Area-efficient, width-adjustable signaling interface
AssigneeRambus Inc.
InventorFrederick A. Ware
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lateral transfer path within an adjustable-width signaling interface of an integrated circuit component is formed by a chain of logic segments that may be intercoupled in different groups to effect the lateral data transfer required in different interface width configurations, avoiding the need for a dedicated transfer path per width configuration and thereby substantially reducing number of interconnects (and thus the area) required to implement the lateral transfer structure.
Claims21
1-23. (canceled)
An integrated circuit device comprising:
- signaling contacts to receive respective data signals from a source external to the integrated circuit device;
- storage elements to store data values conveyed in the data signals;
- and
- multiplexing circuits coupled between the signaling contacts and the storage elements, each multiplexing circuit having:
- a data signal output coupled to a respective one of the storage elements,
- a first data signal input coupled to a respective one of the signal contacts to receive a corresponding one of the data signals therefrom,
- a second data signal input coupled to an output of at least one other of the multiplexing circuits,
- a configuration signal input to receive a respective configuration signal, and
- transistor switching elements to switchably couple either the first data signal input or the second data signal input to the data signal output in accordance with a state of the configuration signal received at the configuration signal input.
A method of operation within an integrated circuit device having multiplexing circuits coupled between signaling contacts and storage elements, each multiplexing circuit having a data signal output coupled to a respective one of the storage elements, a first data signal input coupled to a respective one of the signaling contacts, and a second data signal input coupled to the data signal output of a neighboring one of the multiplexing circuits, the method comprising:
- storing, within a programmable mode register of the integrated circuit device, an interface width value that indicates how many of the signaling contacts are to receive respective data signals during operation of the integrated circuit device;
- and
- outputting configuration signals to the multiplexing circuits in either a first state or a second state in accordance with the interface width value;
- and
- within each of the multiplexing circuits, switchably coupling the data signal output to either the first data signal input or the second data signal input according to whether a respective one of the configuration signals is in the first state or the second state, respectively.
An integrated circuit device comprising:
- signaling contacts to receive respective data signals from a source external to the integrated circuit device;
- storage elements to store data values conveyed in the data signals;
- multiplexing circuits coupled respectively between the signaling contacts and the storage elements, each multiplexing circuit having:
- a data signal output coupled to a respective one of the storage elements,
- a first data signal input coupled to a respective one of the signal contacts to receive a corresponding one of the data signals therefrom,
- a second data signal input coupled to an output of at least one other of the multiplexing circuits,
- a configuration signal input to receive a respective configuration signal, and
- transistor switching elements to switchably couple either the first data signal input or the second data signal input to the data signal output according to whether the configuration signal received at the configuration signal input is in a first state or a second state;
- a programmable mode register;
- means for storing, within the programmable mode register, an interface width value that indicates how many of the signaling contacts are to receive respective data signals during operation of the integrated circuit device;
- and
- means for outputting respective configuration signals to the multiplexing circuits in either the first state or the second state in accordance with the interface width value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.