Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080205170 | DDR-SDRAM INTERFACE CIRCUITRY, AND METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TESTING THE INTERFACE CIRCUITRY - According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a memory interface circuit including a first data output circuit which outputs a data signal based on a data strobe signal, the memory interface circuit comprising: a first delay-locked loop circuit that adjusts a delay of the data strobe signal and outputs the data strobe signal at a first timing; and a second data output circuit that outputs the data signal at a second timing different from the first timing during a normal operation, and outputs the data signal at the first timing during a test operation. | 08-28-2008 |
20080219066 | MEMORY SYSTEM AND METHOD ENSURING READ DATA STABILITY - A memory system and related method of operation are disclosed. The memory system includes a memory configured to generate a data strobe signal including “(n/2)+1” clock signals, where “n” is a number of base data blocks in read data synchronously transferred by the memory during a read operation, and a memory controller configured to receive the read data, receive the data strobe signal, delay the data strobe signal to generate a delayed data strobe signal, and synchronously output “n/2” sampled data blocks to a requesting device in relation to the delayed data strobe signal. | 09-11-2008 |
20080232178 | Apparatus and method for controlling delay of signal - An apparatus, includes a counter which counts a frequency of input of a first signal, a delay controller which generates a second signal by adding a delay to the first signal, the delay corresponding to the frequency, and a control circuit which halts the counter counting the frequency, when a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal is a predetermined value. | 09-25-2008 |
20080239841 | Implementing Calibration of DQS Sampling During Synchronous DRAM Reads - A method and calibration apparatus implement calibration of sampling of a data strobe signal (DQS) during synchronous dynamic random access memory (DRAM) reads. A calibration control is provided to enable calibration testing. A selected one of a received DQS signal and an internal Enable signal is driven onto a data mask (DQM) IO during a DRAM read for calibration testing. The received DQS signal and the internal Enable signal are used to adjust the Enable delay to generally center the preamble time at the DQS receiver. | 10-02-2008 |
20080239842 | Semiconductor memory device - A semiconductor memory device is capable of controlling a tRCD (RAS to CAS Delay) time regardless of an address input timing during a test operation of the semiconductor memory device. The semiconductor memory device includes a column address strobe pulse generator for generating a column address strobe pulse in response to a column command signal and a row address strobe pulse generator for receiving an active command signal or the column command signal to produce a row address strobe pulse in response to a test mode signal. | 10-02-2008 |
20080239843 | INTERFACE CIRCUIT, MEMORY INTERFACE SYSTEM, AND DATA RECEPTION METHOD - An interface circuit is disclosed that can include a delay circuit that generates a delay signal obtained by delaying a data strobe signal; a first logical circuit that performs a logical operation of on the data strobe signal and the delay signal, and outputs an operation result as a first strobe signal; a second logical circuit that receives the first strobe signal and generates a second strobe signal that is complementary to the first strobe signal; a first latch circuit that latches a data signal based on the first strobe signal; and a second latch circuit that latches the data signal based on the second strobe signal. | 10-02-2008 |
20080239844 | IMPLEMENTING CALIBRATION OF DQS SAMPLING DURING SYNCHRONOUS DRAM READS - A method and calibration apparatus implement calibration of sampling of a data strobe signal (DQS) during synchronous dynamic random access memory (DRAM) reads. A calibration control is provided to enable calibration testing. A selected one of a received DQS signal and an internal Enable signal is driven onto a data mask (DQM) 10 during a DRAM read for calibration testing. The received DQS signal and the internal Enable signal are used to adjust the Enable delay to generally center the preamble time at the DQS receiver. | 10-02-2008 |
20080285364 | DATA INPUT CIRCUIT OF SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS AND DATA INPUT METHOD USING THE SAME - A data input circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a plurality of data input sense amplifiers, each of which amplifies input data in response to a data input strobe signal and generates amplified data, and a data selecting block that selectively outputs a plurality of amplified data in response to starting addresses. | 11-20-2008 |
20080291757 | SIGNAL MASKING METHOD, SIGNAL MASKING CIRCUIT, AND SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A signal masking circuit includes a detection circuit, a delayed read data strobe signal generation circuit, a gating circuit, a counting circuit, and a masking circuit. The detection circuit detects a period of a logic “L” of a read data strobe signal. The gating circuit gates a delayed read data strobe signal, and generates a first masked read data strobe signal. The counting circuit counts the falls of the first masked read data strobe signal until the count reaches a predetermined number, and generates a masking signal for masking the first masked read data strobe signal. The masking circuit masks the first masked read data strobe signal, and outputs a second masked read data strobe signal. | 11-27-2008 |
20090003095 | Column access control apparatus having fast column access speed at read operation - A column access control apparatus comprises a column signal control unit for controlling a write CAS pulse signal and an internal CAS pulse signal in response to a first signal, and a column decoder for outputting a column decoding signal using an output signal of the column signal control unit and the first signal. The column signal control unit delays the internal CAS pulse signal and the write CAS pulse signal to output delayed signals when the first signal is activated. | 01-01-2009 |
20090021998 | MEMORY SYSTEM HAVING INCORRUPTED STROBE SIGNALS - A memory system circuit and method therefor are disclosed. The circuit is adapted to detect a transition in a data timing signal from an indeterminate logic level to a selected one of a high logic level and a low logic level. The circuit includes a comparator having a first input, a second input and an output. The first and second inputs receive the data timing signal and a reference voltage respectively. The output changes logic levels in response to a change in polarity of a voltage difference between the voltage of the timing signal and the reference voltage. The reference voltage is sufficiently closer to the selected one of the logic levels as compared to the other of the logic levels so as to at least substantially prevent potential false positive detections. | 01-22-2009 |
20090040845 | Column Path Circuit - A column path circuit includes address transition detectors which detect level transition of page address signals, thereby outputting transition detection signals each having a predetermined enable period, respectively. A detection signal coupler logically operates on the transition detection signals respectively outputted from the address transition detectors, and outputs a signal representing the results of the logical operation. A ready signal generator outputs a strobe ready signal having a predetermined enable period in response to an enabled state of the signal outputted from the detection signal coupler. A strobe signal generator generates a read strobe signal and a page address strobe signal for latch of the page address signals in response to the strobe ready signal. Page address buffers are enabled by the page address strobe signal, and latch the page address signals, thereby buffering the page address signals, a page address decoder which decodes the buffered page address signals respectively outputted from the page address buffers. And, a column selection signal generator outputs column selection signals respectively corresponding to the decoded page address signals in response to the read strobe signal. | 02-12-2009 |
20090059692 | Semiconductor memory device and operation method of the same - A semiconductor memory device has a timing margin for internal operations. The semiconductor memory device can activate an internal control signal for controlling an external address sooner than an internal control signal for controlling an external command to secure a sufficient time for data access. The semiconductor memory device includes a command decoding circuit configured to decode an external command to output an internal command signal for an internal operation corresponding to the external command, a control circuit configured to generate a strobe signal for controlling the internal operation in response to the internal command signal and an internal address signal by decoding an address signal received from outside such that the internal address signal activates sooner than the strobe signal, and a column decoding circuit configured to generate a data access signal when both the internal address signal and the strobe signal are activated. | 03-05-2009 |
20090059693 | Semiconductor memory device - A semiconductor memory device includes: a data multiplexing unit configured to output one of a data training pattern and data transferred through a first global input/output line in response to a training control signal; and a latch unit configured to latch an output of the data multiplexing unit to apply and maintain the latched output to a second global input/output line. | 03-05-2009 |
20090067268 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING DATA STROBE SIGNAL - Provided are an apparatus and method for controlling a data strobe signal. The apparatus includes a period measurement unit measuring a period of an input clock signal or data strobe signal; a controller determining a read delay time, a setup margin delay time, and a hold margin delay time of the data strobe signal on the basis of the period; a delay circuit unit outputting signals generated by delaying the data strobe signal by the read delay time, the setup margin delay time, and the hold margin delay time; a flip-flop unit latching and outputting input data by using the signals output from the delay circuit unit; and a comparator comparing outputs from the flip-flop unit and feeding a result of the comparison back to the controller. Accordingly, it is possible to stably read data recorded in a memory. | 03-12-2009 |
20090086557 | SYNCHRONOUS SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A synchronous semiconductor memory device including a data alignment reference pulse generating unit configured to generate a data alignment reference pulse in response to a data strobe signal (DQS), an alignment hold signal generating unit configured to generate an alignment hold signal, which is activated during a period corresponding to a postamble of the data strobe signal, in response to the data alignment reference pulse and a data input clock, and a data alignment unit configured to align input data in response to the data alignment reference pulse and the alignment hold signal. | 04-02-2009 |
20090091992 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - A semiconductor memory apparatus include an internal tuning unit that can tune a generation timing of a data input strobe signal according to input timings of an input data and a data strobe clock signal, and a data input sense amplifier that can transmit data bits to a global line in response to the data input strobe signal. | 04-09-2009 |
20090097339 | Integrated Circuit Memory Devices Having Internal Command Generators Therein that Support Extended Command Sets Using Independent and Dependent Commands - Integrated circuit memory devices include an internal command generator and a memory control circuit responsive to an internal command generated by the internal command generator. The internal command generator is configured to generate an internal command in response to a combination of an independent command and at least one dependent command received in sequence by the memory device. For example, the internal command generator may be configured to require the independent command to follow the at least one dependent command in the sequence when generating the internal command from the combination of the independent and dependent commands. Alternatively, the internal command generator may be configured to require the independent command to precede the at least one dependent command in the sequence before generating the internal command from the combination of the independent and dependent commands. These independent and dependent commands may be received by the memory device as respective multi-bit external command signals. | 04-16-2009 |
20090097340 | READ COMMAND TRIGGERED SYNCHRONIZATION CIRCUITRY - A memory READ command triggered clock synchronization mode turns on a clock synchronization circuit only for memory READ operations. The clock synchronization circuit achieves a signal lock with the reference clock signal in less time than the column address strobe latency. Precise memory READ operations are thus possible without wasting power when such operations are not performed by allowing the clock synchronization circuitry to be turned off. | 04-16-2009 |
20090103378 | SINGLE-STROBE OPERATION OF MEMORY DEVICES - An arrangement of memory devices and a controller is based on an interface with a reduced pin count relative to a known memory device and controller arrangement. Facilitating the reduced pin count interface the reduction of multiple strobe signal to a single strobe signal. In addition, a packet header transmitted on the data bus followed by a payload, includes an encoded indication of the type of the payload. Aspects of the present application relate to providing a traditional memory device with external logic devices, where the logic devices handle the single strobe and the packet header, thereby permitting single strobe operation. | 04-23-2009 |
20090109770 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH DDR MEMORY CONTROLLER - In a DDR memory controller, a clock control circuit is configured to output a clock signal selected from among a plurality of clock signals with different frequencies based on a frequency selection signal, to a DDR memory as an operation clock signal. A master DLL circuit is configured to receive one of the plurality of clock signals which has a maximum frequency as a reference clock signal to determine a delay code. A slave delay circuit is configured to delay a strobe signal from the DDR memory based on the determined delay code to generate an internal strobe signal for a data signal from the DDR memory. | 04-30-2009 |
20090116311 | Semiconductor memory device - A semiconductor memory device includes data lines for transmitting one of data and a training data pattern, wherein the training data pattern is preset to a specific pattern, and training drivers for transmitting the training data pattern to the data lines in response to a training control signal which is produced by decoding a read training command. The semiconductor memory device according to the present invention can exactly measure a delay time, which is changed according to the surrounding environments between a semiconductor memory device and a data processing unit, through a data training and operation timing can be also adjusted based on the measured delay time. | 05-07-2009 |
20090122623 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory device includes: a variable delay for delaying a delay locked loop (DLL) clock by a predetermined delay time to output a delayed DLL clock; an output driver for outputting data and data strobe signal in response to the delayed DLL clock; and a calibration controller for controlling the predetermined delay time of the variable delay in response to output AC parameters. | 05-14-2009 |
20090154266 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, MEMORY SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC IMAGING DEVICE - A semiconductor integrated circuit ( | 06-18-2009 |
20090161452 | Systems and methods for clean DQS signal generation in source-synchronous DDR2 interface design - A method and circuit for generating a signal to synchronize DQ data transfer in memory interface design is presented. The presented method includes receiving a strobe signal having a preamble period before and post-amble period after data transfer burst synchronization signal edge transitions, determining a timing location of the strobe signal preamble period, determining a timing location of the strobe signal post-amble period, and generating a clean strobe signal that tracks the data transfer burst synchronization edge transitions of the strobe signal after the strobe signal preamble begins and before the strobe signal post-amble ends based on the respective determined timing locations of the strobe signal preamble and post-amble periods. In this manner, DQ data transfer may be synchronized according to the burst synchronization signal edge transitions and errors caused by strobe signal level jitter during the preamble and post-amble periods are reduced. | 06-25-2009 |
20090161453 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CALIBRATING WRITE TIMING IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period. In a variation of this system, the phase detector on the memory chip is configured to receive signals including a clock signal, a marking signal and a data-strobe signal from the memory controller, wherein the marking signal includes a pulse which marks a specific clock cycle in the clock signal. In this variation, the phase detector is configured to use the marking signal to window the specific clock cycle in the clock signal, and to use the data-strobe signal to capture the windowed clock signal, thereby creating a feedback signal which is returned to the memory controller to facilitate calibration of the timing relationship. | 06-25-2009 |
20090161454 | RINGING MASKING DEVICE HAVING BUFFER CONTROL UNIT - A ringing masking device includes a data strobe buffer unit buffering a data strobe signal and outputting a rising pulse and a falling pulse synchronized with a buffer signal. A buffer control unit latches a burst end signal to generate a buffer control signal and outputs the buffer control signal according to a control of a pulse signal generated in synchronization with the buffer signal. | 06-25-2009 |
20090161455 | DATA INPUT APPARATUS WITH IMPROVED SETUP/HOLD WINDOW - In the data input apparatus, a data delay unit outputs data input from outside the data input apparatice. The data delay unit varies the degree of delay in response to a test mode signal. A data alignment signal generating unit receives a first signal synchronized with an external clock signal and a second signal synchronized with a data strobe signal, and the data alignment signal generating unit outputs one of the first signal and the second signal as a data alignment signal in response to the test mode signal. A data alignment unit is synchronized with the data alignment signal to align the data delayed in the data delay unit. The data input apparatus improves the setup/hold window when a semiconductor memory device is in the test mode. | 06-25-2009 |
20090168563 | Apparatus, system, and method for bitwise deskewing - A system and method for bitwise deskew. A DQS timing is used as reference, the delays of a plurality of transmission wires are calibrated with reference to a DQS line timing. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 07-02-2009 |
20090168564 | Strobe signal controlling circuit - A strobe signal controlling circuit is provided which includes an initial write controller configured to outputs a write pulse signal, which is activated in a write command, in synchronization with a clock signal, a DQS signal outputting unit configured to outputs a write DQS signal by synchronizing an output signal of the initial write controller to the clock signal, a control signal generator configured to generates a control signal in response to the output signal of the initial write controller, and a reset signal generator configured to responds to a reset signal and a DQS enable signal to output a reset signal to the DQS signal outputting module in synchronization with the control signal. | 07-02-2009 |
20090168565 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - Semiconductor memory device and method for operating the same comprise an auxiliary driver configured to output an internal strobe signals generated corresponding to a read command as a plurality of auxiliary strobe signal in response to a control signal, wherein the auxiliary driver bypass a first output auxiliary strobe signal, and delay to output the rest of the auxiliary strobe signal among the outputted auxiliary strobe signal and a strobe signal generator for driving the auxiliary strobe signal to output the delayed auxiliary strobe signal as a data strobe signals. | 07-02-2009 |
20090168566 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A semiconductor memory device adjusts an activation timing and pulse width of a pin strobe signal according to a power supply voltage variation, and thereby loads data on a pipelatch properly and prevents an activation period of a pin strobe signal from falling out of a period for valid data. The semiconductor memory device includes a voltage detector configured to detect a level of a power supply voltage to output a detection signal, a pin strobe signal transfer path configured to transfer a pin strobe signal determining an input timing of data to a pipelatch, a delay controller configured to control a delay value of the pin strobe signal transfer path in response to the detection signal, and a pulse width modulator configured to modulate a pulse width of the pin strobe signal in response to the detection signal. | 07-02-2009 |
20090175102 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS OF A MEMORY - A memory access control method is provided. By decoding a read-write command, a mode register set (MRS) signal is generated. When the MRS signal is enabled, a latch outputs a bank-select signal. The bank-select signal is then decoded to generate a register-select signal. Then, an address signal is written into a register selected by the register-select signal. The value of a certain register can be used to determine whether to enable the error check function. Thus, the next generation memory structure with the CRC function can be compatible with the conventional memory structure. | 07-09-2009 |
20090190417 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE AND METHOD OF TESTING SAME - A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a first chip that is directly accessible from outside, a second chip that transmits and receives data to and from the first chip, the second chip being not directly accessible from outside, and a through circuit that is provided in the first chip and transmits first and second test signals input from an external device to the second chip, wherein the through circuit includes a first signal transmission path to generate a first signal by synchronizing the first test signal to a clock signal input from the external device and to output it to the second chip and a second signal transmission path to generate a second signal by synchronizing the second test signal to a test clock signal input from the external device and to output it to the second chip. | 07-30-2009 |
20090244993 | MAINTAINING DYNAMIC COUNT OF FIFO CONTENTS IN MULTIPLE CLOCK DOMAINS - Disclosed is a system that generates a write count value for indicating whether data can be read from a FIFO and a system that generates a read count value for indicating whether data can be written to a FIFO. Each of these systems operates in two separate clock domains. In the system that generates a write count value, write strobes are stored in parallel in a register in a first clock domain. The plurality of synchronizers trigger on a rising edge of the write strobe that is stored in the parallel register and generate an increment pulse in a second clock domain. An up/down counter reads the increment pulse in parallel and increments the up/down counter in parallel. A decrement signal from a read strobe decrements the up/down counter. The output of the counter is fed to a register that provides a write counter value to handshake logic that indicates whether data can be read from a FIFO without underflowing the FIFO. | 10-01-2009 |
20090244994 | Data strobe signal generating circuit capable of easily obtaining valid data window - A data strobe signal generating circuit includes a pre-driver control unit for selectively transferring a ground voltage and a supply voltage, as a first control signal and a second control signal, in response to first and second clock pulse signals, wherein the second control signal is driven in response to a preamble signal, a pre-driver for generating a driving signal in response to the first and second control signals and the preamble signal, and an output buffer for driving an output pad in response to the driving signal. | 10-01-2009 |
