Method and apparatus for adaptively adjusting the timing offset between a clock signal and digital signals transmitted coincident with that clock signal, and memory device and system using same

A method of synchronizing read clock signals generated by a packetized memory device coincident with read data transferred from the packetized memory device to an external device, the method comprising:

• placing the packetized memory device in a read synchronization mode of operation;
• outputting read clock signals and coincident read digital signals from the memory device, the read digital signals having a timing offset relative to the read clock signal;
• capturing the read digital signals in the external device responsive to the read clock signal;
• determining whether the captured read digital signals have expected values;
• applying a signal to the memory device to adjust the timing offset of the read digital signal relative to the read clock signal;
• repeating outputting read clock signals and coincident read digital signals from the memory device through applying a signal to the memory device to adjust the timing offset until a plurality of read digital signals at respective timing offsets have been captured in the external device;
• selecting a final timing offset from among the timing offsets that resulted in the external device successfully capturing the read digital signal;
• and
• applying a signal to the memory device to adjust the timing offset of the read digital signals to the selected final timing offset.

A method of adjusting the timing offset of read digital signals relative to a read clock signal in a packetized memory device, the read digital signals and read clock signal being applied by the packetized memory device to an external device, the method comprising:

• placing the packetized memory device in a read synchronization mode of operation;
• generating the read clock signal responsive to a first internal clock signal;
• outputting read data from the memory device responsive to a second internal clock signal having a phase shift relative to the first internal clock signal;
• capturing the read data in the external device responsive to the read clock signal;
• determining whether the captured read data has an expected value;
• applying a signal to the memory device to adjust the phase of the second internal clock signal;
• repeating outputting read data from the memory device responsive to the second internal clock through applying a signal to the memory device to adjust the phase of the second internal clock signal a plurality of times and determining whether the captured read data at each phase of the second internal clock signal has its corresponding expected value;
• selecting a final phase shift of the second internal clock signal from among phase shifts resulting in the external device successfully capturing the read data;
• and
• applying a signal to the memory device to adjust the phase shift of the second internal clock signal to the selected final phase shift.

A read synchronization circuit that adaptively adjusts the timing offset of digital signals applied on respective signal terminals relative to an external clock signal applied on an external clock terminal substantially coincident with the digital signals to enable an external device to latch the digital signals responsive to the external clock signal, comprising:

• a digital signal pattern generator that generates predetermined synchronization digital signals responsive to an activation signal;
• a register and clocking circuit having an input coupled to the pattern generator, an output coupled to the signal terminals, and first and second internal clock terminals adapted to receive respective first and second internal clock signals, the circuit clocking in the synchronization data signals from the pattern generator responsive to the first internal clock signal, clocking the synchronization data signals onto the signal terminals responsive to the second internal clock signal, and generating the external clock signal responsive to the first internal clock signal;
• a clock control circuit controlling the phase of the second internal clock signal relative to the first internal clock signal responsive to a phase command signal;
• a control circuit coupled to the pattern generator, clock control circuit, and coupled to a control bus adapted to receive control signals, the control circuit operable responsive to a synchronization command applied on the control bus to activate the pattern generator and apply a phase command signal to the clock control circuit, and to adjust the value of the phase command signal responsive to subsequent synchronization command signals applied on the control bus.

A packetized dynamic random access memory, comprising:

• at least one array of memory cells adapted to store data at a location determined by a row address and a column address;
• a row address circuit adapted to receive and decode the row address, and select a row of memory cells corresponding to the row address responsive to a first set of command signals;
• a column address circuit adapted to receive or apply data to one of the memory cells in the selected row corresponding to the column address responsive to a second set of command signals;
• a write data path circuit adapted to couple data between a data bus and the column address circuit responsive to a third set of command signals and having a latch adapted to receive and latch data packets applied on the data bus responsive to a first internal clock signal generated responsive to an external data clock signal applied on an external data clock terminal;
• a command buffer receiving command packets and initialization packets, the command buffer including a latch storing each of the received packets responsive to a transition of a second internal clock signal generated responsive to a second external clock signal, the command buffer further generating respective command words and initialization words corresponding to each received command packet and initialization packet, respectively;
• and
• a read data path circuit adapted to couple data between the data bus and the column address circuit responsive to a fourth set of command signals during normal operation of the memory device, and comprising a read synchronization circuit that adaptively adjusts the timing offset of data signals output on the data bus relative to a data clock signal applied by the read data path circuit on the data clock terminal substantially coincident with the data signals comprising:
• a digital signal pattern generator that generates predetermined synchronization digital signals responsive to an activation signal;
• a register and clocking circuit having an input coupled to the pattern generator, an output coupled to the data bus, and first and second read clock terminals adapted to receive respective first and second internal read clock signals, the circuit clocking in the synchronization data signals from the pattern generator responsive to the first internal read clock signal, clocking the synchronization data signals onto the data bus responsive to the second internal read clock signal, and generating the external data clock signal on the external data clock terminal responsive to the first internal read clock signal;
• a clock control circuit controlling the phase of the second internal read clock signal relative to the first internal read clock signal responsive to a phase command signal;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to the pattern generator, clock control circuit, and coupled to the command buffer, the control circuit operable when the command buffer outputs an initialization word responsive to received command packet corresponding to a read synchronization request packet to activate the pattern generator and apply a phase command signal to the clock control circuit, and to adjust the value of the phase command signal responsive to subsequent initialization words output from the command buffer.

