SDRAM Controller Refresh Cycles

An autorefresh command is used to refresh the SDRAM device. Refresh addresses are generated internally by the SDRAM device and incremented after each autorefresh automatically. The SDRAMC generates these autorefresh commands periodically. An internal timer is loaded with the value in SDRAMC_TR that indicates the number of clock cycles between refresh cycles.

A refresh error interrupt is generated when the previous autorefresh command did not perform. It is acknowledged by reading the Interrupt Status register (SDRAMC_ISR).

When the SDRAMC initiates a refresh of the SDRAM device, internal memory accesses are not delayed. However, if the processor tries to access the SDRAM, the slave indicates that the device is busy and the master is held by a wait signal. Refer to the following figure.

Figure 1. Refresh Cycle Followed by a Read Access