20090257294 | PROGRAMMABLE LINEAR RECEIVER FOR DIGITAL DATA CLOCK SIGNALS - Receiver architectures and related bias circuits for a data processor are provided. One embodiment of a receiver architecture includes three linear receiver stages coupled in series. The first stage receives a differential data strobe (DQS) input signal associated with a plurality of data (DQ) signals, and the first stage has a first programmable swing voltage associated therewith. The second stage has a programmable shift voltage associated therewith, and the third stage has a second programmable swing voltage associated therewith. The receiver architecture also includes a programming architecture coupled to the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage. The programming architecture is configured to set the first programmable swing voltage, the programmable shift voltage, and the second programmable swing voltage. | 10-15-2009 |
20090273992 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor device includes a pad configured to receive a data strobe signal, and a path selector configured to output the data strobe signal through a corresponding input path during a normal operation, and to output the data strobe signal through a plurality of input paths in response to a path selection signal during a test operation. | 11-05-2009 |
20090273993 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory device that generates a data strobe reset signal for preventing ring-back of a data strobe signal, and an operation method thereof. The semiconductor memory device includes a pulse signal generating unit for generating first and second pulse signals by synchronizing a write instruction with first and second internal clock signals, a reset signal generating unit for generating a reset signal having an activation width setup in response to the first and second pulse signals, and a data strobe reset signal generating unit for generating a data strobe reset signal by shifting the second pulse signal as much as a predetermined burst length and limiting an activation period of the data strobe reset signal in response to the reset signal. | 11-05-2009 |
20090285042 | Memory interface circuit and memory system including the same - The memory interface circuit may include a master delay unit and a slave delay unit. The master delay unit generates a control signal for controlling a delay time based on a clock signal. The slave delay unit selects one signal of an inversion signal of the clock signal and a data strobe signal in response to a mode signal and delays the selected signal in response to the control signal. The slave delay unit selectively outputs a delayed clock signal that may be delayed by a first phase with respect to the clock signal or a delayed data strobe signal that may be delayed by a second phase with respect to the data strobe signal. | 11-19-2009 |
20090296501 | Method and Apparatus for Implementing Write Levelization in Memory Subsystems - Methods and apparatus for aligning a clock signal and a set of strobe signals are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory controller includes a clock generator configured to generate the clock signal, and a respective strobe signal generator configured to generate each strobe signal. The memory controller further includes a phase recovery engine configured to receive an error signal from a corresponding memory device, wherein the error signal conveys an error indication indicative of an alignment of the strobe signal relative to the clock signal for each of a plurality of cycles of the strobe signal. The phase recovery engine includes an accumulator configured to maintain an accumulation value that depends upon the error indications for the plurality of cycles of the strobe signal. The strobe signal generator is configured to control a delay associated with generation of the strobe signal depending upon the accumulation value. | 12-03-2009 |
20090296502 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR INDEPENDENT OUTPUT DRIVE STRENGTHS - Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed for independently configurable data and strobe drivers within a memory device. A memory device may include at least one data driver and at least one strobe driver. The memory device may further include at least one mode register adapted to program a drive strength of the at least one data driver with a first plurality of control bits and a drive strength of the at least one strobe driver with a second plurality of control bits. | 12-03-2009 |
20090296503 | READ-LEVELING IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR DDR3 APPLICATIONS ON AN FPGA - Circuits, methods, and apparatus for transferring data from a device's input clock domain to a core clock domain. One example achieves this by using a retiming element between input and core circuits. The retiming element is calibrated by incrementally sweeping a delay and receiving data at each increment. Minimum and maximum delays where data is received without errors are averaged. This average can then be used to adjust the timing of a circuit element inserted in an input path between an input register clocked by an input strobe signal and an output register clocked by a core clock signal. In one example, an input signal may be delayed by an amount corresponding to the delay setting. In other examples, each input signal is registered using an intermediate register between the input register and the output register, where a clock signal is delayed by an amount corresponding to the delay setting. | 12-03-2009 |
20090303808 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory device includes a reference strobe signal generator configured to generate a reference strobe signal having a reference pulse width in response to a bank information signal and a column command signal, and a main strobe signal generator configured to generate a main strobe signal by controlling the reference pulse width in response to the reference strobe signal and a bank grouping signal that is activated in a bank grouping mode where columns are continuously accessed in a plurality of logically grouped banks. | 12-10-2009 |
20090303809 | CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR TERMINATING DATA LINE OF SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A data line termination circuit in a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a data line, a control unit for generating a termination control signal activated during a time section that includes a driving section in which data is driven to the data line, and a termination unit for terminating the data line to a predetermined voltage level in response to the termination control signal | 12-10-2009 |
20090316502 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF - There is provided a semiconductor memory device including: a source strobe signal generating unit configured to generate a source strobe signal having a first or a second activation width corresponding to a normal mode and a bank grouping mode; a final strobe signal generating unit configured to, in the normal mode, expand the first activation width and generate a final strobe signal having the expanded first activation width, and in the bank grouping mode, maintain the second activation width and generate the final strobe signal having the second activation width; and a sense amplifying unit configured to sense, amplify and output data applied through a data line in response to the final strobe signal. | 12-24-2009 |
20100014364 | MEMORY SYSTEM AND METHOD USING STACKED MEMORY DEVICE DICE, AND SYSTEM USING THE MEMORY SYSTEM - A memory system and method uses stacked memory device dice coupled to each other and to a logic die. The logic die may include a timing correction system that is operable to control the timing at which the logic die receives signals, such as read data signals, from each of the memory device dice. The timing correction controls the timing of the read data or other signals by adjusting the timing of respective strobe signals, such as read strobe signals, that are applied to each of the memory device dice. The memory device dice may transmit read data to the memory device at a time determined by when it receives the respective strobe signals. The timing of each of the strobe signals is adjusted so that the read data or other signals from all of the memory device dice are received at the same time. | 01-21-2010 |
20100014365 | DATA INPUT CIRCUIT AND NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A data input circuit includes a first data input unit, a second data input unit, and a clock unit. The first data input unit is configured to receive external data at rising edges of a data strobe signal and output the external data as first internal data in response to an internal clock. The second data input unit is configured to receive the external data at falling edges of the data strobe signal and output the external data as second internal data in response to the internal clock. The clock unit is configured to generate the internal clock using an external clock signal. | 01-21-2010 |
20100020626 | Input/output line sense amplifier and semiconductor memory device using the same - An input/output (I/o) line sense amplifier includes a buffer unit, a sense amplifier, and a precharge unit. The buffer unit is driven by a first level voltage to buffer a strobe signal, and the sense amplifier is driven by a second level voltage to amplify a signal of an I/O line in response to an output signal of the buffer unit. The precharge unit is driven by the first level voltage to precharge an output signal of the sense amplifier in response to the output signal of the buffer unit. | 01-28-2010 |
20100034035 | ADDRESS LATCH CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An address latch circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a control signal generating section configured to generate a control signal in response to an external command signal and a RAS idle signal, a clock control section configured to output a clock signal as a control clock signal when the control signal is enabled and to fix the control clock signal to a predetermined level when the control signal is disabled, and an address latch section configured to latch an address signal in response to the control clock signal. | 02-11-2010 |
20100039875 | Strobe Acquisition and Tracking - A memory controller includes an interface to receive a data strobe signal and corresponding read data. The data strobe signal and the read data correspond to a read command issued by the memory controller, and the read data is received in accordance with the data strobe signal and an enable signal. A circuit in the memory controller is to dynamically adjust a timing offset between the enable signal and the data strobe signal, and control logic is to issue a supplemental read command if a time interval since a last read command issued by the memory controller exceeds a predetermined value. | 02-18-2010 |
20100054055 | DATA INPUT/OUTPUT CIRCUIT - A data input/output circuit includes an output unit for outputting a first data strobe signal and first data in response to an internal clock generated in a delay locked loop, a first transmission line unit having a clock tree structure for transmitting the internal clock to the output unit, a second transmission line unit for transmitting the internal clock from the delay locked loop to the first transmission line unit, a duty cycle ratio correcting unit interconnected between the first transmission line unit and the second transmission line unit for correcting a duty cycle ratio of the internal clock, a data strobe signal input unit for receiving a second data strobe signal from an outside of a semiconductor memory device and generating an internal data strobe signal, and a plurality of data input units for outputting a second data in response to the internal data strobe signal. | 03-04-2010 |
20100054056 | MEMORY ACCESS STROBE CONFIGURATION SYSTEM AND PROCESS - A memory access strobe configuration system and process operable to generate a strobe signal having a selected phase. Based on the strobe signal, a write/read cycle using a first logic value at a memory location of a memory device generates a result logic value. The result logic value provided by the write/read cycle is compared to the first logic value. Where there is a mismatch between the result logic value and the first logic value, the phase of the strobe signal is updated. The process is then repeated using a strobe signal having the updated phase. | 03-04-2010 |
20100061165 | Circuitry and Methods for Improving Differential Signals That Cross Power Domains - Disclosed herein are circuitry and methods for improving differential signals that cross power domains. In an example embodiment, the power supply domain boundary along the output paths that generate the differential signal is staggered, such that the boundary occurs at an odd numbered stage in one differential output path and at an even numbered stage in the other differential output. Defining the power supply domain boundary in this manner can help ensure that the same logical state is present at the boundary in either of the differential output paths. This same logic signal should affect subsequent stages similarly from a speed perspective, and so should similarly affect the differential signals generated by each of the output paths. This means, among other things, that the differential signal as generated should tend to cross nearer to a midpoint voltage, which increases its compliance with certain integrated circuit specifications such as the Vox specification used for the differential data strobe in an SDRAM. | 03-11-2010 |
20100067315 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor IC device includes a common column signal generating block providing precolumn strobe signals by using external command signals and a first group of bank addresses among a plurality of bank addresses, and a column strobe signal generating block providing a plurality of column strobe signals to selectively activate a plurality of banks by using the precolumn strobe signals and a second group of bank addresses among the plurality of bank addresses that are not used when the precolumn strobe signals are generated. | 03-18-2010 |
20100091591 | DATA STROBE SIGNAL GENERATING DEVICE AND A SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A data strobe signal generating device includes a preamble controller configured to generate a preamble signal enabled in synchronization with a first clock signal and disabled in synchronization with a second clock signal after an output enable signal is enabled, and a data strobe signal output unit configured to generate a data strobe signal in response to the preamble signal. | 04-15-2010 |
20100097868 | DISTRIBUTED WRITE DATA DRIVERS FOR BURST ACCESS MEMORIES - An address strobe latches a first address. A burst cycle increments the address internally with additional address strobes. A new memory address is only required at the beginning of each burst access. Read/Write commands are issued once per burst access eliminating toggling Read/Write control line at cycle frequency. Control line transition terminates access and initializes another burst access. Write cycle times are maximized thereby allowing increases in burst mode operating frequencies. Logic near sense amplifiers control write-data drivers thereby providing maximum write times without crossing current during I/O line equilibration. By gating global write-enable signals with global equilibrate signals locally at sense amps, local write-cycle control signals are provided and valid for essentially the entire cycle time minus an I/O line equilibration period in burst access memory. For nonburst mode, write begins following end of equilibration cycle to provide maximum write time without interfering with subsequent access-cycle address setup time. | 04-22-2010 |
20100097869 | MEMORY SYSTEM HAVING INCORRUPTED STROBE SIGNALS - A memory system circuit and method therefor are disclosed. The circuit is adapted to detect a transition in a data timing signal from an indeterminate logic level to a selected one of a high logic level and a low logic level. The circuit includes a comparator having a first input, a second input and an output. The first and second inputs receive the data timing signal and a reference voltage respectively. The output changes logic levels in response to a change in polarity of a voltage difference between the voltage of the timing signal and the reference voltage. The reference voltage is sufficiently closer to the selected one of the logic levels as compared to the other of the logic levels so as to at least substantially prevent potential false positive detections. | 04-22-2010 |
20100118626 | Delay device for shifting phase of strobe signal - A delay apparatus includes a DLL circuit including a delay element, the DLL circuit generating a first control signal for controlling the delay element in order that the delay element delays a reference clock inputted into the delay element by one cycle, and a strobe delay element having a configuration identical to a configuration of the delay element, the strobe delay element delaying the strobe signal inputted from an outside by an amount of delay corresponding to a second control signal. The delay apparatus further includes a strobe delay controlling circuit obtaining the second control signal, from the first control signal and an expectation value for the amount of delay to be made by the strobe delay element, and a clock supplying circuit supplying the DLL circuit with the reference clock having a frequency higher than a frequency of the strobe signal. | 05-13-2010 |
20100118627 | STROBE-OFFSET CONTROL CIRCUIT - A strobe offset control circuit is disclosed. The control circuit comprises a strobe signal input to receive a strobe signal and a data receiver to receive a data signal in response to a sample signal derived from the strobe signal. A calibration enable input is provided to receive a calibration enable signal. The calibration enable signal places the strobe offset control circuit in one of a calibration mode or a receiver mode. In the calibration mode, a phase offset between the data signal and the sample signal is adjusted based on output from the receiver. In the receiver mode, the phase offset between the data signal and the sample signal is not adjusted based on output from the receiver. | 05-13-2010 |
20100124130 | Method and Apparatus to Reduce Power Consumption by Transferring Functionality from Memory Components to a Memory Interface - A common Delay Locked Loop (DLL) circuit and/or voltage generator circuit is provided in, or associated with. a memory interface interposed between a memory controller and a plurality of memory components. Corresponding circuits in the memory components are disabled and/or bypassed, or the memory components are manufactured without the circuits. Both the DLL circuit and voltage generator draw current, which is multiplied by the number of memory components in a memory system. By operating a single DLL circuit and/or voltage generator in or associated with the memory interface, that generates a read clock signal and/or various voltage levels, respectively, for all memory components in the memory system, power consumption may be significantly reduced. | 05-20-2010 |
20100124131 | Delay adjustment device, semiconductor device and delay adjustment method - Provided is a delay adjustment device that contributes to downsizing the circuit that adjusts a flight time. The delay adjustment device is connected to a memory, and adjusts a timing to retrieve data with a data signal and a data strobe signal output from the memory. The delay adjustment device includes a data retrieve unit that receives the data signal and the data strobe signal, and outputs a data value of the data signal in accordance with the data strobe signal; and a control unit that issues a read command to the memory, calculates a flight time, and controls a valid period of the data strobe signal based on the flight time. | 05-20-2010 |
20100128543 | LATENCY CIRCUIT USING DIVISION METHOD RELATED TO CAS LATENCY AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A latency circuit for use in a semiconductor memory device includes a latency control clock generator generating an m-divided division signal from an external clock and at least one latency control clock from the m-divided division signal, wherein m is a natural number greater than or equal to 2. The latency circuit also includes a latency signal generator generating a latency signal in response to the at least one latency control clock, a latency control signal and an internal read command signal, wherein the latency control signal is generated from a column address strobe (CAS) latency and the internal read command signal is generated in response to a received read command. | 05-27-2010 |
20100165758 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - The semiconductor memory device includes a data input/output unit configured to input data synchronously with a data clock and to output the data to a memory cell in response to an output strobe signal; and an output strobe signal generation unit configured to output the output strobe signal, wherein the output strobe signal is synchronized with a system clock in response to a write command regardless of whether the semiconductor memory device is in a write training mode. | 07-01-2010 |
20100165759 | Semiconductor Memory Device and Operation Method Thereof - A semiconductor memory device includes a strobe signal generator for receiving a write command and generating a write strobe signal that defines an activation period variably according to an operation frequency, and a data transfer unit for transferring data from an external device to an internal data line in response to the write strobe signal. | 07-01-2010 |
20100165760 | DATA STROBE SIGNAL NOISE PROTECTION APPARATUS AND SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A data strobe signal noise prevention apparatus and semiconductor integrated circuit includes a transition protection unit configured to protect a transition of a data strobe signal in response to a control signal and a controller configured to determine when a burst operation completes and to generate the control signal. | 07-01-2010 |
20100165761 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes: a modulation controller for generating a modulation control signal for controlling a frequency modulation operation; a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for performing a delay locking operation to generate first and second DLL clocks and outputting a frequency-modulated DLL clock in response to the modulation control signal; and a data strobe signal generator for outputting the frequency-modulated DLL clock as a data strobe signal. | 07-01-2010 |
20100165762 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes: a modulation controller for generating a modulation control signal for controlling a frequency modulation operation; a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for performing a delay locking operation to generate first and second DLL clocks and outputting a frequency-modulated DLL clock in response to the modulation control signal; and a data strobe signal generator for outputting the frequency-modulated DLL clock as a data strobe signal. | 07-01-2010 |
20100172196 | Circuit for Generating Data Strobe Signal in DDR Memory Device and Method Therefor - The present invention discloses a circuit for generating a data strobe signal in a DDR memory device and a method therefor which can precisely distinguish preamble and postamble periods of the data strobe signal by generating pulses for generating the data strobe signal only in a data strobe signal input period by using an internal clock signal according to CAS latency under a read command, and generating the data strobe signal by using the pulses, and which can improve reliability of the circuit operation by precisely controlling operation timing with the internal clock signal. | 07-08-2010 |
20100182855 | Semiconductor memory device, method of controlling read preamble signal thereof, and data transmission system - A semiconductor memory device and a data transmission system that operate in synchronization with a high speed system clock without using a synchronizing circuit such as a DLL or PLL. A semiconductor memory device that operates in synchronization with a system clock provided from outside, outputs a data strobe signal from a data strobe terminal when a read command is executed, and outputs read data in synchronization with the data strobe signal, is provided with a read preamble register that specifies the length of a read preamble outputted prior to output of the read data. A memory controller gives consideration to system clock frequency and internal delay time of the semiconductor memory device, and by optimally setting the read preamble length, can perform data transmission at high speed and without missing head data even if read data output start timing of the semiconductor memory device varies. | 07-22-2010 |