A memory controller, comprising:

• external signal terminals adapted to receive respective digital signals;
• an external clock terminals adapted to receive an external clock signal;
• a circuit transferring data between a processor data bus and selected ones of the signal terminals, and generating a plurality of command and clock signals on respective signal terminals;
• a clock generator generating an internal clock signal responsive to the external clock signal, the internal clock signal having a fixed phase relative to the external clock signal;
• a latch that latches digital signals applied on the external signal terminals responsive to the internal clock signal;
• an evaluation circuit coupled to the latch and generating a results signal responsive to the digital signals sequentially stored in the latch which indicates whether each of the latched digital signals has an expected value;
• and
• a control circuit operating in a read synchronization mode to apply command packets to a packetized memory device coupled to the controller causing the packetized memory device to apply predetermined synchronization signals on the data bus and a data clock signal on the data clock terminal having a timing offset relative to the synchronization signals determined by the command packet, the control circuit thereafter controlling the evaluation circuit to develop a plurality of results signals, each corresponding to a respective timing offset, and then selecting a final timing offset from among the timing offsets that resulted in the latch successfully capturing the synchronization signals, and applying a command packet causing the memory device to adjust the timing offset of the synchronization signals to the selected final timing offset.

A memory system, comprising:

• a packetized memory device, comprising,
• at least one array of memory cells adapted to store data at a location determined by a row address and a column address;
• a row address circuit adapted to receive and decode the row address, and select a row of memory cells corresponding to the row address responsive to a first set of command signals;
• a column address circuit adapted to receive or apply data to one of the memory cells in the selected row corresponding to the column address responsive to a second set of command signals;
• a write data path circuit adapted to couple data between a data bus and the column address circuit responsive to a third set of command signals, and having a latch adapted to receive and latch data packets applied on the data bus responsive to a first internal clock signal generated responsive to an external data clock signal applied on an external data clock terminal;
• a command buffer receiving command packets and initialization packets on a command-address bus, the command buffer including a latch storing each of the received packets responsive to a transition of a second internal clock signal generated responsive to a second external clock signal, the command buffer further generating respective command words and initialization words corresponding to each received command packet and initialization packet, respectively;
• and
• a read data path circuit adapted to couple data between the data bus and the column address circuit responsive to a fourth set of command signals during normal operation of the memory device, and comprising a read synchronization circuit that adaptively adjusts the timing offset of data signals output on the data bus relative to a data clock signal applied by the read data path circuit on the data clock terminal substantially coincident with the data signals, comprising:
• a digital signal pattern generator that generates predetermined synchronization digital signals responsive to an activation signal;
• a register and clocking circuit having an input coupled to the pattern generator, an output coupled to the data bus, and first and second read clock terminals adapted to receive respective first and second internal read clock signals, the circuit clocking in the synchronization data signals from the pattern generator responsive to the first internal read clock signal, clocking the synchronization data signals onto the data bus responsive to the second internal read clock signal, and generating the external data clock signal on the external data clock terminal responsive to the first internal read clock signal;
• a clock control circuit controlling the phase of the second internal read clock signal relative to the first internal read clock signal responsive to a phase command signal;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to the pattern generator, clock control circuit, and coupled to the command buffer, the control circuit operable when the command buffer outputs an initialization word responsive to received command packet corresponding to a read synchronization request packet to activate the pattern generator and apply a phase command signal to the clock control circuit, and to adjust the value of the phase command signal responsive to subsequent initialization words output from the command buffer;
• and
• a memory controller coupled to the command-address bus, data bus and clock terminals of the packetized memory device, comprising,
• a circuit transferring data between a processor data bus and the data bus of the memory device responsive to control signals received on control terminals, and applying command packets and clock signals to control the memory device;
• a clock generator generating an internal clock signal responsive to the read clock signal from the memory device, the internal clock signal having a fixed phase relative to the read clock signal;
• a latch that latches digital signals applied on the data bus responsive to the internal clock signal;
• an evaluation circuit coupled to the latch and generating a results signal responsive to the digital signals sequentially stored in the latch which indicates whether each of the latched digital signals has an expected value;
• and
• a control circuit operating in a read synchronization mode to apply command packets to the packetized memory device causing the packetized memory device to apply predetermined synchronization signals on the data bus and the data clock signal on the data clock terminal having a timing offset relative to the synchronization signals determined by the command packet, the control circuit thereafter controlling the evaluation circuit to develop a plurality of results signals, each corresponding to a respective timing offset, and then selecting a final timing offset from among the timing offsets that resulted in the latch successfully capturing the synchronization signals, and applying a command packet causing the memory device to adjust the timing offset of the synchronization signals to the selected final timing offset.

