US 6,982,919 B2
Memory card and data processing system
Chiaki Kumahara, Kodaira (Japan); Atsushi Shikata, Higashiyamato (Japan); Yasuhiro Nakamura, Tachikawa (Japan); Hideo Kasai, Kokubunji (Japan); and Hidefumi Odate, Kodaira (Japan)
Assigned to Renesas Technology Corp., Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Jul. 15, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/891,297.
Claims priority of application No. 2003-288407 (JP), filed on Aug. 07, 2003; and application No. 2004-080593 (JP), filed on Mar. 19, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0041509 A1, Feb. 24, 2005
Int. Cl. G11C 7/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 365—226 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A memory card comprising:
a nonvolatile memory;
a controller which controls operations associated with said nonvolatile memory; and
a converter which converts a level of a supply voltage to an internal voltage level depending upon an operation mode of said nonvolatile memory,
wherein said controller is capable of selecting one of a first operation mode in which said nonvolatile memory is supplied with a voltage in a first range and a second operation mode in which said nonvolatile memory is supplied with a voltage in a second range higher than said first range, and
wherein said controller performs the following operations: said controller judges whether said level of said supply voltage is higher than a first detection voltage level corresponding to said first range; after the judgment of said level of said supply voltage, said controller further judges whether said level of said supply voltage is higher than a second detection voltage level corresponding to said second range; when said supply level is in said first range, said controller causes said nonvolatile memory to operate in said first operation mode without driving said converter; and when said supply voltage is in said second range, said controller drives said converter to convert said level and of said supply voltage to said internal voltage level causes said nonvolatile memory to operate in said second operation mode.