Address pointer generating and using a coincidence signal in a semiconductor memory device and method of generating an address

摘要

A counter counts clock signals. When a count thereof coincides with the number of rows or columns in a memory cell array, a row or column count coincidence signal is generated and applied to a shift input of a row or column address pointer formed of shift registers. The row or column address pointer is responsive to the clock signals to sequentially shift the count coincidence signal applied to the shift input, so that row or column selecting lines in the memory cell array are sequentially set in the selected state. Since the outputs at final stages in the row and column address pointers are not fed back to the inputs at the first stage thereof, signal delay in a feed back path is not caused, and thus operations for selecting rows and columns are performed at high speed. Also, respective shift register stages in the row and column address pointers have the same construction, and thus regularity thereof is maintained.