An integrated circuit adapted to receive a plurality of input signals and generate a plurality of output signals on respective, externally accessible terminals, comprising:

• a circuit adapted to receive a plurality of input signals applied to respective other of the terminals and to generate a plurality of output signals on respective other of the terminals;
• a read synchronization circuit that adaptively adjusts the timing offset of digital signals applied on respective external terminals relative to an external clock signal applied on an external clock terminal substantially coincident with the digital signals to enable an external device coupled to the integrated circuit to latch the digital signals responsive to the external clock signal, comprising,
• a digital signal pattern generator that generates predetermined synchronization digital signals responsive to an activation signal;
• a register and clocking circuit having an input coupled to the pattern generator, an output coupled to the corresponding external terminals, and first and second internal clock terminals adapted to receive respective first and second internal clock signals, the circuit clocking in the synchronization data signals from the pattern generator responsive to the first internal clock signal, clocking the synchronization data signals onto the external terminals responsive to the second internal clock signal, and generating the external clock signal responsive to the first internal clock signal;
• a clock control circuit controlling the phase of the second internal clock signal relative to the first internal clock signal responsive to a phase command signal;
• a control circuit coupled to the pattern generator, clock control circuit, and coupled to external control terminals of the integrated circuit adapted to receive control signals, the control circuit operable responsive to a synchronization command applied on the control terminals to activate the pattern generator and apply a phase command signal to the clock control circuit, and to adjust the value of the phase command signal responsive to subsequent synchronization command signals applied on the control bus.

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor having a processor bus;
• an input device coupled to the processor through the processor bus adapted to allow data to be entered into the computer system;
• an output device coupled to the processor through the processor bus adapted to allow data to be output from the computer system;
• and
• a packetized dynamic random access memory coupled to the processor bus, comprising,
• at least one array of memory cells adapted to store data at a location determined by a row address and a column address;
• a row address circuit adapted to receive and decode the row address, and select a row of memory cells corresponding to the row address responsive to a first set of command signals;
• a column address circuit adapted to receive or apply data to one of the memory cells in the selected row corresponding to the column address responsive to a second set of command signals;
• a write data path circuit adapted to couple data between a data bus portion of the processor bus and the column address circuit responsive to a third set of command signals, and having a latch adapted to receive and latch data packets applied on the data bus responsive to a first internal clock signal generated responsive to an external data clock signal applied on an external data clock terminal;
• a command buffer receiving command packets and initialization packets on a command-address bus portion of the processor bus, the command buffer including a latch storing each of the received packets responsive to a transition of a second internal clock signal generated responsive to a second external clock signal, the command buffer further generating respective command words and initialization words corresponding to each received command packet and initialization packet, respectively;
• and
• a read data path circuit adapted to couple data between the data bus and the column address circuit responsive to a fourth set of command signals during normal operation of the memory device, and comprising a read synchronization circuit that adaptively adjusts the timing offset of data signals output on the data bus relative to a data clock signal applied by the read data path circuit on the data clock terminal substantially coincident with the data signals, comprising:
• a digital signal pattern generator that generates predetermined synchronization digital signals responsive to an activation signal;
• a register and clocking circuit having an input coupled to the pattern generator, an output coupled to the data bus, and first and second read clock terminals adapted to receive respective first and second internal read clock signals, the circuit clocking in the synchronization data signals from the pattern generator responsive to the first internal read clock signal, clocking the synchronization data signals onto the data bus responsive to the second internal read clock signal, and generating the external data clock signal on the external data clock terminal responsive to the first internal read clock signal;
• a clock control circuit controlling the phase of the second internal read clock signal relative to the first internal read clock signal responsive to a phase command signal;
• and
• a control circuit coupled to the pattern generator, clock control circuit, and coupled to the command buffer, the control circuit operable when the command buffer outputs an initialization word responsive to received command packet corresponding to a read synchronization request packet to activate the pattern generator and apply a phase command signal to the clock control circuit, and to adjust the value of the phase command signal responsive to subsequent initialization words output from the command buffer.