Miles & Stockbridge
Semiconductor device
 A dynamic memory requires refreshing to retain data in its memory cells. This may cause access to the dynamic memory for purposes other than refreshing (external access) and access to it for refreshing to compete with each other, resulting in a performance deterioration. According to this invention, a pipelined dynamic memory (PDRAM) is used, and the pipeline frequency (CLK) of the pipelined dynamic memory is made higher than the frequency (CLK1) of external access, and access required for refreshing is made to an unoccupied slot (a timing when any external access request is never issued) in the pipeline of the pipelined dynamic memory. This makes refreshing of the internal dynamic memory an internal operation, which eliminates the need to take refreshing into consideration at the time external access is made, leading to improvement in operating ease and speed. 
Hitachi, Ltd.
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inventional inventional inventional
Hiroyuki Takao Yusuke
Mizuno Watanabe Kanno