# US 12,119,042 B2 · Low-power source-synchronous signaling

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- Number: US 12,119,042 B2
- Document ID: US12119042B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/222,808
- Filed: 2023-07-17
- Published: 2024-01-18
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2007-10-22
- Assignees: Rambus Inc.
- Applicants: Rambus Inc.
- Inventors: Jared L. Zerbe; Frederick A. Ware
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119042B2

## CPC

- G11C 11/4076: Timing circuits (for regeneration management G11C11/406)
- G06F 1/04: Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom
- G06F 13/4243: {with synchronous protocol}
- G11C 7/1093: {Input synchronization}
- G11C 7/22: Read-write [R-W] timing or clocking circuits; Read-write [R-W] control signal generators or management
- G11C 7/222: {Clock generating, synchronizing or distributing circuits within memory device}
- G11C 7/04: with means for avoiding disturbances due to temperature effects
- G11C 7/1078: {Data input circuits, e.g. write amplifiers, data input buffers, data input registers, data input level conversion circuits}
- G11C 29/022: {in I/O circuitry}
- G11C 29/023: {in clock generator or timing circuitry}
- G11C 29/028: {with adaption or trimming of parameters}
- G11C 2207/2254: Calibration
- H04L 7/0008: {Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines}
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

A method of operating a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes transmitting data signals to a memory device over each one of at least two parallel data links. A timing signal is sent to the memory device on a first dedicated link. The timing signal has a fixed phase relationship with the data signals. A data strobe signal is driven to the memory device on a second dedicated link. Phase information is received from the memory device. The phase information being generated internal to the memory device and based on a comparison between the timing signal and a version of the data strobe signal internally distributed within the memory device. A phase of the data strobe signal is adjusted relative to the timing signal based on the received phase information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a memory controller, comprising:
transmitting, to a memory device, data signals over each one of at least two parallel data links;
transmitting, to the memory device, a first timing signal on a first dedicated link, the first timing signal having a first fixed phase relationship with the data signals; and
transmitting, to the memory device, a second timing signal to be phase-mixed with the first timing signal, by the memory device, to generate an interpolated timing signal to be distributed within the memory device to sample the data signals, the second timing signal having a second fixed phase relationship with the data signals, the memory device to, based on a comparison between the second timing signal and a distributed version of the interpolated timing signal, adjust a weighted mixing of the first timing signal and the second timing signal that generates the interpolated timing signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the comparison between the second timing signal and the distributed version of the interpolated timing signal produces phase information representing a phase difference between the second timing signal and the distributed version of the interpolated timing signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the a second timing signal is phase-mixed, by the memory device, using phase mixing circuitry.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first timing signal and the second timing signal have a 90 degree phase relationship.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first timing signal and the second timing signal have a 45 degree phase relationship.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the interpolated timing signal may be adjusted to fall over a 360 degree range when phase compared to the first timing signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the phase mixing circuitry receives a complement signal of the first timing signal and a complement signal of the second timing signal.

### Claim 8

A memory controller, comprising:
data transmitter circuitry to transmit, to a memory device, data signals over each one of at least two parallel data links;
first timing signal transmitter circuitry to transmit, to the memory device, a first timing signal on a first dedicated link, the first timing signal to have a first fixed phase relationship with the data signals;
second timing signal generating circuitry to generate, based on the first timing signal, a second timing signal having a second fixed phase relationship with the data signal; and
second timing signal transmitter circuit to transmit, to the memory device, the second timing signal, the second timing signal to be phase-mixed with the first timing signal, by the memory device, to generate an interpolated timing signal to be distributed within the memory device to sample the data signals, the second timing signal having a second fixed phase relationship with the data signals, the memory device to, based on a comparison between the second timing signal and a distributed version of the interpolated timing signal, adjust a weighted mixing of the first timing signal and the second timing signal that generates the interpolated timing signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The memory controller of claim 8, wherein the comparison between the second timing signal and the distributed version of the interpolated timing signal produces phase information representing a phase difference between the second timing signal and the distributed version of the interpolated timing signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The memory controller of claim 8, wherein the second timing signal is phase-mixed, by the memory device, with the first timing signal using phase mixing circuitry.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The memory controller of claim 8, wherein second timing signal generating circuitry is to generate the second timing signal to have a 90 degree phase relationship with the first timing signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The memory controller of claim 8, wherein second timing signal generating circuitry is to generate the second timing signal to have a 45 degree phase relationship with the first timing signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The memory controller of claim 10, wherein the interpolated timing signal may be adjusted to fall over a 360 degree range when phase compared to the first timing signal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The memory controller of claim 13, wherein the phase mixing circuitry is to receive a complement signal of the first timing signal and a complement signal of the second timing signal.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The memory controller of claim 8, wherein the memory device is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device.

### Claim 16

An integrated circuit, comprising:
transmitter circuitry to transmit, to a memory device, a quadrature timing signal and an in-phase timing signal; and
data transmitter circuitry to transmit, to the memory device, data signals via each one of at least two parallel data links, the quadrature timing signal and the in-phase timing signal to be phase-mixed, by the memory device, to generate an interpolated timing signal to be distributed within the memory device to sample the data signals, the memory device to, based on a comparison between the quadrature timing signal and a distributed version of the interpolated timing signal, adjust a weighted mixing of the quadrature timing signal and the in-phase timing signal that generates the interpolated timing signal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The memory controller of claim 16, wherein the comparison between the quadrature timing signal and the distributed version of the interpolated timing signal produces phase information representing a phase difference between the quadrature timing signal and the distributed version of the interpolated timing signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The memory controller of claim 16, wherein the quadrature timing signal is phase-mixed with the in-phase timing signal using phase mixing circuitry.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The memory controller of claim 18, wherein the interpolated timing signal may be adjusted, by the phase mixing circuitry, to fall over a 360 degree range when phase compared to the in-phase timing signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The memory controller of claim 19, wherein the phase mixing circuitry is to receive a complement signal of the quadrature timing signal and a complement signal of the in-phase timing signal.