Memory Access Time Determination via Internal Address Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining memory access time are inefficient and inaccurate, relying on relative time delays between clock signals and external logic, which can lead to errors and are not feasible in end-user products.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that store addresses of memory locations within the memory, sample addresses from a bus signal, and read data to determine access time independently of external logic, using a single clock source and increasing its frequency to detect memory errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If memory access time is determined using relative time delays between clock signals and external logic, then measurement can be performed, but the method is inaccurate and leads to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device performs self-testing by internally generating test addresses and detecting read errors without requiring external logic or multiple clock signals. The memory uses its own address bus and control logic to write test patterns, read data, and detect errors, making the measurement process self-contained and eliminating external dependencies that cause inaccuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the access time measurement function from external testing equipment and relocates it directly into the memory device itself. By removing the need for external logic circuits and complex clock signal timing, the measurement is performed using only the memory's internal resources, thereby eliminating external sources of error.
2Productivity
If high-frequency data sampling is used to determine memory access time, then measurement speed is improved, but the method becomes complex and requires external logic
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device independently performs the entire measurement process using its own internal logic. The address sampling circuit and controller within the memory generate test addresses, execute read operations, and detect errors without requiring external sampling equipment or complex external logic, thereby simplifying the overall system while maintaining measurement functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the complex external sampling logic and high-frequency data sampling requirements by transferring the measurement functionality directly into the memory device. This extraction eliminates the need for external logic circuits and complex sampling mechanisms, reducing system complexity while preserving measurement capability.
3Measurement precision
If external logic is used to determine memory access time, then measurement can be performed, but the method is not feasible in end-user products
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is self-sufficient in performing access time measurements, requiring no external logic or test equipment. This self-contained approach makes the measurement capability inherently suitable for integration into end-user products, as it eliminates the need for separate external testing infrastructure and can be performed using only the memory's internal resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the measurement functionality from external testing equipment and embeds it directly within the memory device. This integration removes the dependency on external logic that makes traditional methods unsuitable for end-user products, thereby enabling access time determination to be performed directly within the product environment.
4Loss of time
If multiple clock signals with relative time delays are used, then access time measurement can be performed, but the method is inaccurate and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the requirement for multiple clock signals with relative time delays by transferring the measurement function into the memory device. A single clock signal within the memory is sufficient to drive the test operations, eliminating the complex timing relationships between multiple external clock signals that cause measurement errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory device uses its own internal clock signal to control the test operations, eliminating the need for external clock signals with complex timing relationships. This self-contained timing approach removes the sources of error associated with relative time delays between multiple clock signals while maintaining accurate measurement capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment method includes storing, in each of a first plurality of memory locations of a memory, an address of another of the first plurality of memory locations, and reading, from a bus signal received at the memory, an address of a first one of the first plurality of memory locations. The method further includes reading data stored in the first one of the first plurality of memory locations, and determining, using the read data, whether a read error has occurred.