# US 9,520,864 B2 · Delay structure for a memory interface

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- Number: US 9,520,864 B2
- Document ID: US9520864B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/298,742
- Filed: 2014-06-06
- Published: 2015-12-10
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-06
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Jan Christian Diffenderfer; Yuehchun Claire Cheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520864B2

## CPC

- H03K 5/13: Arrangements having a single output and transforming input signals into pulses delivered at desired time intervals
- G11C 7/1072: {for memories with random access ports synchronised on clock signal pulse trains, e.g. synchronous memories, self timed memories}
- H03K 5/131: Digitally controlled
- H03K 5/135: by the use of time reference signals, e.g. clock signals
- H03K 2005/00026: {controlled by an analog electrical signal, e.g. obtained after conversion by a D/A converter}
- H03K 2005/00247: {using counters}
- H03K 2005/00286: {Phase shifter, i.e. the delay between the output and input pulse is dependent on the frequency, and such that a phase difference is obtained independent of the frequency}
- 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)
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)

## Abstract

Systems and methods for delaying a signal are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for delaying a signal comprises receiving a first signal edge, and, in response to receiving the first signal edge, counting a number of oscillations of an oscillator. The method also comprises outputting a second signal edge if the number of oscillations reaches a predetermined number. The second signal edge represents a delayed version of the first signal edge.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for delaying a signal, comprising:
receiving a first rising edge at an input;
in response to receiving the first rising edge, enabling an oscillator;
counting a number of oscillations of the oscillator;
outputting a second rising edge at an output if the number of oscillations reaches a predetermined number; and
in response to the number of oscillations reaching the predetermined number, disabling the oscillator until a third rising edge is received at the input.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the oscillator comprises a delay circuit, and enabling the oscillator comprises coupling an output of the delay circuit to an input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein coupling the output of the delay circuit to the input of the delay circuit comprises coupling the output of the delay circuit to the output of the delay circuit through an inverter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the delay circuit comprises a plurality of delay elements coupled in series.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein disabling the oscillator comprises blocking the output of the delay circuit from the input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving the first rising edge, transitioning the output from a high logic state to a low logic state.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the first rising edge and the third rising edge using a reference clock, wherein the first rising edge and the third rising edge are spaced apart by one period of the reference clock or multiple periods of the reference clock.

### Claim 8

An apparatus for delaying a signal, comprising:
means for receiving a first rising edge at an input;
means for enabling an oscillator in response to receiving the first rising edge;
means for counting a number of oscillations of the oscillator;
means for outputting a second rising edge at an output if the number of oscillations reaches a predetermined number; and
means for disabling the oscillator until a third rising edge is received at the input in response to the number of oscillations reaching the predetermined number.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the oscillator comprises a delay circuit, and the means for enabling the oscillator comprises means for coupling an output of the delay circuit to an input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for coupling the output of the delay circuit to the input of the delay circuit comprises means for coupling the output of the delay circuit to the output of the delay circuit through an inverter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the delay circuit comprises a plurality of delay elements coupled in series.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for disabling the oscillator comprises means for blocking the output of the delay circuit from the input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 13

A delay device, comprising:
an oscillator; and
a count circuit having an input and an output, wherein the count circuit is configured to enable the oscillator in response to receiving a first rising edge at the input, to count a number of oscillations of the oscillator, to output a second rising edge at the output if the number of oscillations reaches a predetermined number, and to disable the oscillator until a third rising edge is received at the input in response to the number of oscillations reaching the predetermined number.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The delay device of claim 13, wherein the oscillator comprises:
a delay circuit having an input and an output;
an oscillation enable/disable circuit configured to selectively enable and disable the oscillator based on a control signal from the count circuit, wherein the oscillation enable/disable circuit enables the oscillator by coupling the output of the delay circuit to the input of the delay circuit, and disables the oscillator by blocking the output of the delay circuit from the input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The delay device of claim 14, wherein the delay circuit comprises a plurality of delay elements coupled in series.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The delay device of claim 15, wherein the oscillation enable/disable circuit comprises a NAND gate having a first input coupled to the output of the delay circuit, a second input coupled to the count circuit for receiving the control signal, and an output coupled to the input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The delay circuit of claim 16, wherein the plurality of delay elements comprises a plurality of NAND gates.

### Claim 18

A delay device, comprising:
a first delay stage, the first delay stage comprising:
a first oscillator; and
a first count circuit having an input and an output, wherein the first count circuit is configured to transition the output of the first count circuit from a high logic state to a low logic state in response to receiving a first rising edge at the input of the first count circuit, to count a number of oscillations of the first oscillator in response to receiving a the first rising edge at the input of the first count circuit, and to output a second rising edge at the output of the first count circuit if the number of oscillations of the first oscillator reaches a first predetermined number; and
a second delay stage, the second delay stage comprising:
a second oscillator; and
a second count circuit having an input coupled to the output of the first count circuit and an output, wherein the second count circuit is configured to receive the transition from the high logic state to the low logic state at the input of the second count circuit, to count a number of oscillations of the second oscillator in response to receiving the second rising edge at the input of the second count circuit, and to output a third rising edge at the output of the second count circuit if the number of oscillations of the second oscillator reaches a second predetermined number.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The delay device of claim 18, wherein the first count circuit is configured to enable the first oscillator in response to receiving the first rising edge, and to disable the first oscillator in response to the number of oscillations of the first oscillator reaching the first predetermined number.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The delay device of claim 19, wherein the second count circuit is configured to enable the second oscillator in response to receiving the second rising edge, and to disable the second oscillator in response to the number of oscillations of the second oscillator reaching the second predetermined number.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The delay device of claim 20, wherein the first and second predetermined numbers are the same.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The delay device of claim 19, wherein the first oscillator comprises:
a delay circuit having an input and an output;
an oscillation enable/disable circuit configured to selectively enable and disable the first oscillator based on a control signal from the first count circuit, wherein the oscillation enable/disable circuit enables the first oscillator by coupling the output of the delay circuit to the input of the delay circuit, and disables the first oscillator by blocking the output of the delay circuit from the input of the delay circuit.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The delay device of claim 18, further comprising:
a timing circuit configured to output the first rising edge to the first delay stage and to output a fourth rising edge, wherein the fourth rising edge is delayed with respect to the first rising edge by approximately one period of a reference clock;
a phase frequency detector (PFD) having a first input for receiving the fourth rising edge from the timing circuit and a second input for receiving the third rising edge from the output of the second delay stage, wherein the PFD is configured to detect a phase error between the fourth and third rising edges; and
a voltage bias controller configured to adjust a voltage bias based on the detected phase error.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The delay device of claim 18, wherein the first count circuit is configured to disable the first oscillator until a fourth rising edge is received at the input of the first count circuit in response to the number of oscillations of the first oscillator reaching the first predetermined number.