20100182856 | Semiconductor memory device and read wait time adjustment method thereof, memory system, and semiconductor device - A semiconductor memory device operates in synchronization with a system clock, without using a synchronous circuit such as a DLL or a PLL. The semiconductor memory device includes a synchronous circuit for generating output signals phase aligned with the system clock, a synchronous circuit selection circuit that performs switching between a synchronous circuit selection mode and a synchronous circuit non-selection mode, and a reference edge specifying register that specifies an edge of an internal clock which serves as a reference for outputting read data in the synchronous circuit non-selection mode. In the synchronous circuit selection mode, the read data is output by adjusting a phase deviation of the internal clock with respect to the system clock, using the synchronous circuit. In the synchronous circuit non-selection mode, the read data is output in synchronization with the internal clock, without using the synchronous circuit. For a delay of the internal clock with respect to the system clock, the edge of the internal clock used as the reference is adjusted by the reference edge specifying register. Then, even if the synchronous circuit is not used, a large timing deviation does not thereby occur. | 07-22-2010 |
20100182857 | TESTER FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An apparatus testing a semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to, a first strobe signal generating circuit and a detecting circuit. The first strobe signal generating circuit generates a first strobe signal in response to a reference clock supplied from the semiconductor device. The detecting circuit detects a data signal, supplied from the semiconductor device, based on the first strobe signal. | 07-22-2010 |
20100188910 | CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - A system and method for synchronizing a strobed memory system | 07-29-2010 |
20100195421 | STACKED-DIE MEMORY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRAINING STACKED-DIE MEMORY SYSTEMS - Systems and methods are disclosed herein, such as those that operate to control a set of delays associated with one or more data clocks to clock a set of data bits into one or more transmit registers, one or more data strobes to transfer the set of data bits to at least one receive register, and/or a set of memory array timing signals to access a memory array on a die associated with a stacked-die memory vault. Systems and methods herein also include those that perform data eye training operations and/or memory array timing training operations associated with the stacked-die memory vault. | 08-05-2010 |
20100202223 | MEMORY INTERFACE AND OPERATION METHOD OF IT - A memory interface includes a first delaying circuit configured to delay write data to be supplied to an input buffer; a second delaying circuit configured to delay read data read out from an output buffer; a data write circuit configured to supply said write data to a memory through said first delaying circuit; and a data read circuit configured to read said write data written in said memory, as said read data through said second delaying circuit. A control circuit is configured to detect positions of a start edge and end edge of an eye opening which is formed based on fluctuation of said write data or said read data, to specify an intermediate position of the start edge and the end edge, and to determine a phase of a data strobe signal based on a difference between the intermediate position and one of the start edge and the end edge. | 08-12-2010 |
20100202224 | MEMORY WITH DATA CONTROL - In an embodiment, a memory device comprises memory, a first data link, a first input, a second input, a second data link, a first output and a second output. The first data link is configured to input one or more packets into the memory device. The first input is configured to input command strobe signals into the memory device that delineate command packets that are input into the memory device via the first data link. The second input is configured to input data strobe signals into the memory device that delineate data packets that are input into the memory device via the first data link. The first and second outputs are configured to output the command strobe signal and data strobe signal, respectively. The second data link is configured to output packets from the memory device. | 08-12-2010 |
20100208534 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, MEMORY MODULE INCLUDING THE SAME, AND DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM - To provide a semiconductor device including a skew detecting circuit activated in a write leveling mode, and an ODT control circuit that activates a terminating resistance circuit connected to a data strobe terminal by using an ODT signal. The ODT control circuit selects a first resistance mode when a dynamic ODT is in an unused state in the write leveling mode, and selects a second resistance mode when the dynamic ODT is in a used state in the write leveling mode. With this configuration, a resistance in a used state of the dynamic ODT and that in an unused state of the dynamic ODT can be reproduced in an actual write operation. Consequently, a more accurate write leveling operation can be performed. | 08-19-2010 |
20100208535 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, MEMORY MODULE INCLUDING THE SAME, AND DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM - To provide a semiconductor device including a skew detecting circuit activated in a write leveling mode, and an ODT control circuit that activates a terminating resistance circuit connected to a data strobe terminal by using an ODT signal. The ODT control circuit includes counters that delay the ODT signal, activates the terminating resistance circuit by using the ODT signal having passed the counters in a normal operation mode, and activates the terminating resistance circuit by using the ODT signal having bypassed the counters in the write leveling mode. With this configuration, in the write leveling mode, a write leveling operation can be performed quickly without waiting for latency of the ODT signal. | 08-19-2010 |
20100214858 | Delay locked loop circuit for preventing failure of coarse locking - A delay locked loop circuit includes a delay locked loop receiving an external clock, a frequency detector delaying an input frequency signal to generate a plurality of strobe signals and outputting a check signal indicating that the frequency of the input frequency signal is equal to or lower than a reference frequency when all of the strobe signals are positioned within a first-status section of one cycle of the input frequency signal, a delay lock reset unit generating a reset signal to reset the frequency detector and an activation signal to enable the delay locked loop to perform a delay lock process, and a direct phase detector controlling a coarse locking window on the basis of the check signal and generating a pair of phase detection signals indicating logic levels of the external clock. According to this configuration, since the coarse locking window is controlled as per a frequency band, it is possible to prevent a failure of a coarse locking and to achieve an improved circuit performance. | 08-26-2010 |
20100220536 | ADVANCED MEMORY DEVICE HAVING REDUCED POWER AND IMPROVED PERFORMANCE - A memory device including a memory array storing data, a variable delay controller, a passive variable delay circuit and an output driver. The variable delay controller periodically receives delay commands from a first source external to the memory device during operation of the memory device, and outputs delay instruction bits responsive to the received delay commands. The passive variable delay circuit receives a clock from a second source external to the memory device, receives the delay instruction bits from the variable delay controller, generates a delayed clock having a time relation to the received clock as determined by the delay instruction bits, and outputting the delayed clock. The output driver receives the data from the memory array and the delayed clock, and outputs the data at a time responsive to the delayed clock. | 09-02-2010 |
20100238747 | Method and Circuit of Calibrating Data Strobe Signal in Memory Controller - A method for calibrating a data strobe (DQS) signal and associated circuit is provided. The calibrating method includes determining N buffers from a delay chain having M buffers to delay a predetermined phase during a first period; serially connecting the N buffers of the delay chain during a second period; and inputting the DQS signal to the N serially connected buffers to delay the DQS signal by the predetermined phase. | 09-23-2010 |
20100246290 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GATE TRAINING IN MEMORY INTERFACES - An invention is provided for gate training in memory interfaces. The invention includes adding a coarse delay to a gate assert time, where the coarse delay is a predefined period of time and the gate assert time is a time when a data strobe gate signal is asserted. Next, the a data strobe signal is repeatedly sampled at the gate assert time until a rising edge of the data strobe signal is found, wherein a fine delay is added to the gate assert time between sampling of the data strobe signal. The fine delay is a period of time shorter than the coarse delay. Once the rising edge is found, the coarse delay is removed from the gate assert time, thus setting the gate assert time centrally within the preamble of the data strobe signal. | 09-30-2010 |
20100246291 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING WRITE LEVELING DELAY FOR MEMORY INTERFACES - An invention is provided for determining write leveling delay for a plurality of memory devices having command signals lines connected in series to each memory device is disclosed. The invention includes determining a device delay value for each memory device. Each device delay value indicates a period of time to delay a DQS signal when accessing a related memory device. Once these delay values are determined, the delay values are examined sequentially and a prior device delay value is set to a lower value, for example zero, when a subsequent device delay value of a memory device connected subsequently along the command signal lines is greater than the prior device delay value. | 09-30-2010 |
20100246292 | Cell Inferiority test circuit - A cell inferiority test circuit includes a compression data generator configured to compress selected data in response to selection signals and to generate compression data including information about cell inferiority, a strobe signal delayer configured to delay a strobe signal by an amount of time set by a test signal and to generate a delayed strobe signal, and an input/output line driver configured to receive the compression data in sync with the delayed strobe signal and to drive a global input/output line. | 09-30-2010 |
20100254204 | SELF-TIMED INTERFACE FOR STROBE-BASED SYSTEMS - A method is disclosed comprising detecting an edge-transition of a strobe signal using hysteresis, the strobe signal originating in a first clock domain. A count is controlled in a first direction in response to the detected edge-transition. The count is controlled in a second direction in response to an edge-transition of a clock signal, the clock signal originating in a second clock domain. Data is interfaced between the first and second clock domains in response to the count. | 10-07-2010 |
20100265777 | MEMORY DEVICE HAVING STROBE TERMINALS WITH MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS - A memory device has data transceivers, write strobe transceivers, and read strobe transceivers. The data transceivers transfer input data to the memory device and transfer output data from the memory device. The write strobe transceivers transfer timing information of the input data. The read strobe transceivers transfer timing information of the output data. The memory device also has an auxiliary circuit for generating auxiliary information. The auxiliary information includes information different from the timing information of the input data and the output data. The auxiliary circuit uses the write and read transceivers to transfer the auxiliary information to and from the memory device. | 10-21-2010 |
20100271886 | Semiconductor memory device and latency signal generating method thereof - A latency signal generating method and a corresponding semiconductor memory device, among other things, are disclosed. Such a method includes: receiving a clock signal for the semiconductor memory device; receiving a mode characterization signal; providing the DQS; and adapting the duration of a preamble state of the DQS according to the mode characterization signal to promote conformance of a strobe state of the DQS with the clock signal. | 10-28-2010 |
20100284231 | Memory system, memory device, and output data strobe signal generating method - An output data strobe signal generating method and a memory system that includes a plurality of semiconductor memory devices, and a memory controller for controlling the semiconductor memory devices, wherein the memory controller provides a command signal and a chip selecting signal to the semiconductor memory devices. One or more of the semiconductor memory devices may detect a read command and a dummy read command in response to the command signal and the chip selecting signal and generate one or more preamble signals based on a calculated preamble cycle number. | 11-11-2010 |
20100296351 | TIMING ADJUSTMENT CIRCUIT, TIMING ADJUSTMENT METHOD, AND CORRECTION VALUE COMPUTING METHOD - A timing adjustment circuit includes a determination unit for outputting delay information corresponding to a period of a first input signal, a storing unit for storing a plurality of correction values in accordance with a circuit included in the determination unit, a correction unit for correcting the delay information based on a correction value selected from the plurality of the correction values, in accordance with the delay information, and a first delay line for delaying a second input signal corresponding to the first input signal, in accordance with the delay information corrected by the correction unit. | 11-25-2010 |
20100309737 | SIGNAL ADJUSTING SYSTEM AND SIGNAL ADJUSTING METHOD - A signal adjusting system includes: a signal generating apparatus for transmitting a first driving signal and a second driving signal, a plurality of signal transmitting paths coupled to the signal generating apparatus, and a controlling apparatus coupled to the plurality of signal transmitting paths for receiving a first transmitted signal corresponding to the first driving signal and a second transmitted signal corresponding to the second driving signal, and detecting a phase difference between the first transmitted signal and the second transmitted signal to generate a detected result for the signal generating apparatus, wherein the signal generating apparatus adjusts a first driving ability of the first driving signal and a second driving ability of the second driving signal according to the detected result. | 12-09-2010 |
20100315891 | MEMORY CONTROLLER WITH SKEW CONTROL AND METHOD - A dual data rate (DDR) memory controller and method are provided. The method includes: receiving a first data strobe at a first terminal from a first memory having a first rank; receiving a first data signal at a second terminal from the first memory having the first rank; calibrating the first data signal with the first data strobe to produce a first calibration value; receiving a second data strobe at the first terminal from a second memory having a second rank; receiving a second data signal at the second terminal from the second memory having the second rank; calibrating the second data signal with the second data strobe to produce a second calibration value; determining a final calibration value using the first and second calibration values; and using the final calibration value to time the first data signal and the second data signal during a read operation of the memories. | 12-16-2010 |
20100315892 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TIMING ADJUSTMENT - A strobe signal from a memory is delayed through delay circuits of a strobe delay selection section, thus obtaining a plurality of delayed strobe signals. A strobe latch section produces check data in synchronism with each of the delayed strobe signals, and a system latch section latches, with a system clock, check data latched by the strobe latch section. Based on a comparison by an expected value comparison section and a determination by a delay determination section, the optimal strobe signal with the optimal delay is selected from among the delayed strobe signals produced in the strobe delay selection section. Then, data from the memory is delayed through delay circuits in a data delay selection section, thus obtaining a plurality of delayed data, and the optimal data with the optimal delay is selected from among the plurality of delayed data based on the comparison by the expected value comparison section and the determination by the delay determination section. | 12-16-2010 |
20100322021 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND MEMORY SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array, a clock signal generator configured to receive an external clock signal from the outside of the memory device and output an internal clock signal, and a data output unit configured to receive an internal data signal from the memory cell array and output a read data signal in response to the internal clock signal. The semiconductor memory device also includes a read data strobe unit configured to output a read data strobe signal having a cycle time of n times (n is an integer equal to or more than 2) a cycle time of the internal clock signal, based on the internal clock signal. | 12-23-2010 |
20110002179 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes first and second write driving blocks to perform a data write operation on first and second memory banks in response to first and second bank strobe signals, respectively, and a common input driving block to transmit data to the first and second write driving blocks through a common data line in response to access information of the first and second memory banks. | 01-06-2011 |
20110002180 | CIRCUIT FOR GENERATING DATA STROBE SIGNAL AND METHOD - A circuit for generating a data strobe signal includes: a control signal generation unit configured to generate a strobe control signal defining an activation time period where a first data strobe signal and a second data strobe signal, which is an inverted signal of the first data strobe signal, are toggled; and a strobe signal output unit configured to output the first and second data strobe signals as a final strobe signal in the activation time period where the strobe control signal is activated. | 01-06-2011 |
20110007585 | METHOD FOR GENERATING READ ENABLE SIGNAL AND MEMORY SYSTEM USING THE METHOD - A method for generating a read enable signal which is for controlling reading of a pair of data strobe signals and a data signal in a memory system is provided. The method comprises: detecting whether the pair of data strobe signals are both high or low; and generating the read enable signal if the pair of data strobe signals are detected being both high or low. Because the read enable signal is generated using the pair of strobe signals, DLL can be turned off, thus the power consumption of the memory system can be reduced. In addition, the read enable signal is self-aligned with a certain point of the pair of strobe signals, this may enhance precision of the transmission of the pair of strobe signals and the data signal. | 01-13-2011 |
20110007586 | MEMORY INTERFACE CONTROL CIRCUIT - A memory interface control circuit includes an input/output circuit | 01-13-2011 |
20110019489 | Apparatus and method for data strobe and timing variation detection of an SDRAM interface - An apparatus for data strobe and timing variation detection of an SDRAM interface includes a differential-signal to single-end signal converter, a first phase delay circuit, a data latch circuit. The differential-signal to single-end signal converter receives a differential data strobe signal from the SDRAM interface and converts the signal into a single-end data strobe signal. The first phase delay circuit is connected to the differential-signal to single-end signal converter to delay the phase of the single-end data strobe signal for producing a delayed data strobe signal. The data latch circuit is connected to the phase delay circuit to latch synchronous data from the SDRAM interface according to the delayed single-end data strobe signal. | 01-27-2011 |
20110026337 | DATA INPUT/OUTPUT CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A circuit includes a data input/output unit configured to connect to a first memory bank and a second memory bank. The data input/output unit includes a data switching unit configured to be selectively coupled with the first or second memory bank in response to a bank selection signal, and an input/output driver configured to amplify an output of the data switching unit and transfer the amplified output to a global data line during the read operation, and configured to amplify data from the global data line and transfer the amplified data to the data switching unit during the write operation. | 02-03-2011 |
20110058432 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided that includes a first pad, a data storage and input/output block configured to store and output data by using a data strobe signal and a clock signal inputted through the first pad, and a timing compensation unit configured to delay the clock signal to generate the data strobe signal. | 03-10-2011 |
20110063931 | INTERFACES, CIRCUITS, AND METHODS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH A DOUBLE DATA RATE MEMORY DEVICE - An input/output interface reads data from and writes data to a DDR memory. The interface includes data and strobe circuits. The strobe circuit includes preamble logic, a first counter operating with a strobe clock, a second counter operating with an ASIC-generated clock, a strobe park circuit and a first synchronizer. The preamble logic receives strobe signals from the DDR memory and generates a preamble signal. The first counter generates a first input of the strobe park circuit. The second counter generates a second input of the strobe park circuit. The strobe park circuit controllably replaces the strobe signals from the DDR memory with respective non-transitioning signals when data is not being read. The data circuit includes a FIFO buffer and a second synchronizer. The FIFO buffer receives data with the strobe clock. The second synchronizer generates a representation of the data in response to the ASIC-generated clock. | 03-17-2011 |
20110075496 | Memory Controller Comprising Adjustable Transmitter Impedance - Memory controllers, memory devices and methods are provided in which test data is transmitted and signal parameters are varied. The transmitted test data is read, and based on a comparison between transmitted test data and read test data a transmitter impedance is adjusted. | 03-31-2011 |
20110075497 | MEMORY SYSTEM AND METHOD USING STACKED MEMORY DEVICE DICE, AND SYSTEM USING THE MEMORY SYSTEM - A memory system and method uses stacked memory device dice coupled to each other and to a logic die. The logic die may include a timing correction system that is operable to control the timing at which the logic die receives signals, such as read data signals, from each of the memory device dice. The timing correction controls the timing of the read data or other signals by adjusting the timing of respective strobe signals, such as read strobe signals, that are applied to each of the memory device dice. The memory device dice may transmit read data to the memory device at a time determined by when it receives the respective strobe signals. The timing of each of the strobe signals is adjusted so that the read data or other signals from all of the memory device dice are received at the same time. | 03-31-2011 |
20110085392 | METHOD FOR WRITING DATA TO MEMORY ARRAY - A method is provided for writing data to a memory array operating in synchronization with a clock signal having a transition edge. A data strobe signal having a transition edge corresponding to the transition edge of the clock signal is provided. The transition edge of the clock signal is used to relay the data corresponding to the transition edge of the data strobe signal if the transition edge of the data strobe signal is coming in earlier than the transition edge of the clock signal, wherein the clock signal has a rising edge and a falling edge, the data strobe signal has a rising edge and a falling edge respectively corresponding to the rising and the falling edges of the clock signal, and the transition edge of the clock signal is one of the rising and the falling edges of the clock signal. | 04-14-2011 |
20110085393 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS AND DATA INPUT/OUTPUT METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a first bit line of to a first memory bank; a first middle input/output line configured to be electrically connected to the first bit line; a second bit line of a second memory bank; a second middle input/output line configured to be electrically connected to the second bit line; and a shared local input/output line configured to be electrically connected to the first and second middle input/output lines. A bank selection signal controls both the electrical connection between the shared local input/output line and the first middle input/output line and the electrical connection between the shared local input/output line and the second middle input/output line. | 04-14-2011 |
