# US 12,119,822 B2 · Signal generation circuit having minimum delay, semiconductor apparatus using the same, and signal generation method

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- Number: US 12,119,822 B2
- Document ID: US12119822B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/450,749
- Filed: 2023-08-16
- Published: 2023-12-07
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-22
- Assignees: SK hynix Inc.
- Applicants: SK hynix Inc.
- Inventors: Young Ouk Kim; Gyu Tae Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119822B2

## CPC

- H03K 3/017: Adjustment of width or dutycycle of pulses (pulse width modulation H03K7/08 {; to maintain energy constant H03K3/015})
- H03K 5/01: Shaping pulses (discrimination against noise or interference H03K5/125)
- H03L 7/0812: {and where no voltage or current controlled oscillator is used}
- H03L 7/0814: {the phase shifting device being digitally controlled}
- H03L 7/0816: {the controlled phase shifter and the frequency- or phase-detection arrangement being connected to a common input}
- H03K 2005/00019: {Variable delay}
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- H03L: AUTOMATIC CONTROL, STARTING, SYNCHRONISATION OR STABILISATION OF GENERATORS OF ELECTRONIC OSCILLATIONS OR PULSES (generation of oscillations H03B)

## Abstract

A signal generation circuit includes a first delay circuit, a second delay circuit, and a duty control circuit. The first delay circuit delays a first input signal to generate a first output signal. The second delay circuit delays a second input signal to generate a second output signal. The duty control circuit compares phases of the first and second output signals and changes the value of the second delay control signal, and then decreases the times, by which the first and second input signals are delayed, by the same value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
a clock divider configured to generate a first divided clock signal and a second divided clock signal by dividing an input clock signal;
a first duty correction circuit configured to generate a first reference clock signal and a second reference clock signal by delaying the first and second divided clock signals, compare the phases of the first and second reference clock signals to adjust a delay time of the second divided clock signal by a first time, and then decrease a delay time of the first divided clock signal and the delay time of the second divided clock signal by a second time; and
a delay locked loop circuit configured to compare the phases of the first reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal and generate at least one output clock signal by delaying the first and second reference clock signals, and generate the feedback clock signal by delaying the at least one output clock signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the delay locked loop circuit decreases a delay time of the at least one output clock signal is delayed, by the second time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first duty correction circuit comprises:
a first delay circuit configured to delay the first divided clock signal based on a first delay control signal to generate the first reference clock signal;
a second delay circuit configured to delay the second divided clock signal based on a second delay control signal to generate the second reference clock signal; and
a duty control circuit configured to change the value of the second delay control signal by comparing the phases of the first and second reference clock signals, and then change the values of the first and second delay control signals by the same value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the duty control circuit decreases the values of the first and second delay control signals by the value of the delay control signal having the smaller value between the first and second delay control signals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the duty control circuit comprises:
a phase detector configured to generate a duty detection signal by comparing the phases of the first and second reference clock signals; and
a delay control circuit configured to change the logic value of the second delay control signal based on the duty detection signal, and then change the logic values of the first and second delay control signals by the same value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the delay locked loop circuit comprises:
a first delay line configured to generate a first delayed clock signal by delaying the first reference clock signal based on a delay line control signal, wherein the at least one output clock signal has a phase corresponding to the first delayed clock signal;
a second delay line configured to generate a second delayed clock signal by delaying the second reference clock signal based on the delay line control signal;
a delay model circuit configured to generate the feedback clock signal by delaying the at least one output clock signals; and
a delay line control circuit configured to generate the delay line control signal by detecting the phases of the first reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the delay model circuit has a variable delay time that is changed based on the first delay control signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:
a clock divider configured to generate four divided clock signals by dividing the first and second delayed clock signals; and
a second duty correction circuit configured to generate the at least one output clock signal by adjusting the phases of the four divided clock signals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
a clock distribution network configured to transmit the at least one output clock signals; and
a clock transmission circuit configured to output a data strobe signal based on an output of the clock distribution network.

### Claim 10

A semiconductor apparatus comprising:
a clock divider configured to generate a first divided clock signal and a second divided clock signal by dividing an input clock signal;
a first duty correction circuit configured to generate a first reference clock signal by delaying the first divided clock signal based on a first delay control signal, configured to generate a second reference clock signal by delaying the second divided clock signals based on a second delay control signal, compare the phases of the first and second reference clock signals to change a value of the second delay control signal, and then decrease values of the first and second delay control signals by the same value; and
a delay locked loop circuit configured to compare the phases of the first reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal and generate at least one output clock signal by delaying the first and second reference clock signals, and generate the feedback clock signal by delaying the at least one output clock signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the delay locked loop circuit generates the feedback clock signal by delaying the at least one output clock signal based on the first delay control signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first duty correction circuit comprises:
a first delay circuit configured to delay the first divided clock signal based on the first delay control signal to generate the first reference clock signal;
a second delay circuit configured to delay the second divided clock signal based on the second delay control signal to generate the second reference clock signal; and
a duty control circuit configured to change the value of the second delay control signal by comparing the phases of the first and second reference clock signals, and then change the values of the first and second delay control signals by the same value.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the duty control circuit decreases the values of the first and second delay control signals by the value of the delay control signal having the smaller value between the first and second delay control signals.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the duty control circuit comprises:
a phase detector configured to generate a duty detection signal by comparing the phases of the first and second reference clock signals; and
a delay control circuit configured to change the logic value of the second delay control signal based on the duty detection signal, and then change the logic values of the first and second delay control signals by the same value.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the delay locked loop circuit comprises:
a first delay line configured to generate a first delayed clock signal by delaying the first reference clock signal based on a delay line control signal, wherein the at least one output clock signal has a phase corresponding to the first delayed clock signal;
a second delay line configured to generate a second delayed clock signal by delaying the second reference clock signal based on the delay line control signal;
a delay model circuit configured to generate the feedback clock signal by delaying the at least one output clock signals; and
a delay line control circuit configured to generate the delay line control signal by detecting the phases of the first reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:
a clock divider configured to generate four divided clock signals by dividing the first and second delayed clock signals; and
a second duty correction circuit configured to generate the at least one output clock signal by adjusting the phases of the four divided clock signals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The semiconductor apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:
a clock distribution network configured to transmit the at least one output clock signals; and
a clock transmission circuit configured to output a data strobe signal based on an output of the clock distribution network.