Data Input Circuit for Semiconductor Memory Device Area Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor memory devices experience increased circuit area and current consumption due to the large number of write drivers and exclusive OR gates required for data inversion operations, especially as the number of banks increases, leading to inefficiencies in data inversion operations.

Innovation Solution

The semiconductor memory device incorporates data input circuits that buffer, align, and invert data according to inversion information, eliminating the need for exclusive OR gates in write drivers by reflecting inversion information directly on data before transferring it to global lines, thereby reducing the number of data inversion circuits and overall device area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data inversion operations are performed using write drivers and exclusive OR gates in each bank, then data inversion functionality is achieved, but circuit area and current consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata inversion functionalityVSAvoidcircuit area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the data inversion operation from the write drivers in each bank and relocates it to a dedicated data inversion circuit. This separation removes the exclusive OR gates from the bank-level write drivers, significantly reducing the circuit area within each bank while maintaining the data inversion functionality through the centralized inversion circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dedicated data inversion circuit as an intermediary component between the data input circuits and the banks. This intermediate circuit performs the inversion operation using fewer resources, acting as a mediator that handles the inversion task efficiently without requiring each bank to have its own inversion capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If data inversion operations are performed using write drivers and exclusive OR gates in each bank, then data inversion functionality is achieved, but current consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata inversion functionalityVSAvoidcurrent consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the data inversion operation from the write drivers in each bank and relocates it to a dedicated data inversion circuit. This separation removes the exclusive OR gates from the bank-level write drivers, significantly reducing the circuit area within each bank while maintaining the data inversion functionality through the centralized inversion circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dedicated data inversion circuit as an intermediary component between the data input circuits and the banks. This intermediate circuit performs the inversion operation using fewer resources, acting as a mediator that handles the inversion task efficiently without requiring each bank to have its own inversion capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If the number of banks is increased to enhance memory capacity, then storage capability improves, but the number of write drivers and inversion circuits increases leading to larger area and higher current consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory capacityVSAvoidtotal circuit area

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data inversion function from the bank structure, creating a separate inversion circuit that serves all banks. This segmentation allows the memory capacity to be scaled by adding banks without proportionally increasing the inversion circuit area, as the inversion functionality is shared across all banks rather than being replicated in each one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dedicated data inversion circuit serves as a universal component that handles inversion operations for all banks in the memory device. This multi-functional approach allows a single inversion circuit to support multiple banks, reducing the overall area required compared to having separate inversion circuits in each bank.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7876624B2Data input circuit and semiconductor memory device including the same

Publication Date: 2011.01.25 SK HYNIX INC

AI summary

A semiconductor memory device capable of reducing a whole area thereof includes a plurality of data input circuits configured to reflect inversion information on data inputted thereto, a plurality of global lines for transferring data outputted from the plurality of data input circuits, and a plurality of memory banks for storing data transferred from the plurality of global lines.