20110096613 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device includes a plurality of first output terminals | 04-28-2011 |
20110096614 | SINGLE-STROBE OPERATION OF MEMORY DEVICES - An arrangement of memory devices and a controller is based on an interface with a reduced pin count relative to a known memory device and controller arrangement. Facilitating the reduced pin count interface the reduction of multiple strobe signal to a single strobe signal. In addition, a packet header transmitted on the data bus followed by a payload, includes an encoded indication of the type of the payload. Aspects of the present application relate to providing a traditional memory device with external logic devices, where the logic devices handle the single strobe and the packet header, thereby permitting single strobe operation. | 04-28-2011 |
20110128802 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A semiconductor memory device includes: a first strobe signal generation unit configured to generate a first rising strobe signal in response to a rising DLL clock signal; a second strobe signal generation unit configured to generate a second rising strobe signal in response to a falling DLL clock signal, the second rising strobe signal having an opposite phase to the first rising strobe signal and being activated at the same timing as the first rising strobe signal; a third strobe signal generation unit configured to generate a first falling strobe signal in response to the falling DLL clock signal; and a fourth strobe signal generation unit configured to generate a second falling strobe signal in response to the rising DLL clock signal, the second falling strobe signal having an opposite phase to the first falling strobe signal and being activated at the same timing as the first falling strobe signal. | 06-02-2011 |
20110134711 | MEMORY CONTROL CIRCUIT AND MEMORY CONTROL METHOD - A memory control circuit includes a data sample circuit, a first delay control circuit, a second delay control circuit and a data circuit. The data sample circuit is used for generating a first data strobe signal and a second data strobe signal. The first delay control circuit is coupled to the data sample circuit, for receiving the first data strobe signal and delaying the first data strobe signal to generate a first delayed data strobe signal. The second delay control circuit is coupled to the data sample circuit, for receiving the second data strobe signal and delaying the second data strobe signal to generate a second delayed data strobe signal. The data circuit is coupled to the first delay control circuit and the second delay control circuit, for transferring data signals according to the first delayed data strobe signal and the second delayed data strobe signal. | 06-09-2011 |
20110141834 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH DDR MEMORY CONTROLLER - In a DDR memory controller, a clock control circuit is configured to output a clock signal selected from among a plurality of clock signals with different frequencies based on a frequency selection signal, to a DDR memory as an operation clock signal. A master DLL circuit is configured to receive one of the plurality of clock signals which has a maximum frequency as a reference clock signal to determine a delay code. A slave delay circuit is configured to delay a strobe signal from the DDR memory based on the determined delay code to generate an internal strobe signal for a data signal from the DDR memory. | 06-16-2011 |
20110158009 | APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OUTPUT DATA STROBE SIGNAL - An apparatus for generating an output data strobe signal include a timing control unit configured to detect a specific data pattern and to generate a plurality of timing control signals corresponding to the detected data pattern in response to a clock signal; and a strobe signal generating unit configured to generate at least one strobe signal in response to the clock signal, and to adjust transition timings of the strobe signal in response to the timing control signals. | 06-30-2011 |
20110176374 | BIST DDR MEMORY INTERFACE CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR TESTING THE SAME - An apparatus and method for self-testing a DDR memory interface are disclosed. In one aspect, a built-in-self-test (BIST) memory interface circuit includes a signal multiplier for receiving a first clock signal from a tester and outputs a multiplied clock signal. A first multiplexer is used for selecting between a test mode and a normal operating mode and provides an output signal. A delay magnitude generator is coupled to the signal multiplier to receive the multiplied clock signal and provides a second clock signal and a phase control signal. A plurality of digitally controlled delay line blocks are used for each receiving the second clock signal and the phase control signal and outputting a phase shifted data strobe output signal in response to receiving an internal data strobe input signal. A second multiplexer selects one of the internal data strobe input signals and a third multiplexer selects the phase shifted data strobe output signal that corresponds to the selected internal data strobe input signal. A phase detector determines a phase difference between the selected internal data strobe input signal and the selected phase shifted data strobe output signal and outputs a phase difference value. | 07-21-2011 |
20110188331 | SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS - A semiconductor apparatus having a plurality of chips stacked therein is disclosed. At least two of the plurality of chips are configured to receive a column command and generate a column control signal based on the column command. Generation timing of the column control signal generated based on a column command in one of the at least two of the plurality of chips substantially coincide with the generation timing in the other of the at least two of the plurality of chips. | 08-04-2011 |
20110199843 | Strobe Offset in Bidirectional Memory Strobe Configurations - A method and apparatus for determining correct timing for receiving, in a host in a memory system, of a normal toggle transmitted by an addressed memory chip on a bidirectional data strobe. An offset in the data strobe is established, either by commanding the addressed memory chip, in a training period, to drive the data strobe to a known state, except during transmission of a normal toggle, or by providing a voltage offset between a true and a complement phase in the data strobe, or by providing a circuit bias in a differential receiver on the host the receives the data strobe. A series of read commands are transmitted by the host to the addressed memory chip, which responds by transmitting the normal toggle. Timing of reception of the normal toggle as received by the host chip is adjusted until the normal toggle is correctly received. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199844 | Semiconductor Memory Device Suitable for Mounting on a Portable Terminal - A semiconductor memory device for operating in synchronization with a clock is disclosed. The semiconductor includes a memory array having a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows and columns; and a control circuit performing a control, operation to effect row access processing on a selected row and to effect column access processing on column(s). The control being performed in synchronization with a first clock defined by a time of production of the read signal or the write signal according to an externally applied control signal. the control is also performed in synchronization with a second or later clock defined by a latency, to effect the column access processing on a second number of the columns remaining in the burst mode access | 08-18-2011 |
20110211404 | Recalibration Systems and Techniques for Electronic Memory Applications - A memory circuit includes a delay module receiving a strobe signal and producing a delayed strobe signal therefrom. The memory circuit also includes a calibration module that initiates recalibration of the delay module when the calibration module discerns that the delayed strobe signal is within a predetermined proximity of an edge of a reference signal. The memory circuit can be included in a memory interface. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a strobe signal can be used as the reference signal. | 09-01-2011 |
20110216611 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CALIBRATING WRITE TIMING IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period. | 09-08-2011 |
20110228619 | MEMORY CONTROL APPARATUS AND MASK TIMING ADJUSTING METHOD - A disclosed synchronous memory control apparatus for enabling reception of data read from a memory circuit in synchronism with a strobe signal from the memory circuit includes a mask circuit masking the strobe signal using a mask signal; a timing measuring circuit delaying the strobe signal in plural units of delay and latching data of each of the delayed strobe signals; and a mask generating circuit generating the mask signal. The timing measuring circuit latches the data of each of the delayed strobe signals at the first rise edge of the corresponding masked strobe signal. The mask generating circuit includes a delay circuit having plural units of delay. A start timing of the mask signal is adjusted in synchronism with an internal clock, and a signal having a delay amount corresponding to a selected unit of delay by the delay circuit is outputted as the mask signal. | 09-22-2011 |
20110235446 | WRITE STROBE GENERATION FOR A MEMORY INTERFACE CONTROLLER - A memory controller includes a circuit to generate a strobe signal for write operations to a DDR SDRAM. The circuit efficiently generates a glitch free strobe signal for a group of data lines. In one implementation, the memory controller includes a write data generation circuits to each transmit a data signal to the memory on a data line, the write data generation circuits being controlled by write enable signals. A write strobe generation circuit generates the strobe signal and the write enable signals, the strobe signal including a preamble window to signal the beginning of the data burst, a data transfer window, and a postamble window to signal the end of the data burst, the write strobe generation circuit generating the write enable signals a half memory cycle early and terminating the write enable signals a half memory cycle late with respect to the data signals generated by the write data generation circuits. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242907 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS AND READ/WRITE CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a read/write control unit configured to generate a write control signal and a read control signal using internal signals generated through separate signal paths in response to a write command and a read command respectively; and a plurality of ranks configured to perform a write operation or read operation according to the write control signal or the read control signal. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242908 | COMMAND DECODER AND A SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A command decoder includes a snoop read control signal generation unit that generates a snoop read control signal from a internal chip select signal according to a level of a transmission mode control signal, and an internal snoop read command generation unit that generates an internal snoop read command by driving a first node in response to an internal command and the snoop read control signal. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242909 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND SYSTEM - A system includes a data transmitting device and a data receiving device. The data transmitting device includes a data strobe signal generation unit configured to generate first and second data strobe signals in response to an output enable signal, and a data output unit configured to transmit data in synchronization with the first data strobe signal. The data receiving device is configured to receive the data in synchronization with the second data strobe signal. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242910 | DATA STROBE CLOCK BUFFER IN SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A data strobe clock buffer of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a buffering block configured to buffer an external data strobe clock signal in response to a buffer enable signal to generate an internal data strobe clock signal, a timing discriminating block configured to discriminate toggle timing of the internal data strobe clock signal in response to a burst start signal and a burst length signal to generate a timing discrimination signal, and an enable controlling block configured to generate the buffer enable signal in response to the timing discrimination signal. | 10-06-2011 |
20110249520 | DATA STROBE SIGNAL OUTPUT DRIVER FOR A SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - A data strobe signal output driver includes a trigger block, a predriver block, and a main driver block. The trigger block is configured to receive a first signal, a second signal, a first clock and a second clock, and to output a predrive signal based thereon. The predriver block is configured to receive the predrive signal, a driver off signal and a termination enable signal, and to output a first main drive signal and a second main drive signal based thereon. The main driver block is configured to output a data strobe signal based on the first and second main drive signals. | 10-13-2011 |
20110249521 | Semiconductor device - A semiconductor device includes: a clock generator generating a first internal clock signal based on an external clock signal; a clock divider generating second and third internal clock signals based on the first internal clock signal and including an edge adjustor adjusting a timing of one of rising and falling edges of the third internal clock signal, an adjustment information holder supplying an edge adjustment signal to the edge adjustor, and a data strobe generator receiving the second and third internal clock signals to generate a first data strobe signal based on the second internal clock signal, and a second data strobe signal with a phase different from that of the first data strobe signal, based on the third internal clock signal. The edge adjustor adjusts the timing of at least one of the rising and falling edges of the third internal clock signal based on the edge adjustment signal. | 10-13-2011 |
20110255354 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention including a data transmitting circuit that transmits data in parallel through a plurality of signal lines and a data receiving circuit that receives the data. The data transmitting circuit includes a plurality of data output circuits that output the data in a data transmission mode or set an output to a high impedance state in a HiZ mode, a plurality of data selection circuits that select one of the data and fixed data and output the selected data to the data output circuits, and a control circuit that controls the data output circuits to output the fixed data during a period between a time when a mode is switched from the HiZ mode to the data transmission mode and a time when the data output circuits start to output the data. | 10-20-2011 |
20110261636 | COMMON MEMORY DEVICE FOR VARIABLE DEVICE WIDTH AND SCALABLE PRE-FETCH AND PAGE SIZE - Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for a common memory device for variable device width and scalable pre-fetch and page size. In some embodiments, a common memory device (such as a DRAM) can operate in any of a number of modes including, for example, a ×4 mode, a ×8 mode, and a ×16 mode. The page size provided by the DRAM may vary depending on the mode of the DRAM. In some embodiments, the amount of data pre-fetched by the DRAM also varies depending on the mode of the DRAM. | 10-27-2011 |
20110267907 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A semiconductor memory device includes a first data input/output unit configured to receive a normal training data, whose data window is scanned based on an edge of a source clock, in response to a training input command, and output a data in a state where an edge of the data window is synchronized with the edge of the source clock in response to a training output command, and a second data input/output unit configured to receive a recovery information training data, whose data window is scanned based on the edge of the source clock, in response to the training input command, and output a data in a state where an edge of a data window is synchronized with the edge of the source clock in response to the training output command. | 11-03-2011 |
20110280090 | Semiconductor device and test method thereof - For example, to include plural data input/output terminals and a strobe terminal that are electrically connected in common by a test probe, a command address terminal that is connected to a test probe, and an output control circuit that performs a selecting operation of data output circuits based on a signal that is supplied to the command address terminal. According to the present invention, it is possible to perform a test that uses non-compressed actual data while allocating plural data input/output terminals to one determination circuit within a tester. With this configuration, it is possible to test a large number of semiconductor devices in parallel by using a limited number of determination circuits within the tester. | 11-17-2011 |
20110299346 | APPARATUS FOR SOURCE-SYNCHRONOUS INFORMATION TRANSFER AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - An apparatus includes an interface circuit coupled to an electronic device. The interface circuit provides source synchronous communication with the electronic device using a strobe signal. The interface circuit is configured to gate the strobe signal in order to successfully communicate with the electronic device. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299347 | DYNAMIC DETECTION OF A STROBE SIGNAL WITHIN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A method of processing a strobe signal can include oversampling a strobe signal received from a source synchronous device and determining an amount of time between sending a read request to the source synchronous device and detecting a first pulse of the strobe signal according to the oversampling. The method also can include squelching the strobe signal for the amount of time responsive to at least one subsequent read request. | 12-08-2011 |
20110299348 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A semiconductor memory device includes a write control signal generating circuit and a write enable signal generating unit. The write control signal generating circuit is configured to generate a write control signal activated during a time period from an input time point of a read command to an end time point of a data output time period. The write enable signal generating unit is configured to output a write command as a write enable signal in response to the write control signal. | 12-08-2011 |
20110317502 | CONTROL OF INPUTS TO A MEMORY DEVICE - A memory device includes a command decoder and control interface logic. One or more external inputs, such as row and column address strobes, communicate with the command decoder through the control interface logic. A control signal is also in communication with the control interface logic. During operation of a drowsy mode in the memory device, a self-refresh signal causes the control signal to disable the external inputs. With the external inputs disabled, command hazards are reduced when exiting drowsy mode. | 12-29-2011 |
20120020171 | MEMORY SYSTEM WITH DELAY LOCKED LOOP (DLL) BYPASS CONTROL - A memory system with delay locked loop (DLL) bypass control including a method for accessing memory that includes receiving a memory read command at a memory device. The memory device is configured to operate in a DLL off-mode to bypass a DLL clock as input to generating a read clock. A DLL power-on command is received at the memory device and in response to receiving the DLL power-on command a DLL initialization process is performed at the memory device. The memory read command is serviced at the memory device operating in the DLL off-mode, the servicing overlapping in time with performing the DLL initialization process. The memory device is configured to operate in a DLL on-mode to utilize the DLL clock as input to generating the read clock in response to a specified period of time elapsing. The specified period of time is relative to receiving the DLL power-on command. | 01-26-2012 |
20120020172 | DATA STROBE SIGNAL GENERATING DEVICE AND A SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A data strobe signal generating device includes a preamble controller configured to generate a preamble signal enabled in synchronization with a first dock signal and disabled in synchronization with a second clock signal after an output enable signal is enabled, and a data strobe signal output unit configured to generate a data strobe signal in response to the preamble signal. | 01-26-2012 |
20120033513 | DISTRIBUTED WRITE DATA DRIVERS FOR BURST ACCESS MEMORIES - An address strobe latches a first address. A burst cycle increments the address internally with additional address strobes. A new memory address is only required at the beginning of each burst access. Read commands are issued once per burst access eliminating toggling Read control line at cycle frequency. Control line transition terminates access and initializes another burst access. | 02-09-2012 |
20120033514 | STROBE-OFFSET CONTROL CIRCUIT - A method of operation in a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes receiving a strobe signal having a first phase relationship with respect to first data propagating on a first data line, and a second phase relationship with respect to second data propagating on a second data line. A first sample signal is generated based on the first phase relationship and a second sample signal is generated based on the second phase relationship. The first data signal is received using a first receiver clocked by the first sample signal. The second data signal is received using a second receiver clocked by the second sample signal. | 02-09-2012 |
20120039138 | ASYNCHRONOUS PIPELINED MEMORY ACCESS - A plurality of control signals are asserted within an asynchronous integrated circuit memory device in response to each transition of a memory access initiation signal to effect pipelined memory access operations. | 02-16-2012 |
20120039139 | Memory Systems and Methods for Dividing Physical Memory Locations Into Temporal Memory Locations - Described are memory modules that support dynamic point-to-point extensibility using fixed-width memory die. The memory modules include data-width translators that allow the modules to vary the effective width of their external memory interfaces without varying the width of the internal memory interfaces extending between the translators and associated fixed-width dies. The data-width translators use a data-mask signal to selectively prevent memory accesses to subsets of physical addresses. This data masking divides the physical address locations into two or more temporal subsets of the physical address locations, effectively increasing the number of uniquely addressable locations in a given module. Reading temporal addresses in write order can introduce undesirable read latency. Some embodiments reorder read data to reduce this latency. | 02-16-2012 |
20120057418 | MEMORIES AND METHODS FOR SHARING A SIGNAL NODE FOR THE RECEIPT AND PROVISION OF NON-DATA SIGNALS - Memories and methods for providing and receiving non-data signals at a signal node are disclosed. One such memory includes first and second signal nodes, and first and second signal buffer. The first signal buffer is configured to be operative responsive to a first data strobe signal and further configured to be operative responsive to a non-data signal. The second signal buffer is configured to be operative responsive to a second data strobe signal. An example first data strobe signal is a read data strobe signal provided by the memory. In another example, the first data strobe signal is a write data strobe signal received by the memory. Examples of non-data signals include a data mask signal, data valid signal, error correction signal, as well as other signals. | 03-08-2012 |
20120063246 | MEMORY CONTROLLER, MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME, AND CONTROL METHOD OF MEMORY DEVICE - One aspect of the present invention is a memory controller which controls a memory device including two or more memory access units and includes a data control circuit and an adjusting circuit that performs at least one of a first processing and a second processing. In the first processing, a timing of the write strobe signal generated by the data control circuit in a write operation is adjusted for each memory access unit and a write strobe adjusting signal specifying a timing for each memory access unit to load write data is generated, and in the second processing, a timing of the read strobe signal generated by the memory device in a read operation is adjusted for each memory access unit and a read strobe adjusting signal specifying a timing for the data control unit to read data read out from each memory access unit is generated. | 03-15-2012 |
