Automatic adaptive signaling over a pin of an integrated circuit device
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsRobert Richard Noel Bielby, Poorna Kale
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device having a plurality of pins configured to connect circuits within an integrated circuit package to circuits outside of the integrated circuit package. Circuitry in the device is configured to automatically adapt settings of a pin driver to a system in which the device is installed. For example, the driving strength of the pin driver can be automatically reduced to an optimized level that is just above a level that can cause errors in communications. For example, the delay of a signal driving by the pin driver can be set to a midpoint between an upper boundary of delays between failed and successful transmissions and a lower boundary of delays between successful and failed transmissions.
Claims18
A device, comprising:
- an integrated circuit package;
- a set of pins configured to connect first circuits enclosed within the integrated circuit package to second circuits located outside of the integrated circuit package;
- memory cells enclosed within the integrated circuit package;
- a driver programmable via a setting received from a system, the driver enclosed within the integrated circuit package and connected to a first pin, among the set of pins;
- and
- circuitry configured to adapt settings of the driver, based at least in part on signaling received from the system, to manage signals transmitted by the driver on the first pin in communication of data retrieved from the memory cells through the second circuits, wherein the circuitry is configured to:
- detect a first delay that causes a transition via the first pin from a failed communication to a successful communication and a second delay that causes a transition via the first pin from a successful communication to a failed communication;
- and
- determine an optimized delay for transmission via the first pin based on the first delay and the second delay.
A method, comprising:
- connecting, by a set of pins of a device having memory cells enclosed within an integrated circuit package, first circuits enclosed within the integrated circuit package to second circuits located outside of the integrated circuit package;
- receiving, in the device from a system a setting to program a driver in the device, the driver enclosed within the integrated circuit package and connected to a first pin, among the set of pins;
- storing, in a register connected to the driver, the setting;
- and
- adapting, by circuitry in the device, the setting stored in the register connected to the driver, based at least in part on signaling received from the system responsive to signals driven by the driver on the first pin;
- and
- controlling, by the register, the driver in driving signals on the first pin in communication of data retrieved from the memory cells.
A method, comprising:
- connecting, by a set of pins of a device having memory cells enclosed within an integrated circuit package, first circuits enclosed within the integrated circuit package to second circuits located outside of the integrated circuit package;
- receiving, in the device from a system a setting to program a driver in the device, the driver enclosed within the integrated circuit package and connected to a first pin, among the set of pins;
- adapting, by circuitry in the device, settings of the driver, based at least in part on signaling received from the system;
- managing, based on the settings of the driver, signals transmitted by the driver on the first pin in communication of data retrieved from the memory cells through the second circuits;
- changing, by the circuitry, the settings of the driver to reduce energy consumption in the communication;
- and
- reducing, by the circuitry, a voltage level of the signals in increments to detect a first level that causes one or more errors in the communication of the data retrieved from the memory cells through the second circuits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.