repair array may include an anti-fuse having the higher reliability.

The present disclosure provides an operation method related to a post package repair (PPR) function in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device. The method for operating a post package repair (PPR) function of a memory device is disclosed. The method includes providing a memory bank, which includes a memory array and a sense amplifier adjacent to the memory array, wherein the memory array comprises at least one defective row and at least one associated row, and the at least one associated row is electrically connected to the sense amplifier by a plurality of bit lines. The method also includes arranging a redundant row adjacent to the memory array, wherein the redundant row is electrically connected to the sense amplifier by the plurality of bit lines. The method also includes activating the at least one associated row to transmit data in the at least one associated row to the sense amplifier, latching the data in the sense amplifier; activating the redundant row, and transmitting the data from the sense amplifier to the redundant row.

Various implementations described herein are related to a method for identifying multi-bank memory architecture having multiple banks including a first bank and a second bank. The method may receive a faulty row address having a faulty bank selection bit, and also, the method may select the first bank or the second bank for row redundancy operations based on the faulty bank selection bit.

Memory device data-access schemes are disclosed. Various embodiments may include a memory device including a first column plane, a second column plane, and a data-steering circuit. The first column plane may include a first edge, a second edge, and a first number of digit lines arranged between the first edge and the second edge. The second column plane may include a third edge positioned adjacent to the second edge, a fourth edge, and a second number of digit lines arranged between the third edge and the fourth edge. The data-steering circuit may be configured to logically relate a first digit line of the first number of digit lines to a second digit line of the second number of digit lines, the first digit line proximate to the first edge and the second digit line proximate to the fourth edge. Associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

A method for accessing a memory includes the following. Location information of fail bits of multiple banks is acquired, backup circuits are distributed to the target banks from the multiple banks according to the location information of the fail bits by using a repair algorithm, a predicted repair result of the target bank is acquired, the availability of the target bank is detected according to the predicted repair result of the target bank, information indicating whether bits of target partial address bits of the target banks are predicted to be valid or invalid is acquired, and then predicted partial address bits are determined from the multiple address bits according to the information of the target partial address bits of the target banks to access a memory in a partial access mode according to the predicted partial address bits.