20120069687 | Semiconductor memory device and read wait time adjustment method thereof, memory system, and semiconductor device - A controller includes a set of first terminals to be coupled to a device that is under control of the controller, and a control circuit configured to generate and output onto the set of first terminals synchronous mode information including a selected one of selection and non-selection modes, the selection mode causing the device to return to the controller a first data signal while activating a first data strobe signal that is synchronous in phase with a system clock, the non-selection mode causing the device to return to the controller a second data signal while activating a second data strobe signal that is asynchronous in phase with the system clock signal, and edge specifying information including a selected one of first and second states, the first state causing the device to activate the first data strobe signal at a first timing. | 03-22-2012 |
20120081981 | NONVOLATILE MEMORY APPARATUS WITH CHANGEABLE OPERATION SPEED AND RELATED SIGNAL CONTROL METHOD - Various embodiments of a nonvolatile memory apparatus configured to operate in a first operation mode and a second operation mode are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus may include: a controller configured to enable complementary signal input/output buffers in response to a command for entry into the first operation mode and disable the complementary signal input/output buffers in response to a command for transition to the second operation mode while operating under the first operation mode. | 04-05-2012 |
20120106273 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - Various embodiments of a semiconductor memory apparatus are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the semiconductor memory apparatus may include: a column control signal generator configured to generate a column control signal for a pair of bit lines corresponding to a data mask during a data mask operation; and a bit line sense amplifier configured to sense and amplify a voltage difference between the pair of bit lines and electrically couple the pair of bit lines to a pair of segment input/output lines in response to the column control signal. | 05-03-2012 |
20120106274 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a data input enable signal generation block configured to sequentially delay a data strobe signal to generate a first delayed data strobe signal, a second delayed data strobe signal, a third delayed data strobe signal and a fourth delayed data strobe signal, and generate a data strobe enable signal in response to a CAS write signal, a CAS write latency signal and the first to fourth delayed data strobe signals, a latch control signal generation block configured to output the data strobe signal as a latch control signal during an enable period of the data strobe enable signal, and a data latch block configured to latch data in response to the latch control signal and output latched data. | 05-03-2012 |
20120106275 | RINGBACK CIRCUIT FOR SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A circuit for a semiconductor memory device includes: a filtering control signal generation unit configured to synchronize a seed signal activated in a pre-amble period of a data strobe signal with the data strobe signal and sequentially generate a plurality of filtering control signals in response to the seed signal; and a filtering signal output unit configured to generate a filtering signal for filtering the data strobe signal in response to the plurality of filtering control signals and a plurality of burst length (BL) control signals. | 05-03-2012 |
20120106276 | DATA STROBE SIGNAL GENERATION CIRCUIT - A data strobe signal generation circuit includes: an enable signal generation unit configured to decode a test signal and generate an enable signal; an internal clock generation unit configured to generate a rising clock signal and a falling clock signal in response to the test signal; and a data strobe signal output unit configured to selectively buffer first and second powers in response to the rising clock signal and the falling clock signal, and output a data strobe signal. | 05-03-2012 |
20120113733 | Nonvolatile Memory Devices With On Die Termination Circuits And Control Methods Thereof - Non-volatile memory devices including on-die termination circuits connected to an input/output circuit and an on-die termination control logic detecting a preamble of a strobe signal based on a command and a control signal and activating the on-die termination within the preamble period. | 05-10-2012 |
20120120743 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS AND SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a shared pad which is configured to output a read operation control signal in a read operation and receive a write operation control signal in a write operation. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120744 | METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING SIGNALS AND PROCESSING DATA - A method for synchronizing signals includes the steps of receiving a preamble of a data strobe signal in response to a write preamble command, and synchronizing the data strobe signal with a clock signal through the preamble of the data strobe signal. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120745 | Semiconductor device and information processing system including the same - A semiconductor device includes: an input node supplied with an input signal; an output node provided correspondingly to the input node; first and second input circuits coupled in parallel to each other between the input and output nodes; and a control circuit configured to control the first and second input circuits such that one of the first and second input circuits is switched over from an active state to an inactive state and the other of the first and second input circuits is switched over from an inactive state to an active state during the one of the first and second input circuits being still in the active state. | 05-17-2012 |
20120127809 | PRECHARGE SIGNAL GENERATION CIRCUIT OF SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - A precharge signal generation circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus may comprise a read/write precharge command generation section configured to delay a precharge command by a first delay time set in response to a control signal to generate one of a read precharge command and a write precharge command; and a read/write bank precharge address generation section configured to delay a bank column address strobe signal by a second delay time set in response to the precharge command delayed in the read/write precharge command generation section, and generate one of a read bank precharge address and a write bank precharge address. | 05-24-2012 |
20120127810 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND ACCESS METHOD THEREOF - Example embodiments provide a semiconductor memory device that may include: a cell array arranged in pluralities of rows and columns; and a sense amplifier conducting writing and reading operations to the cell array in response to writing and reading commands in correspondence with an access time, which may be variable in period. The sense amplifier adjusts pulse widths of write-in and read-out data in accordance with a period of the access time. | 05-24-2012 |
20120140584 | SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM, SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR INPUT/OUTPUT OF DATA USING THE SAME - A semiconductor system, a semiconductor memory apparatus, and a method for input/output of data using the same are disclosed. The semiconductor system includes a controller and a memory apparatus where the controller is configured to transmit a clock signal, a data output command, an address signal, and a second strobe signal to a memory apparatus. The memory apparatus is configured to provide data to the controller in synchronization with the second strobe signal, and in response to the clock signal, the data output command, the address signal, and the second strobe signal received from the controller. | 06-07-2012 |
20120155199 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - A semiconductor memory apparatus may include a bonding pad; a control signal pad; and an operation mode signal generation unit configured to generate a plurality of operation mode signals in response to a bonding signal inputted through the bonding pad and a control signal inputted through the control signal pad. | 06-21-2012 |
20120155200 | MEMORY DEVICE, MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A memory system includes a memory device, a control device configured to control the memory device, a first channel configured to transfer a row command from the control device to the memory device, and a second channel configured to transfer a column command from the control device to the memory device. | 06-21-2012 |
20120163104 | DELAY ADJUSTMENT DEVICE, SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND DELAY ADJUSTMENT METHOD - A semiconductor device including an adjustment mode and a normal operation mode, including a first terminal to be coupled to the memory and configured to output a read command to the memory in the adjustment mode and not to output a write command in the adjustment mode, and a second terminal to be coupled to the memory and configured to receive a data strobe signal from the memory in the adjustment mode and not to output a signal to the memory in the adjustment mode. | 06-28-2012 |
20120170389 | MEMORY CONTROLLER FOR STROBE-BASED MEMORY SYSTEMS - A memory controller for strobe-based memory systems is disclosed. The memory controller comprises a circuit to generate a control signal having a predetermined timing relationship with respect to a first clock signal, a circuit to receive the control signal, and a receiver to sample the read data in response to the qualified read strobe signal. The receiving circuit comprises an input to receive an external read strobe signal transmitted by a semiconductor memory device, circuitry to synchronize the control signal and the received read strobe signal to have a common timing relationship with respect to each other, and circuitry to gate the read strobe signal based on the synchronized control signal. | 07-05-2012 |
20120176850 | COLUMN ADDRESS STROBE WRITE LATENCY (CWL) CALIBRATION IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - Column address strobe write latency (CWL) calibration including a method for calibrating a memory system. The method includes entering a test mode at a memory device and measuring a CWL at the memory device. A difference between the measured CWL and a programmed CWL is calculated. The calculated difference is transmitted to a memory controller that uses the calculated difference for adjusting a timing delay to match the measured CWL. | 07-12-2012 |
20120188833 | TIMING ADJUSTMENT CIRCUIT FOR A MEMORY INTERFACE AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING TIMING FOR MEMORY INTERFACE - According to one embodiment, a timing adjustment circuit for a memory interface is presented. The circuit is provided with a gate circuit, an original gate signal generation circuit, a high impedance prevention unit, an impedance control unit and a gate leveling circuit. The gate circuit performs gating of a data strobe signal outputted from a memory. The original gate signal generation circuit generates an original gate signal based on information of a read latency and a burst length. The high impedance prevention unit to prevent the data strobe signal from being in a high impedance state. The impedance control unit controls execution and release of operation of the high impedance prevention unit. The gate leveling circuit outputs a timing adjusted gate signal to the gate circuit based on the original gate signal and the data strobe signal. | 07-26-2012 |
20120188834 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND MEMORY SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array, a clock signal generator configured to receive an external clock signal from the outside of the memory device and output an internal clock signal, and a data output unit configured to receive an internal data signal from the memory cell array and output a read data signal in response to the internal clock signal. The semiconductor memory device also includes a read data strobe unit configured to output a read data strobe signal having a cycle time of n times (n is an integer equal to or more than 2) a cycle time of the internal clock signal, based on the internal clock signal. | 07-26-2012 |
20120195141 | GENERIC LOW POWER STROBE BASED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERFACING MEMORY CONTROLLER AND SOURCE SYNCHRONOUS MEMORY - A system and method for interfacing a memory controller and a source synchronous memory utilizing a generic low power strobe. A set of double rate (2×) strobes can be generated by gating a continuous double rate clock in order to enable the set of double rate strobes only for duration of a data transfer from controller to the memory. The data and control from a SDR continuous single rate (1×) clock domain with respect to the memory controller can be moved to a set of double rate clock domain by sampling with the set of double rate strobes. The phase of the set of double rate strobes can be shifted in relation to the continuous single rate clock and a phase relationship of the generated synchronous signals to the memory can be dynamically switched by changing the phase of the set of double rate strobes. The set of double rate clock domain enables each bit-slice to be independently programmed to generate an output to the memory at each phase relative to the controller single rate clock. | 08-02-2012 |
20120201087 | LAMINATED WIRING BOARD - A laminated wiring board includes a plurality of wiring layers that are stacked with the intermediary of an insulating layer between the layers and have a four-layer wiring unit obtained by disposing a power supply layer, a ground layer, a first signal wiring layer, and a second signal wiring layer sequentially from one side to the other side of a layer stacking direction with the intermediary of an insulating layer between the layers. One of the first signal wiring layer and the second signal wiring layer includes a data signal line and the other includes a clock signal line. The data signal line and the clock signal line are so disposed as to be prevented from overlapping with each other in a view perpendicular to the layer stacking direction at least at a place where both lines are disposed as parallel lines. | 08-09-2012 |
20120201088 | MEMORY CIRCUIT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A memory circuit system and method are provided in the context of various embodiments. In one embodiment, an interface circuit remains in communication with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The interface circuit is operable to interface the memory circuits and the system for performing various functionality (e.g. power management, simulation/emulation, etc.). | 08-09-2012 |
20120201089 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE COMPRISES AN INTERFACE TO TRANSMIT A FIRST CODE, A STROBE SIGNAL AFTER A DELAY AND DATA TO A DYNAMIC RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (DRAM) - An integrated circuit device comprises an interface to transmit a first code, a strobe signal after a delay and data to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The first code indicates that data is to be written to the DRAM. The first code is registered by the DRAM on one or more edges of an external clock signal received by the DRAM. The strobe signal specifies one or more discrete points in time synchronous with the external clock signal at which the data is registered by the DRAM. | 08-09-2012 |
20120213019 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS AND DATA INPUT/OUTPUT METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a first bit line of to a first memory bank; a first middle input/output line configured to be electrically connected to the first bit line; a second bit line of a second memory bank; a second middle input/output line configured to be electrically connected to the second bit line; and a shared local input/output line configured to be electrically connected to the first and second middle input/output lines. A bank selection signal controls both the electrical connection between the shared local input/output line and the first middle input/output line and the electrical connection between the shared local input/output line and the second middle input/output line. | 08-23-2012 |
20120213020 | MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory component having a first and second interface. The first interface is provided to sample address information in response to a first clock signal. The first interface includes inputs to sample at least two bits of the address information in succession during a clock cycle of the first clock signal. The second interface is provided to sample data in response to a second clock signal, having a frequency that is at least twice the frequency of the first clock signal. The second interface includes inputs to sample at least two bits of data in succession during a clock cycle of the second clock signal. | 08-23-2012 |
20120218841 | UTILIZING TWO ALGORITHMS TO DETERMINE A DELAY VALUE FOR TRAINING DDR3 MEMORY - A method for training an electronic memory may include receiving a first delay value and a second delay value. The first delay value and the second delay value may be associated with a first data strobe indicating when to sample data on a first memory lane of the electronic memory. The method may also include determining a difference between the first delay value and the second delay value. The method may further include receiving a third delay value associated with a second data strobe indicating when to sample data on a second memory lane of the electronic memory. The method may also include determining a fourth delay value for the second memory lane of the electronic memory utilizing the third delay value and the determined difference between the first delay value and the second delay value. | 08-30-2012 |
20120218842 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A controller, includes a plurality of external terminals configured to supply a command and an address to a semiconductor memory device, communicate a data with the semiconductor memory device, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data, at least one external terminal among the plurality of external terminals being configured to be capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data. | 08-30-2012 |
20120236665 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A semiconductor memory device, includes a data terminal provided to transfer a data therethrough, a strobe terminal provided to be related in the data terminal and to transfer a strobe signal therethrough a command terminal provided to receive a command that communicates the data with an outside thereof, and a preamble resister configured to be capable of specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal prior to the communicating. | 09-20-2012 |
20120236666 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data; and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, at least one of the plurality of first external terminals and at least one of the plurality of second external terminals each being capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data between the controller and the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device further including a preamble resister configured to be capable of storing the information. | 09-20-2012 |
20120236667 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A semiconductor memory device, includes a clock terminal provided to receive a clock signal, a data terminal provided to transfer a data therethrough in synchronization with the clock signal, a strobe terminal provided to be related in the data terminal and to transfer a strobe signal therethrough, a command terminal provided to receive a command that communicates the data with an outside thereof, and an address terminal provided to be supplied an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal from an outside of the semiconductor memory device, prior to communicating the data. | 09-20-2012 |
20120243350 | ADDRESS DELAY CIRCUIT OF SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY APPARATUS - An address delay circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a first group control pulse generation unit configured to generate a first control pulse after input of a first group column address strobe pulse and passage of a time corresponding to a first set multiple of one cycle of a clock, a second group control pulse generation unit configured to generate a second control pulse after input of a second group column strobe address pulse and passage of a time corresponding to a second set multiple of the one cycle of the clock, a first address storage unit configured to receive and store a first group external address in response to the first control pulse, and output a first group internal address, and a second address storage unit configured to receive and store a second group external address in response to the second control pulse, and output a second group internal address. | 09-27-2012 |
20120243351 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device controls read-out operation of a semiconductor memory that outputs a parallel data signal and a strobe signal at a timing in synchronism with each other. The semiconductor device has a first phase control circuit configured to output a delay strobe signal which delays the strobe signal for a variable delay time, a second phase control circuit configured to output a re-delay strobe signal which delays the delay strobe signal for a variable delay time, a first hold circuit configured to hold the parallel data signal at an edge of the delay strobe signal, a second hold circuit configured to hold the parallel data signal at an edge of the re-delay strobe signal, and a control circuit configured to adjust a delay time of the first phase control circuit so that the second hold circuit performs a hold operation at a signal transition timing of the parallel data signal. | 09-27-2012 |
20120243352 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command, a clock signal and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data, and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, one of the plurality of first external terminals and one of the plurality of second external terminals transferring an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data, | 09-27-2012 |
20120250433 | MEMORY DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS EMPLOYING COMMAND/ADDRESS CALIBRATION - During a command/address calibration mode, a memory controller may transmit multiple cycles of test patterns as signals to a memory device. Each cycle of test pattern signals may be transmitted at an adjusted relative phase with respect to a clock also transmitted to the memory device. The memory device may input the test pattern signals at a timing determined by the clock, such as rising and/or falling edges of the clock. The test pattern as input by the memory device may be sent to the memory controller to determine if the test pattern was successfully transmitted to the memory device during the cycle. Multiple cycles of test pattern transmissions are evaluated to determine a relative phase of command/address signals with respect to the clock for transmission during operation of the system. | 10-04-2012 |
20120250434 | METHOD OF ACCELERATING WRITE TIMING CALIBRATION AND WRITE TIMING CALIBRATION ACCELERATION CIRCUIT IN SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A method of accelerating write timing calibration and a write timing calibration acceleration circuit in a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. The write timing calibration acceleration circuit includes a phase difference detection unit and a detection data output unit. The phase difference detection unit detects a phase difference between a first signal and a second signal applied for a write timing calibration. The detection data output unit outputs detection data corresponding to the detected phase difference through a data output line. According to the write timing calibration acceleration circuit of the inventive concept, a time taken to perform a write timing calibration is reduced, thereby minimizing boot up time and power consumption. | 10-04-2012 |
20120257466 | DUTY CYCLE DISTORTION CORRECTION - Correction of duty cycle distortion of DQ and DQS signals between a memory controller and a memory is corrected by determining a duty cycle correction factor. The duty cycle distortion is corrected by applying the duty cycle correction factor to the plurality of differential DQS signals. The duty cycle distortion is corrected across a plurality of differential DQS signals between the memory controller and the bursting memory. | 10-11-2012 |
