Method and circuit for sending a signal in a semiconductor device during a setup time
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsDonald M. Morgan, Todd A. Merritt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A memory having a control circuit for initiating a read or a write operation in response to a combination of input signals during a setup time is described. The setup time is a specified time period during which all inputs must remain valid before a next appearance of a rising edge of a clock signal. The control circuit uses the setup time to send a signal from one part of the memory to another part of the memory to avoid the propagation delay time. Further, a circuit is provided which prepares the memory for a write operation prior to the setup time.
Claims20
A memory device, comprising a plurality of inputs for control signals, a first circuit for receiving the control signals to produce an enable signal, wherein the enable signal indicates whether a combination of the control signals is valid for a memory access operation, and a second circuit connected to receive the enable signal, wherein the second circuit generates a setup signal to initiate the memory access operation prior to receiving the enable signal from the first circuit.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a memory device having a memory area and a control circuit connected to the memory area, the control circuit includes a setup signal responsive to a combination of input signals, during a predetermined setup time, wherein the setup signal initiates a memory operation by accessing the memory area during the predetermined setup time, wherein the setup time occurs prior to the combination of the input signals is validated for the memory.
A system comprising a processor connected to a memory device wherein the memory device comprises a memory area and control circuit connected to the memory area, the control circuit includes a setup time period and a setup signal, wherein the setup signal in response to a combination of input signals, initiates a memory operation by accessing the memory area during the setup time period prior to the combination of the input signals is validated for the memory operation.
A substrate, comprising:
- a device having a first and second region;
- a data driver located in the first region;
- and
- a control circuit located in the second region, wherein the control circuit produces a setup signal during a memory access setup time period to propagate data from the data driver to the second region during the setup time.
A memory device, comprising:
- a memory area having a number of memory arrays, including a first memory array and a last memory array, wherein the last memory array is physically the most distant array from the first memory array;
- a data write driver located near the first memory array;
- a data write line connected between the data write driver, the first memory array and the last memory array;
- and
- a control circuit having a setup time period, wherein the control circuit enables data from the data drive driver to propagate to the memory area in the direction from the first memory array to the last memory array during the setup time period.
A memory device, comprising:
- a memory portion having a number of memory arrays, including a first memory array and a last memory array, wherein the last memory array is physically the most distant array from the first memory array;
- a data write driver located near the first memory array;
- a data write line connected between the data write driver, the first memory array and the last memory array;
- and
- control circuit having a setup time period and a setup signal, wherein the setup signal, in anticipating a write operation during the setup time period, initiates the write operation by enabling data from the data write driver to propagate to the memory portion in the direction from the first memory array to the last memory array.
A method of accessing a memory device, comprising:
- providing a memory area having a first and second physical location;
- receiving data at the first physical location;
- defining a setup time period;
- and
- propagating the data from the first physical location to the second physical location during the setup time period.
A method of writing to a memory device, comprising:
- receiving data to be written into a memory array;
- defining a setup time period;
- receiving a combination of input signals;
- initiating a write operation during the setup time period and before the combination of input signals is validated for the write operation;
- driving the data to the memory array following a first direction within the memory array;
- and
- writing the data to the memory array following a second a direction within the memory array.
A method of routing a signal through an integrated circuit having a memory array, comprising:
- receiving a memory access signal;
- receiving a clock signal having a setup time period;
- generating a setup signal in response to the clock signal and the access signal during the setup time period;
- propagating data to the memory array in response to the setup signal during the setup time period;
- and
- writing the data to the memory array after the setup time period.
A method of accelerating a memory access operation, comprising:
- receiving a clock signal having a setup time period;
- receiving control signals;
- and
- passing the control signals through a setup circuit to initiate a memory access operation during the set up time period, wherein the passing the control signals includes activating a setup signal to start the operation during the setup time period, and wherein the activating of the set up signal occurs before a combination of the control signals is validated for the operation.
A method of accelerating a memory access operation comprising:
- receiving a clock signal having a setup time period;
- receiving a combination of control signals;
- activating a setup circuit to initiate a memory access operation in response to the combination of control signals during the setup time period;
- produce an enable signal in response to the combination of control signals during the setup time period;
- sending the enable signal to the setup circuit after the setup time periods wherein the enable signal enables the setup circuit to continue the memory access operation if the combination of control signals is validated for the operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.