Command Address Input Buffer 2N Mode for Bias Current Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor memory devices, particularly DDR5 SDRAM, face challenges in maintaining stable operation at high clock frequencies due to high input buffer bias current requirements in 1N mode, leading to instability in command switching.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a 2N mode that skips clock cycles between commands, allowing the input buffer to operate at a lower switching rate and reduce bias current, thereby stabilizing operation while reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If 1N mode is used to read commands on every clock cycle, then productivity is improved, but input buffer bias current increases and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between 1N mode (reading commands on every clock cycle) and 2N mode (skipping clock cycles between commands) based on operational requirements. This dynamic mode selection allows the input buffer to operate at different switching rates, reducing bias current when high-speed command reading is not critical, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operating parameters of the input buffer by adjusting the clock cycle skipping behavior. In 2N mode, the input buffer skips clock cycles between commands, effectively reducing its switching rate and bias current consumption. This parameter change allows the system to maintain acceptable command reading performance while improving stability and reducing power consumption.
2Productivity
If input buffer switching rate is increased to maintain 1N mode, then productivity is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by having the input buffer skip clock cycles between command readings in 2N mode. This periodic skipping reduces the average switching rate of the input buffer, thereby reducing bias current consumption while still maintaining the ability to process commands at required intervals. The periodic nature of this action resolves the contradiction between productivity and energy use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the input buffer's operating mode between 1N and 2N based on workload and performance requirements. When high throughput is needed, 1N mode is used with higher bias current; when power savings are prioritized, 2N mode is used with reduced bias current. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between productivity and energy consumption.
3Use of energy by moving object
If clock cycles are skipped between commands in 2N mode, then use of energy is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by skipping only some clock cycles between commands rather than all clock cycles. In 2N mode, the input buffer operates at a reduced switching rate by skipping alternating clock cycles, which reduces energy consumption while still maintaining sufficient command processing throughput for many applications. This partial reduction in switching activity resolves the contradiction between energy use and productivity.
4Productivity
If input buffer operates at high switching rate, then productivity is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic skipping of clock cycles in 2N mode, the input buffer's switching activity is reduced, which directly reduces power dissipation and heat generation. The periodic nature of this skipping allows the device to maintain acceptable command processing speed while significantly reducing thermal output, resolving the contradiction between productivity and temperature.
Data Source
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AI summary
A memory device (10) may include one or more memory banks (12) that store data and one or more input buffers (50). The input buffers (50) may receive command address signals to access the one or more memory banks (12). The memory device (10) may operate in one of a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. The one or more input buffers (50) may operate under a first bias current when the memory device (10) is in the first mode of operation or a second bias current when the memory device (10) is in the second mode of operation, and the first bias current may be greater than the second bias current.