20120262997 | METHOD FOR SEARCHING OPTIMUM VALUE OF MEMORY - A method for searching an optimum value of a memory includes the following steps. A first and a second phase delay values of the memory are sequentially set to a plurality of first values and a plurality of second values respectively amounts of combinations of the first values combining with the second values passing a reading and writing test is recorded. A portion of the first values that the amounts of the corresponding combinations passing the reading and writing test is greater than a threshold is selected. A first value near a median of the selected first values is selected as a first optimum value for setting the first phase delay value. A portion of second values passing the reading and writing test is recorded. A second value near a median of the recording second values is selected as a second optimum value for setting the second phase delay value. | 10-18-2012 |
20120262998 | CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - Synchronization is provided in a memory system. During memory write operations a timing reference signal is transmitted with control signals to a memory device, and a calibration signal is received from the memory device. An internal clock signal is adjusted based on the calibration signal, and a data signal is then transmitted according to the internal clock. In this manner, the data is synchronized such that the data is accurately sampled according to the local clock signal. | 10-18-2012 |
20120269014 | DELAY CONTROL CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME - A delay control circuit includes a delay locked loop configured to delay an external clock by a first delay amount and generate an internal clock, a first delay unit configured to delay an input signal by a first delay amount, a first replica delay unit having a replica delay amount corresponding to a modeled delay amount of a system, a delay control unit configured to control the replica delay amount in response to a latency of an input signal, a measurement unit configured to measure the first delay amount and the controlled replica delay amount and generate path information, an operation unit configured to generate delay information in response to the latency of the input signal and the path information, and a latency delay unit configured to delay the delayed input signal of the first delay unit by the delay information and generate a latency signal. | 10-25-2012 |
20120294099 | Memory Controller Comprising Adjustable Transmitter Impedance - Memory controllers, memory devices and methods are provided in which test data is transmitted and signal parameters are varied. The transmitted test data is read, and based on a comparison between transmitted test data and read test data a transmitter impedance is adjusted. | 11-22-2012 |
20120300563 | ADVANCED MEMORY DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED PERFORMANCE, REDUCED POWER AND INCREASED RELIABILITY - An advanced memory having improved performance, reduced power and increased reliability. A memory device includes a memory array, a receiver for receiving a command and associated data, error control coding circuitry for performing error control checking on the received command, and data masking circuitry for preventing the associated data from being written to the memory array in response to the error control coding circuitry detecting an error in the received command. Another memory device includes a programmable preamble. Another memory device includes a fast exit self-refresh mode. Another memory device includes auto refresh function that is controlled by the characteristic device. Another memory device includes an auto refresh function that is controlled by a characteristic of the memory device. | 11-29-2012 |
20120300564 | Strobe Offset in Bidirectional Memory Strobe Configurations - A method and apparatus for determining correct timing for receiving, in a host in a memory system, of a normal toggle transmitted by an addressed memory chip on a bidirectional data strobe. An offset in the data strobe is established, either by commanding the addressed memory chip, in a training period, to drive the data strobe to a known state, except during transmission of a normal toggle, or by providing a voltage offset between a true and a complement phase in the data strobe, or by providing a circuit bias in a differential receiver on the host the receives the data strobe. A series of read commands are transmitted by the host to the addressed memory chip, which responds by transmitting the normal toggle. Timing of reception of the normal toggle as received by the host chip is adjusted until the normal toggle is correctly received. | 11-29-2012 |
20120307577 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GATE TRAINING IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - A system and method for gate training in a memory system is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method for calibrating read data strobe gating, a first read command is issued to a memory module. A first DQS gate signal is issued before the beginning of the preamble of a first DQS signal received from the memory module that corresponds to the first read command. A second read command is issued to the memory module such that the preamble of a second DQS signal received from the memory module that corresponds to the second read command is adjacent to the postamble of the first DQS signal. Then, a second DQS gate signal is issued at a preset time after the first DQS gate signal. The second DQS signal is sampled repeatedly to locate the preamble of the second DQS signal. | 12-06-2012 |
20130003475 | Memory Access Alignment In A Double Data Rate ('DDR') System - Memory access alignment in a double data rate (‘DDR’) system, including: executing, by a memory controller, one or more write operations to a predetermined address of a DDR memory module, including sending to the DDR memory module a predetermined amount of data of a predetermined pattern along with a data strobe signal; executing, by the memory controller, a plurality of read operations from the predetermined address of the DDR memory module, including capturing data transmitted from the DDR memory module; and determining, by the memory controller, a read adjust value and a write adjust value in dependence upon the data captured in response to the read operations. | 01-03-2013 |
20130010552 | MULTI-MODE MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD HAVING STACKED MEMORY DICE, A LOGIC DIE AND A COMMAND PROCESSING CIRCUIT AND OPERATING IN DIRECT AND INDIRECT MODES - Memory device systems, systems and methods are disclosed, such as those involving a plurality of stacked memory device dice and a logic die connected to each other through a plurality of conductors. The logic die serves, for example, as a memory interface device to a memory access device, such as a processor. The logic die can include a command register that allows selective operation in either of two modes. In a direct mode, conventional command signals as well as row and column address signals are applied to the logic die, and the logic die can essentially couple these signals directly to the memory device dice. In an indirect mode, a packet containing a command and a composite address are applied to the logic die, and the logic die can decode the command and composite address to apply conventional command signals as well as row and column address signals to the memory device dice. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010553 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A controller, includes a plurality of external terminals configured to supply a command and an address to a semiconductor memory device, communicate a data with the semiconductor memory device, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data, at least one external terminal among the plurality of external terminals being configured to be capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010554 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data; and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, at least one of the plurality of first external terminals and at least one of the plurality of second external terminals each being capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data between the controller and the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device further including a preamble register configured to be capable of storing the information. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010555 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A semiconductor memory device, includes a clock terminal provided to receive a clock signal, a data terminal provided to transfer a data therethrough in synchronization with the clock signal, a strobe terminal provided to be related in the data terminal and to transfer a strobe signal therethrough, a command terminal provided to receive a command that communicates the data with an outside thereof, and an address terminal provided to be supplied an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal from an outside of the semiconductor memory device, prior to communicating the data. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010556 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller including a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command, a clock signal and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data, and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, one of the plurality of first external terminals and one of the plurality of second external terminals transferring an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data, | 01-10-2013 |
20130021857 | MEMORY CONTROLLER WITH ADJUSTABLE WIDTH STROBE INTERFACE - A method of operation in a memory controller comprising generating a mode control signal to specify at least one of a first and second mode is disclosed. In the first mode, the memory controller is configured to operate by issuing a memory access command to initiate a first data transfer between the memory controller and a first memory device, and generating a strobe signal to accompany data associated with the first data transfer. In the second mode, the controller is configured to operate by issuing a memory access command to initiate a second data transfer between the memory controller and at least first and second memory devices involving a full width that includes data widths of both the first and second memory devices, and issuing first and second strobe signals that accompany respective data transfers associated with each of the data widths of the first and second memory devices. | 01-24-2013 |
20130033946 | FREQUENCY-AGILE STROBE WINDOW GENERATION - The disclosed embodiments relate to components of a memory system that support frequency-agile strobe enable window generation during read accesses. In specific embodiments, this memory system contains a memory controller which includes a timing circuit to synchronize a timing-enable signal with a timing signal returned from a read path, wherein the timing signal includes a delay from the read path. In some embodiments, the timing circuit further comprises two calibration loops. The first calibration loop tracks the timing-enable signal with respect to a cycle-dependent delay in the delay, wherein the cycle-dependent delay depends on a frequency of the strobe signal. The second calibration loop tracks the timing-enable signal with respect to a cycle-independent delay in the delay, wherein the cycle-independent delay does not depend on the frequency of the strobe signal. In some embodiments, the first calibration loop and the second calibration loop are cascaded. | 02-07-2013 |
20130044552 | STROBE-OFFSET CONTROL CIRCUIT - A method of operation in a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes receiving a strobe signal having a first phase relationship with respect to first data propagating on a first data line, and a second phase relationship with respect to second data propagating on a second data line. A first sample signal is generated based on the first phase relationship and a second sample signal is generated based on the second phase relationship. The first data signal is received using a first receiver clocked by the first sample signal. The second data signal is received using a second receiver clocked by the second sample signal. | 02-21-2013 |
20130058174 | CONTROLLER AND ACCESS METHOD FOR DDR PSRAM AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - A controller for a DDR PSRAM is provided. The controller includes a single rate processing unit, a double rate processing unit and a selector. The signal rate processing unit obtains a single data rate data according to a first data and a first clock. The double rate processing unit obtains a double data rate data according to a second data and a second clock that is two times the frequency of the first clock. The selector selectively provides any of the single data rate data and the double data rate data to the DDR PSRAM via a common bus according to a control signal. | 03-07-2013 |
20130058175 | DDR PSRAM AND DATA WRITING AND READING METHODS THEREOF - A double data rate pseudo SRAM (DDR PSRAM) is provided. The DDR PSRAM includes a data receiver, a memory and an address decoder. The data receiver receives a first single data rate data from a controller via a common bus according to a clock, and receives a double data rate data from the controller via the common bus according to a data strobe signal from the controller. The address decoder decodes the first single data rate data to obtain an address of the memory. The data receiver stores the double data rate data into the address of the memory. | 03-07-2013 |
20130064025 | DYNAMIC DATA STROBE DETECTION - Techniques are disclosed relating to determining when a data strobe signal is valid for capturing data. In one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed that includes a memory interface circuit configured to determine an initial time value for capturing data from a memory based on a data strobe signal. In some embodiments, the memory interface circuit may determine this initial time value by reading a known value from memory. In one embodiment, the memory interface circuit further configured to determine an adjusted time value for capturing the data, where the memory interface circuit is configured to determine the adjusted time value by using the initial time value to sample the data strobe signal. | 03-14-2013 |
20130070544 | MEMORY INTERFACE CIRCUIT AND TIMING ADJUSTING METHOD - A memory interface circuit, which controls capture timing of data provided from a memory according to a strobe signal provided from the memory, includes a control unit that controls an activation timing of an internal strobe gate signal, which masks the strobe signal when being deactivated, by delaying the internal strobe gate signal by a first period shorter than one cycle time of a clock signal to generate an internal strobe gate adjustment signal, and by adjusting an activation timing of the adjustment signal. A detection unit outputs a detection signal, when the strobe signal changes from a first potential to a second potential higher than the first potential, or when the first potential of the strobe signal continues for a second period or longer. The control unit adjusts the activation timing of the adjustment signal in accordance with the detection signal. | 03-21-2013 |
20130077417 | CONTROL OF INPUTS TO A MEMORY DEVICE - A memory device includes a command decoder and control interface logic. One or more external inputs, such as row and column address strobes, communicate with the command decoder through the control interface logic. A control signal is also in communication with the control interface logic. During operation of a drowsy mode in the memory device, a self-refresh signal causes the control signal to disable the external inputs. With the external inputs disabled, command hazards are reduced when exiting drowsy mode. | 03-28-2013 |
20130094310 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING COMMUNICATION WITH A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory controller receives data and phase-providing signals from a memory device. The phase-providing signal is not a clock signal, but is used by the memory controller to phase align a local data-sampling signal with the incoming data. The memory controller samples the data signal with the data-sampling signal. The memory controller can perform maintenance operations to update the phase relationship between the phase-providing and data-sampling signals. | 04-18-2013 |
20130114358 | ADDRESS DECODING METHOD AND SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE USING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes: a strobe clock generator configured to generate a strobe clock signal having a delay time controlled according to a plurality of test mode signals which are selectively enabled in response to a read signal or write signal; an internal address generator configured to latch an address in response to a first level of the strobe clock signal, and generate an internal address by decoding the address in response to a second level of the strobe clock signal; and an output enable signal generator configured to decode the internal address and generate output enable signals which are selectively enabled. | 05-09-2013 |
20130114359 | INPUT/OUTPUT CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS AND SYSTEM WITH THE SAME - A system includes a controller which is capable of operating at one of a first speed and a second speed slower than the first speed; a semiconductor memory apparatus operating at the first speed; and an input/output device which is connected between the semiconductor memory apparatus and the controller, and configured to control input/output of signals between the controller and the semiconductor memory apparatus, wherein the input/output device operates in a normal mode which corresponds to the input/output of the signals between the controller operating at the first speed and the semiconductor memory apparatus and a test mode which corresponds to the input/output of the signals between the controller operating at the second speed and the semiconductor memory apparatus. | 05-09-2013 |
20130135950 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND READ WAIT TIME ADJUSTMENT METHOD THEREOF, MEMORY SYSTEM, AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A controller includes a set of first terminals to be coupled to a device that is under control of the controller, and a control circuit configured to generate and output onto the set of first terminals edge specifying information that takes a selected one of first and second states, the edge specifying information being supplied to the device to cause the device to activate a data strobe signal at a first timing when the selected one of the edge specifying information is the first state and at a second timing, that is different from the first timing, when the edge specifying information is the second state, the control circuit being further configured to generate and output onto the set of first terminals a read command, the read command being supplied to the device to cause the device to return to the controller a data signal. | 05-30-2013 |
20130141994 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING SKEW DETECTION CIRCUIT MEASURING SKEW BETWEEN CLOCK SIGNAL AND DATA STROBE SIGNAL - Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device that includes a clock terminal supplied with a first clock signal from outside; a dividing circuit dividing a frequency of the first clock signal to generate a plurality of second clock signals that are different in phase from one another; a multiplier circuit multiplying the second clock signals to generate a third clock signal, the multiplexer having a predetermined operating delay time; a data strobe terminal supplied with a first data strobe signal from outside; a strobe signal generation circuit adding the predetermined operating delay time to the first data strobe signal to generate a second data strobe signal; and a skew detection circuit measuring a skew between the third clock signal and the second data strobe signal. | 06-06-2013 |
20130148449 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes first and second write driving blocks to perform a data write operation on first and second memory banks in response to first and second bank strobe signals, respectively, and a common input driving block to transmit data to the first and second write driving blocks through a common data line in response to access information of the first and second memory banks. | 06-13-2013 |
20130155792 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING DATA TERMINAL SUPPLIED WITH PLURAL WRITE DATA IN SERIAL - Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device that includes: a frequency dividing circuit dividing a frequency of a first clock signal to generate second clock signals that are different in phase from one another; a multiplier circuit multiplying the second clock signals to generate a third clock signal; a data input/output terminal; data buses; and a data input/output circuit coupled between the data input/output terminal and the data buses. The data input/output circuit includes a data output circuit and a data input circuit. The data output circuit outputs read data supplied in parallel from the data buses to the data input/output terminal in serial in synchronism with the third clock signal. The data input circuit outputs write data supplied in serial from the data input/output terminal to the data buses in parallel in synchronism with a predetermined one of the second clock signals. | 06-20-2013 |
20130163353 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING ODT FUNCTION - Disclosed herein is a device that includes: a data strobe terminal; a data terminal; a first output driver coupled to the data strobe terminal; a second output driver coupled to the data terminal; and a data control circuit configured to enable the first and second output drivers to function as termination resistors in different timings from each other. | 06-27-2013 |
20130176799 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME, AND COMMAND ADDRESS SETUP/HOLD TIME CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - A semiconductor system includes a controller configured to output a clock enable signal, first to third command/address signals, a chip select signal, first and second entry commands and an exit command, and receive an output signal; and a semiconductor device configured to latch the first and second command/address signals and transfer the output signal in response to the chip select signal and the first entry command, latch the first and third command/address signals and transfer the output signal in response to the chip select signal and the second entry command, and transfer data generated by the first to third command/address signals as the output signal in response to the clock enable signal and the exit command signal. | 07-11-2013 |
20130201774 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A controller, includes a plurality of external terminals configured to supply a command and an address to a semiconductor memory device, communicate a data with the semiconductor memory device, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data, at least one external terminal among the plurality of external terminals being configured to be capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data. | 08-08-2013 |
20130201775 | SINGLE-STROBE OPERATION OF MEMORY DEVICES - An arrangement of memory devices and a controller is based on an interface with a reduced pin count relative to a known memory device and controller arrangement. Facilitating the reduced pin count interface the reduction of multiple strobe signal to a single strobe signal. In addition, a packet header transmitted on the data bus followed by a payload, includes an encoded indication of the type of the payload. Aspects of the present application relate to providing a traditional memory device with external logic devices, where the logic devices handle the single strobe and the packet header, thereby permitting single strobe operation. | 08-08-2013 |
20130208553 | METHOD FOR ROBUST PREAMBLE LOCATION IN A DQS SIGNAL - A method for robust preamble location and gate training in a Double Data Rate type Three (DDR3) computing environment. A single algorithm is employed to begin sampling a Data Strobe Signal (DQS) at a maximum delay value designed to fall within the driven region of a DQS. The method then begins sampling the DQS in a sequence of delay values from right to left. Each result of the sampling indicating a high state and a low state are stored as well as the occasions where the DQS transitioned from high to low indicating a rising edge. At a consecutive number of samples returning a low state, the method determines the preamble has been reached and discontinues sampling. The method retains the most recently stored rising edge as the first rising edge and configures the result for gate training. | 08-15-2013 |
20130215691 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data; and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, at least one of the plurality of first external terminals and at least one of the plurality of second external terminals each being capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data between the controller and the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device further including a preamble register configured to be capable of storing the information. | 08-22-2013 |
20130215692 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY, MEMORY SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - Various embodiments of a semiconductor system, semiconductor memory, and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the semiconductor memory may include a first circuit area configured to perform an operation corresponding to a general operation command and a second circuit area configured to provide the general operation command to the first circuit area. The second circuit area may be configured to determine whether the semiconductor memory selected to perform the operation based on unique identification information and target identification information allocated to the semiconductor memory. | 08-22-2013 |
20130223167 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller including a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command, a clock signal and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data, and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, one of the plurality of first external terminals and one of the plurality of second external terminals transferring an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data, | 08-29-2013 |
20130229884 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF DATA STROBE SIGNALS - Methods and apparatuses for adjusting data strobe signals are disclosed. An example apparatus may include a control circuit that is configured to receive an address and a strobe signal. The control circuit may further be configured to delay the strobe signal based, at least in part on the address to provide a delayed strobe signal. The example apparatus may further include a sense amplification circuit coupled to the control circuit. The sense amplification circuit may be configured to sense signals responsive, at least in part, to receipt of the delayed strobe signal. | 09-05-2013 |
20130229885 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND ACCESS METHOD THEREOF - Example embodiments provide a semiconductor memory device that may include: a cell array arranged in pluralities of rows and columns; and a sense amplifier conducting writing and reading operations to the cell array in response to writing and reading commands in correspondence with an access time, which may be variable in period. The sense amplifier adjusts pulse widths of write-in and read-out data in accordance with a period of the access time. | 09-05-2013 |
20130250705 | CLOCK SIGNAL GENERATION APPARATUS FOR USE IN SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND ITS METHOD - A clock signal generation apparatus for generating a reference clock signal for outputting data in synchronization with an external clock signal from a semiconductor memory device, including: a clock signal generation unit for receiving an internal clock signal to generate the reference clock signal according to a control signal; and a control unit for generating the control signal based on a read command, a write command and an external address. | 09-26-2013 |
20130250706 | MEMORY MODULE - A memory module having memory components, a termination structure, an address/control signal path, a clock signal path, multiple data signal paths and multiple strobe signal paths. The strobe signal paths and data signal paths are coupled to respective memory components, and the address/control signal path and clock signal path are coupled in common to all the memory components. The address/control signal path extends along the memory components to the termination structure such that control signals propagating toward the termination structure arrive at address/control inputs of respective memory components at progressively later times corresponding to relative positions of the memory components. | 09-26-2013 |
20130265835 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY CIRCUIT AND DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory circuit enabling stable data transmission in a high frequency operation and a data processing system using the same. The data processing system includes a semiconductor memory circuit configured to output data, corresponding to a read command, in response to an external strobe signal, and a controller configured to provide the semiconductor memory circuit with the read command and the strobe signal related to the read command. | 10-10-2013 |
20130279278 | Memory Component with Terminated and Unterminated Signaling Inputs - A memory component has a signaling interface, data input/output (I/O) circuitry, command/address (CA) circuitry and clock generation circuitry. The signaling interface includes an on-die terminated data I/O and an unterminated CA input. The data I/O circuitry is dedicated to sampling write data bits at the data I/O timed by a strobe signal and to transmitting read data bits timed by a first clock signal, each of the write and read data bits being valid for a bit time at the data I/O. The CA circuitry samples CA signals at the CA input timed by a second clock signal, the CA signals indicating read and write operations to be performed within the memory component. The clock generation circuitry generates the first clock signal with a phase that establishes alignment between a leading edge of the bit time for each read data bit and a respective transition of the second clock signal. | 10-24-2013 |
20130315014 | Method and Apparatus for Memory Access Delay Training - Various method and apparatus embodiments for training a delay for enabling a data strobe signal in a memory subsystem are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a memory controller configured to receive a data strobe signal. The memory controller includes a training circuit. The training circuit includes a first storage circuit coupled to receive the data strobe signal on a data input and an enable signal on a clock input, and a training unit configured to, based on an output signal received from the first flip-flop, adjust a phase of the enable signal until an assertion of the enable signal coincides with a preamble indication in the data strobe signal. | 11-28-2013 |
20130322192 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory device includes an input/output circuit configured to receive an address and data from an exterior, and a peripheral circuit configured to receive the address through the input/output circuit and generate a chip selection signal based on the address. The input/output circuit may include a control pad circuit configured to apply or block at least one data strobe signal in response to the chip selection signal, and one or more input/output pad circuits configured to transfer the data to the peripheral circuits in response to the at least one data strobe signal. | 12-05-2013 |
20140003170 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP AND MEMORY DEVICE | 01-02-2014 |
20140036607 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND READ WAIT TIME ADJUSTMENT METHOD THEREOF, MEMORY SYSTEM, AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A system including a controller and a memory device interconnected to the controller; the controller includes a set of first terminals that is connected to the memory device through a set of first signal lines, and a control circuit configured to generate and output onto the set of first terminals edge specifying information that takes a selected one of first and second states, the edge specifying information being supplied to the memory device to cause the memory device to activate a data strobe signal at a first timing when the selected one of the edge specifying information is the first state and at a second timing, that is different from the first timing, when the edge specifying information is the second state. The control circuit is further configured to generate and output onto the set of first terminals a read command, the read command being supplied to the memory device. | 02-06-2014 |
20140043925 | DDR PSRAM AND DATA WRITING AND READING METHODS THEREOF - A double data rate pseudo SRAM (DDR PSRAM) is provided. The DDR PSRAM includes a data receiver, a memory and an address decoder. The data receiver receives a first single data rate data from a controller via a common bus according to a clock. The address decoder decodes the first single data rate data to obtain an address of the memory. The data receiver stores the double data rate data into the address of the memory. The DDR PSRAM also includes a data transmitter and a data strobe generating unit. The data transmitter obtains data stored in the address of the memory and provides a double data rate data to the controller according to the obtained data, and the data strobe generating unit a data strobe signal to the controller and toggling the data strobe signal in response to the double data rate data. | 02-13-2014 |
20140050038 | MEMORY DEVICE WITH BI-DIRECTIONAL TRACKING OF TIMING CONSTRAINTS - A memory device includes a DRAM, a first bi-directional tracking circuit and a second bi-directional tracking circuit. The DRAM includes a cell, a word line and a bit line. The first bi-directional tracking circuit is configured to track a first timing constraint associated with turning on or turning off the word line. The second bi-directional tracking circuit is configured to track a second timing constraint associated with turning on the bit line, turning off the bit line, or accessing the cell via the bit line. | 02-20-2014 |
20140098621 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A semiconductor memory device includes: a variable delay for delaying a delay locked loop (DLL) clock by a predetermined delay time to output a delayed DLL clock; an output driver for outputting data and data strobe signal in response to the delayed DLL clock; and a calibration controller for controlling the predetermined delay time of the variable delay in response to output AC parameters. | 04-10-2014 |
20140098622 | Memory Controller That Enforces Strobe-To-Strobe Timing Offset - A memory controller outputs a clock signal to first and second DRAMs disposed on a memory module, the clock signal requiring respective first and second time intervals to propagate to the first and second DRAMs. The memory controller outputs a write command to be sampled by the first and second DRAMs at times indicated by the first clock signal and outputs, in association with the write command, first and second write data to the first and second DRAMs, respectively. The memory controller further outputs first and second strobe signals respectively to the first and second DRAMs, the first strobe signal to time reception of the first and second write data therein. The memory controller adjusts respective transmission times of the first and second strobe signals to be offset from one another by a time interval that corresponds to a difference between the first and second time intervals. | 04-10-2014 |
20140119141 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR CAPTURING DATA IN A MEMORY - Apparatuses and methods for capturing data in a memory are disclosed herein. An apparatus may include a command path and a data capture logic. The command path may be configured to receive a command signal and to delay the command signal with a delay based, at least in part, on a plurality of propagation delays. The data capture logic may be coupled to the command path and configured to receive the delayed command signal and a data strobe signal. The data capture logic may further be configured to capture data according to the data strobe signal responsive, at least in part, to receipt of the delayed command signal. | 05-01-2014 |
20140119142 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention including a data transmitting circuit that transmits data in parallel through a plurality of signal lines and a data receiving circuit that receives the data. The data transmitting circuit includes a plurality of data output circuits that output the data in a data transmission mode or set an output to a high impedance state in a HiZ mode, a plurality of data selection circuits that select one of the data and fixed data and output the selected data to the data output circuits, and a control circuit that controls the data output circuits to output the fixed data during a period between a time when a mode is switched from the HiZ mode to the data transmission mode and a time when the data output circuits start to output the data. | 05-01-2014 |
20140126310 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DATA STROBE CALIBRATION FOR TIMING VARIATIONS - A strobe calibration component for a memory control device includes a tri-state detection receiver, an edge detection component, and an extension gate generation component. The tri-state detection receiver is configured to identify states of an input signal. One of the states includes a high impedance state. The edge detection component is configured to identify valid edges from a sequence of states provided from the tri-state detection receiver. The extension gate generation component is configured to generate a calibrated gate signal according to the valid edges from the edge detection component. | 05-08-2014 |
20140126311 | REFRESH CONTROL CIRCUIT OF SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS - A refresh control circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a variable delay unit configured to delay a signal that is activated quickest among a plurality of row address strobe signals activated at a predetermined time interval by a predetermined time, and to generate a preliminary pulse signal, and a piled delay unit configured to delay the preliminary pulse signal by various times, and to generate a plurality of refresh period pulse signals that are sequentially activated. | 05-08-2014 |
20140133252 | PARALLEL-SERIAL CONVERSION CIRCUIT, INTERFACE CIRCUIT, AND CONTROL DEVICE - A parallel-serial conversion circuit includes an adjustment circuit that receives a parallel input signal having a plurality of bits and generates and outputs a parallel output signal having a plurality of bits. A conversion circuit coupled to the adjustment circuit generates a plurality of clock signals having mutually different phases with respect to a reference clock signal on the basis of the reference clock signal and serially selects the plurality of bits of the parallel output signal in accordance with the generated plurality of clock signals to convert the parallel output signal to serial 1-bit output signals. The adjustment circuit adjusts output timing of each of the plurality of bits of the parallel output signal in time unit of half of one cycle of the reference clock signal. | 05-15-2014 |
20140140149 | Strobe Acquisition and Tracking - A memory controller includes an interface to receive a data strobe signal and corresponding read data. The data strobe signal and the read data correspond to a read command issued by the memory controller, and the read data is received in accordance with the data strobe signal and an enable signal. A circuit in the memory controller is to dynamically adjust a timing offset between the enable signal and the data strobe signal, and control logic is to issue a supplemental read command in accordance with a determination that a time interval since a last read command issued by the memory controller exceeds a predetermined value. | 05-22-2014 |
20140146623 | SYSTEM WITH CONTROLLER AND MEMORY - According to the system of the present invention, data (DQ) signals are outputted/received between a controller | 05-29-2014 |
20140185396 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY, MEMORY SYSTEM, AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF - A memory system includes a semiconductor memory including a storage unit configured to store parameter information in response to a test mode signal and to output the stored parameter information in response to a parameter request signal, and a memory controller configured to provide the parameter request signal to the semiconductor memory and receive the parameter information from the semiconductor memory device. | 07-03-2014 |
20140204690 | STACKED-DIE MEMORY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRAINING STACKED-DIE MEMORY SYSTEMS - Systems and methods are disclosed herein, such as those that operate to control a set of delays associated with one or more data clocks to clock a set of data bits into one or more transmit registers, one or more data strobes to transfer the set of data bits to at least one receive register, and/or a set of memory array timing signals to access a memory array on a die associated with a stacked-die memory vault. Systems and methods herein also include those that perform data eye training operations and/or memory array timing training operations associated with the stacked-die memory vault. | 07-24-2014 |
20140233333 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING COMMUNICATION WITH A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory controller receives data and phase-providing signals from a memory device. The phase-providing signal is not a clock signal, but is used by the memory controller to phase align a local data-sampling signal with the incoming data. The memory controller samples the data signal with the data-sampling signal. The memory controller can perform maintenance operations to update the phase relationship between the phase-providing and data-sampling signals. | 08-21-2014 |
20140241081 | NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, READ METHOD FOR NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCORPORATING NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - A method of performing a read operation on nonvolatile memory device comprises receiving a read command, receiving addresses, detecting a transition of a read enable signal, generating a strobe signal based on the transition of the read enable signal, reading data corresponding to the received addresses, and outputting the read data after the strobe signal is toggled a predetermined number of times. | 08-28-2014 |
20140254294 | MEMORY CONTROLLER FOR STROBE-BASED MEMORY SYSTEMS - An integrated circuit (IC) memory controller is disclosed. The memory controller includes a receiver to receive a strobe signal and provide an internal strobe signal. An adjustable delay circuit delays an enable signal to generate a delayed enable signal. A gate circuit generates a gated strobe signal using the delayed enable signal that masks transitions of the internal strobe signal that occur prior to a valid region of the internal strobe signal. A sample circuit samples data using the gated strobe signal. | 09-11-2014 |
20140269117 | CIRCUITS AND METHODS FOR DQS AUTOGATING - In one aspect, a method includes receiving a differential strobe signal including first and second components; buffering, by a first buffer, both the first and second components; and buffering, by a second buffer, the first component. The method includes receiving, by a control logic block, the output of the second buffer. The method includes, after a period when the values of both the first and second components are at a first logic state, but before receiving a burst of clock edges in the differential strobe signal, detecting a transition in the first component from the first logic state to a second logic state, and in response to the detected transition, asserting an enable signal. The method further includes receiving, by a gating logic block, the enable signal and the output of the first buffer, and, when the enable signal is asserted, un-gating the output of the first buffer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140269118 | INPUT BUFFER APPARATUSES AND METHODS - Apparatuses and methods are disclosed, including an apparatus with a first differential amplifier to amplify an input signal into a first output signal, a second differential amplifier to amplify the input signal into a second output signal that is complementary to the first output signal, and a feedback resistance coupled between the first output signal and the second output signal. Additional apparatuses and methods are described. | 09-18-2014 |
20140269119 | SYNCHRONOUS SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE HAVING DELAY LOCKED LOOP CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE DELAY LOCKED LOOP CIRCUIT - An operating method of a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for a semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The DLL circuit may include a plurality of sub-circuits. The method may include calculating an additive latency value based on predetermined parameters, and controlling a set of the plurality of sub-circuits of the DLL circuit to be maintained in a turn-off state based on the calculated additive latency value, during a period of time after the semiconductor device receives an operation command in a power saving mode. | 09-18-2014 |
20140269120 | SYNCHRONOUS SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE HAVING DUAL DELAY LOCKED LOOP CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF MANAGING DUAL DELAY LOCKED LOOP CIRCUIT - A synchronous semiconductor memory device includes a first delay locked loop circuit and a second delay locked loop circuit. The first delay locked loop circuit has a first delay line and generates a first clock hat is delay-synchronized with a clock applied as a signal for a data output timing control. The second delay locked loop circuit has a second delay line and generates a second clock that is delay-synchronized with the clock. The first delay locked loop circuit consumes less power than the second delay locked loop circuit, and the second delay locked loop circuit has less jitter than the first delay locked loop circuit. The first and second delay locked loop circuits operate at different logic levels for a delay synchronization operation. | 09-18-2014 |
20140286111 | DOMAIN CROSSING CIRCUIT OF SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS - A domain crossing circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a delay-locked loop block configured to generate a delay-locked loop clock signal in response to a clock signal and a clock enable signal; a clock enable block configured to generate the clock enable signal in response to the clock signal and a read command signal; and a command pass block configured to perform primary latency control according to the clock signal and secondary latency control according to the delay-locked loop clock signal, for the read command signal generated in response to a strobe signal, and generate a latency signal. | 09-25-2014 |
20140293718 | MEMORY CONTROLLER AND METHOD OF CALIBRATING A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory controller transmits a data signal, a data strobe signal and a mask signal to a memory, wherein each transition of the data strobe signal indicates a sample point for the data signal and the mask signal indicates a validity of the data signal. A mask signal training procedure is carried out comprising three steps. Writing first and second values to the memory for a predetermined plurality of transitions of the data strobe signal with the mask signal set to indicate that the first data signal is valid and the second data signal is valid except for a selected transition of the predetermined plurality. Reading from the memory for the predetermined plurality of transitions of the data strobe signal. Determining a timing offset for the mask signal for which the value read at the selected transition matches the first value. | 10-02-2014 |
20140307514 | MEMORY CONTROLLER USING A DATA STROBE SIGNAL AND METHOD OF CALIBRATING DATA STROBE SIGNAL IN A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory controller and a method of calibrating the memory controller are provided. Input circuitry in the memory controller receives a differential pair of data strobe signals from a memory and generates a logical data strobe signal in dependence on a voltage difference between the differential pair of data strobe signals. Hysteresis circuitry, when active, increases by a predetermined offset a threshold voltage difference at which the input circuitry changes a logical state of the logical data strobe signal. Gate signal generation circuitry generates a data strobe gating signal, wherein the memory controller interprets the logical data strobe signal as valid when the data strobe gating signal is asserted. The memory controller performs a training process to determine a timing offset for the data strobe gating signal with respect to said logical data strobe signal, wherein the training process comprises a first phase in which the hysteresis circuitry is active and a second phase in which the hysteresis circuitry is inactive. | 10-16-2014 |
20140347942 | NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, READ METHOD FOR NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCORPORATING NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - A method of performing a read operation on nonvolatile memory device comprises receiving a read command, receiving addresses, detecting a transition of a read enable signal, generating a strobe signal based on the transition of the read enable signal, reading data corresponding to the received addresses, and outputting the read data after the strobe signal is toggled a predetermined number of times. | 11-27-2014 |
20140355366 | MULTIPLE DATA RATE MEMORY WITH READ TIMING INFORMATION - A memory includes a memory array, read circuitry, and a strobe generator. The read circuitry is configured to provide read data from the memory array in response to a read request, wherein the read circuitry provides the read data in accordance with a first clock. The strobe generator is configured to provide a strobe signal with the read data, wherein the strobe generator provides the strobe signal in accordance with a second clock. The second clock is out of phase with the first clock by a phase in a range of 30 degrees to 150 degrees. | 12-04-2014 |
20140355367 | MULTIPLE DATA RATE MEMORY WITH READ TIMING INFORMATION - A memory includes a memory array, read circuitry, and a strobe generator. The read circuitry is configured to provide read data from the memory array in response to a read request, wherein the read circuitry provides the read data in accordance with a first clock. The strobe generator is configured to provide a strobe signal with the read data, wherein the strobe generator provides the strobe signal in accordance with a second clock. The second clock is out of phase with the first clock by a phase in a range of 30 degrees to 150 degrees. | 12-04-2014 |
20140362653 | MEMORY CONTROL DEVICE AND A DELAY CONTROLLER - A memory control device includes a plurality of delay circuits to set a delay value for each terminal of a memory, each of the plurality of delay circuits being connected to a terminal of the memory. Further, the memory control device includes a first register to store a first DLL value output by a delay locked loop circuit, a plurality of second registers to store a first setting value to set the delay value for the each terminal of the memory, each of the plurality of second registers being connected to a delay circuit of the plurality of delay circuits, and a delay controller to calculate a second setting value based on the first DLL value, a second DLL value output by the delay locked loop circuit after the first DLL value, and the first setting value, and to update the first setting value to the second setting value. | 12-11-2014 |
20150023118 | RECONFIGURABLE MEMORY SYSTEM DATA STROBES - In a reconfigurable data strobe-based memory system, data strobes may be re-tasked in different modes of operation. For example, in one mode of operation a differential data strobe may be used as a timing reference for a given set of data signals. In a second mode of operation, one of the components of the differential data strobe may be used as a timing reference for a first portion of the set of data signals and the other component used as a timing reference for a second portion of the set of data signals. Different data mask-related schemes also may be invoked for different modes of operation. For example, in a first mode of operation a memory controller may generate a data mask signal to prevent a portion of a set of data from being written to a memory array. Then, in a second mode of operation the memory controller may invoke a coded value replacement scheme or a data strobe transition inhibition scheme to prevent a portion of a set of data from being written to a memory array. | 01-22-2015 |
20150029800 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - An interface circuit provided in a semiconductor device supplies an operation clock to an external memory device based on a clock signal and receives a data signal and a strobe signal from the external memory device. The interface circuit includes a delay circuit delaying the received strobe signal. The delay circuit includes a first adjustment circuit and a second adjustment circuit connected in series with the first adjustment circuit. The first adjustment circuit is capable of adjusting a delay amount of the strobe signal in a plurality of steps in accordance with the set frequency of the clock signal. The second adjustment circuit is capable of adjusting the delay amount of the strobe signal with a higher precision than the first adjustment circuit. | 01-29-2015 |
20150036443 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data; and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, at least one of the plurality of first external terminals and at least one of the plurality of second external terminals each being capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data between the controller and the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device further including a preamble register configured to be capable of storing the information. | 02-05-2015 |
20150043290 | MEMORY MODULE - A memory module having integrated circuit (IC) components, a termination structure, an address/control signal path, a clock signal path, multiple data signal paths and multiple strobe signal paths. The strobe signal paths and data signal paths are coupled to respective IC components, and the address/control signal path and clock signal path are coupled in common to all the IC components. The address/control signal path extends along the IC components to the termination structure such that control signals propagating toward the termination structure arrive at address/control inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to relative positions of the IC components. | 02-12-2015 |
20150049562 | MEMORY CONTROL CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING DATA READING PROCESS OF MEMORY MODULE - This invention discloses a memory control circuit and method of controlling a data reading process of a memory module. In the data reading process, the memory module transmits a data signal and a data strobe signal used to recover the data signal. The data strobe signal includes a preamble part. The method includes steps of: controlling an impedance matching circuit of the memory module so that the data strobe signal is kept at a fixed level before the preamble part; generating a clock; generating an enabling signal according to the clock; sampling the data strobe signal according to the enabling signal to generate a sampled result; adjusting an enabling time of the enabling signal according to the sampled result; and starting a data recovering process for the data signal according to the enabling signal. | 02-19-2015 |
20150063043 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING STROBE SIGNALS TO MEMORIES - Apparatuses and methods for providing strobe signals to memories are described herein. An example apparatus may include a plurality of memories and a memory controller. The memory controller may be coupled to the plurality of memories and configured to receive an input clock signal. The memory controller may further be configured to provide a timing strobe signal having a delay relative to the input clock signal to a memory of the plurality of memories. The memory controller may further be configured to receive a return strobe signal from the plurality of memories. In some examples, the return strobe signal may be based at least in part on the timing strobe signal and the memory controller may be configured to adjust the delay based, at least in part, on a phase difference of the input clock signal and the return strobe signal. | 03-05-2015 |
20150063044 | STROBE SIGNAL GENERATION DEVICE AND MEMORY APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A strobe signal generation device includes an enable signal generating section, a buffering section and a strobe signal driving section. The enable signal generation section generates a division enable signal in response a strobe signal. The buffering section configured to generate a delayed strobe signal from the strobe signal while the division enable signal is enabled. The strobe signal driving section configured to generate a plurality of data strobe signals with a larger pulse width than the delayed strobe signal, in response to the division enable signal and the delayed strobe signal. | 03-05-2015 |
20150071017 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE - The disclosure provides an electronic device and a control method for the electronic device. The electronic device comprises: a memory unit, a metal pad, and a control unit. The metal pad is coupled to the memory unit, and utilized for receiving a first signal and a second signal. The control unit is coupled to the metal pad, and utilized for generating a control signal during a specific time period to control the first signal and the second signal received by the metal pad, to pull up a level of the first signal and to pull down a level of the second signal during the specific time period, so as to make the first signal and the second signal have a voltage difference. The disclosure can eliminate a glitch and avoid problems caused by inputting the glitch. | 03-12-2015 |
20150078109 | NON-VOLATILE SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of non-volatile memory elements, and a plurality of input/output circuits, each of which is connected to one of the non-volatile memory elements, and is configured to output first data from a corresponding non-volatile memory element synchronously with a first data strobe signal, and to input second data to a corresponding non-volatile memory element synchronously with a second data strobe signal. The second data strobe signal is delayed with respect to the first data strobe signal. | 03-19-2015 |
20150098282 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - Disclosed herein is a semiconductor memory device using a pre-fetch method and a semiconductor system including the same. The semiconductor memory device may include a memory bank having an odd-numbered array region suitable for inputting/outputting data through N first local lines in response to an odd-numbered column address, and an even-numbered array region suitable for inputting/outputting data through N second local lines in response to an even-numbered column address, N being a positive integer, a column address generation unit suitable for consecutively generating the odd-numbered column address and the even-numbered column address whose generation sequence is controlled depending on whether an external column address has an even-numbered value or an odd-numbered value, and N global lines coupled in common to the N first local lines and the N second local lines, suitable for inputting/outputting data. | 04-09-2015 |
20150098283 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - A semiconductor device includes a pipe latch suitable for sequentially latching data in response to a pipe input control signal and sequentially outputting data in response to a pipe output control signal, a pipe latch control unit suitable for generating the pipe input/output control signals in response to a command signal and latency information, and resetting the pipe input/output control signals in response to a pipe reset signal, and an error detection unit suitable for receiving the pipe input control signal and the pipe output control signal, detecting a latency error, and generating the pipe reset signal | 04-09-2015 |
20150098284 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device may include: a memory cell array; a first address controller configured to receive a first command and a first address and generate a first control signal in response to the first command; and a second address controller configured to receive a second address and a second command inputted at the same time as the first command, and generate a second control signal in response to the second command. | 04-09-2015 |
20150117127 | RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING READ TIMING THEREOF - A method of adjusting read timing of a random access memory. The method includes providing a Column Address Strobe (CAS) value for defining an CAS latency (CL) of the random access memory; generating a shift margin according to the CAS latency and a reference latency; generating a read command for accessing the random access memory; dynamically generating a Column Select (CS) signal and adjusting output timing of the CS signal according to the shift margin, after the read command is generated. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124538 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE - A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of banks; a plurality of word lines; an advanced refresh operation mode where two or more word lines are selected in parallel in each bank; a pulse generation unit suitable for generating a single bank refresh pulse that toggles for a given time in response to a single bank refresh command of a single bank refresh operation mode; and an address generation unit suitable for generating an advanced single bank address for selecting at least two word lines in one of the banks in response to the single bank refresh pulse and an input address in an entry section of the advanced refresh operation mode. | 05-07-2015 |
20150124539 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - The problem was that the high-impedance state of the difference between signals DQS and DQSB cannot be prevented from being brought in. With this invention, a first comparator circuit outputs a signal DQSIN representing the difference between DQS and DQSB after the coupling of input terminals to a terminal potential and from before the start timing of a preamble of the two signals. A second comparator circuit compares the level of DQS or DQSB with a reference voltage Vref and outputs a signal ODT_DET representing the result of the comparison. A gate circuit masks the signal DQSIN with a signal EW in a masking state. A control circuit identifies the start timing of the preamble based on ODT_DET, and sets the signal EW to the masking state before the start of the preamble and to an unmasking state from the start timing of the preamble. | 05-07-2015 |
20150325281 | METHOD FOR TRAINING A CONTROL SIGNAL BASED ON A STROBE SIGNAL IN A MEMORY MODULE - A memory controller transmits a control signal to a memory module, where the memory controller continuously transmits a clock signal to the memory module. The memory controller determines adjustments to the control signal with respect to the clock signal, by iteratively analyzing a strobe signal. | 11-12-2015 |
20150364171 | SOURCE-SYNCHRONOUS DATA TRANSMISSION WITH NON-UNIFORM INTERFACE TOPOLOGY - A source-synchronous system is provided in which a non-uniform interface may exist in a data source endpoint as well as in a data sink endpoint. | 12-17-2015 |
20150364212 | MARGIN TOOL FOR DOUBLE DATA RATE MEMORY SYSTEMS - A tool for testing a double data rate (“DDR”) memory controller to ensure that data strobe transitions are aligned with data eyes to achieve a desired data integrity during data transfers between the memory controller and the memories. After the memory controller completes its training sequence during the initialization process, the tool sweeps the data strobe transition across the data eye. At each timing step during the sweep, several tests may be conducted to check for integrity of functionality. The tool thus generates a pass/fail margin table. The locations of the data strobe transitions selected by the memory controller during its previously run training sequence are then added to this tool-generated margin table. The result is essentially a pseudo data eye, reconstructed including the data strobe transition with the data eye. An inspection of the location of the data strobe transition with the data eye may be utilized to show the range of timing steps available before the data strobe transition would fail to capture valid data from the incoming data eye. | 12-17-2015 |
20150380068 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - A semiconductor memory device includes: an enable signal generation portion suitable for generating a data output enable signal activated at a predetermined first moment corresponding to column address strobe (CAS) latency based on a read command, a strobe signal generation portion suitable for generating a data strobe signal which has a preamble section until the data output enable signal is activated from a predetermined second moment ahead of the first moment based on the read command and toggles based on a source clock during an activated section of the data output enable signal, and a data output portion suitable for outputting internal data in synchronization with the data strobe signal during the activated section of the data output enable signal. | 12-31-2015 |
20160005446 | MEMORY CONTROLLER FOR STROBE-BASED MEMORY SYSTEMS - An integrated circuit (IC) memory controller is disclosed. The memory controller includes a receiver to receive a strobe signal and provide an internal strobe signal. An adjustable delay circuit delays an enable signal to generate a delayed enable signal. A gate circuit generates a gated strobe signal using the delayed enable signal that masks transitions of the internal strobe signal that occur prior to a valid region of the internal strobe signal. A sample circuit samples data using the gated strobe signal. | 01-07-2016 |
20160035408 | MEMORY CONTROL DEVICE AND A DELAY CONTROLLER - A memory control device includes a plurality of delay circuits to set a delay value for each terminal of a memory, each of the plurality of delay circuits being connected to a terminal of the memory. Further, the memory control device includes a first register to store a first DLL value output by a delay locked loop circuit, a plurality of second registers to store a first setting value to set the delay value for the each terminal of the memory, each of the plurality of second registers being connected to a delay circuit of the plurality of delay circuits, and a delay controller to calculate a second setting value based on the first DLL value, a second DLL value output by the delay locked loop circuit after the first DLL value, and the first setting value, and to update the first setting value to the second setting value. | 02-04-2016 |
20160035409 | Multiple Gating Modes and Half-Frequency Dynamic Calibration for DDR Memory Controllers - Circuits and methods are described for a DDR memory controller where two different DQS gating modes are utilized. These gating modes together ensure that the DQS signal, driven by a DDR memory to the memory controller, is only available when read data is valid. Two types of gating logic are used: Initial DQS gating logic, and Functional DQS gating logic. The Initial gating logic has additional timing margin in the Initial DQS gating value to allow for the unknown round trip timing during initial bit levelling calibration. DQS functional gating is then optimized during further calibration to gate DQS precisely as latency and phase calibration are performed, resulting in a precise gating value for Functional DQS gating. Providing dual gating modes is especially useful when data capture is performed at half the DQS frequency in view of rising clock rates for DDR memories. | 02-04-2016 |
20160036438 | NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICES WITH ON DIE TERMINATION CIRCUITS AND CONTROL METHODS THEREOF - Non-volatile memory devices including on-die termination circuits connected to an input/output circuit and an on-die termination control logic detecting a preamble of a strobe signal based on a command and a control signal and activating the on-die termination within the preamble period. | 02-04-2016 |
20160042776 | SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS CAPABLE OF COMPENSATING FOR DATA OUTPUT TIME AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - A semiconductor apparatus may include a base die and a plurality of core dies stacked above the base die. Each of the core dies may be configured to output a strobe signal in response to a read command, and the base die may be configured to make remaining data output times correspond to any one data output time among respective data output times of the plurality of core dies, in response to the read command and the strobe signal. | 02-11-2016 |
20160049183 | STROBE GATING ADAPTION AND TRAINING IN A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory controller includes a differential receiver circuitry to receive a differential data strobe signal pair and to generate a first data strobe signal based on the differential data strobe signal pair. The differential data strobe signal pair comprises a first signal and a second signal. The memory controller also includes a single ended receiver circuitry to receive the first signal of the differential data strobe signal pair and to generate a second data strobe signal based on the first signal of the differential data strobe signal pair. The memory controller further includes circuitry to generate a gating signal for gating the first data strobe signal, the circuitry generating the gating signal based on the second data strobe signal. | 02-18-2016 |
20160071571 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING READ PREAMBLE SIGNAL THEREOF, AND DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data; and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, at least one of the plurality of first external terminals and at least one of the plurality of second external terminals each being capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data between the controller and the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device further including a preamble register configured to be capable of storing the information. | 03-10-2016 |
20160125929 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING COMMUNICATION WITH A MEMORY CONTROLLER - A memory controller receives data and phase-providing signals from a memory device. The phase-providing signal is not a clock signal, but is used by the memory controller to phase align a local data-sampling signal with the incoming data. The memory controller samples the data signal with the data-sampling signal. The memory controller can perform maintenance operations to update the phase relationship between the phase-providing and data-sampling signals. | 05-05-2016 |
20160125930 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CALIBRATING WRITE TIMING IN A MEMORY SYSTEM - A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period. | 05-05-2016 |
20160141013 | MANAGING SKEW IN DATA SIGNALS WITH ADJUSTABLE STROBE - An apparatus for controlling memory includes a memory controller, and a data interface that interfaces with and is in data communication with data lines, each having inherent skew. Each data line carries a data signal. The data lines connect the memory controller to the memory. The apparatus also includes data de-skewers, each associated with a corresponding data line, a strobe interface that interfaces with a strobe line that connects the memory controller to the memory and that applies a timing signal to the strobe line, and a strobe de-skewer connected to the strobe line. Each data de-skewer operates in read or write mode. A particular data line's data de-skewer applies a compensation skew to a data signal carried by that line. | 05-19-2016 |
20160141018 | MANAGING SKEW IN DATA SIGNALS WITH MULTIPLE MODES - A method for controlling a memory includes causing a data de-skewer to operate in a writing mode, at the data de-skewer, receiving a first signal, and skewing the first data signal by a first compensation skew, causing the data de-skewer to operate in a reading mode, at the data de-skewer, receiving a second signal, and skewing the second signal by a second compensation skew, wherein the first signal is representative of a bit from a byte that is to be written to the memory, and wherein the second signal is representative of a bit from a byte that has been read from the memory. | 05-19-2016 |
20160172060 | MEMORY DEVICE, METHOD OF GENERATING LOG OF COMMAND SIGNALS/ADDRESS SIGNALS OF MEMORY DEVICE, AND METHOD OF ANALYZING ERRORS OF MEMORY DEVICE | 06-16-2016 |
20160180902 | SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY DEVICE | 06-23-2016 |
20160182029 | STROBE SIGNAL GENERATION CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR APPARATUS USING THE SAME | 06-23-2016 |
20160189758 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO TUNE A TOGGLE MODE INTERFACE - Methods and apparatuses for performing receive and transmit path tuning of a toggle mode interface between a primary controller and a secondary controller is disclosed. A first component having a variable setting and connected with a data bus of the interface is iteratively adjusted. For each setting of the first component, test data written to the secondary controller and a delay unit having a variable delay setting and connected with a strobe line of the interface is adjusted. Delay settings are identified where the read data is equal to the written data. Settings for the first component and corresponding delay setting that produce the largest range of delay settings where the read data is equal to the written data is selected. The first component may correspond to a driver unit in the primary controller or an ODT unit in the secondary controller. | 06-30-2016 |
20160189760 | NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, READ METHOD FOR NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE, AND MEMORY SYSTEM INCORPORATING NONVOLATILE MEMORY DEVICE - A method of performing a read operation on nonvolatile memory device comprises receiving a read command, receiving addresses, detecting a transition of a read enable signal, generating a strobe signal based on the transition of the read enable signal, reading data corresponding to the received addresses, and outputting the read data after the strobe signal is toggled a predetermined number of times. | 06-30-2016 |