Independent On-Die Termination Control for Memory Bus Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing signal transmitting and receiving apparatuses and memory devices face performance degradation due to the simultaneous enablement and disablement of on-die termination circuits, which leads to preamble and postamble times that hinder efficient signal transmission and reception.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of independently controlled on-die termination circuits that enable and disable at different times, allowing for separate control of termination resistance on signal lines connected to data and read data strobe pins, optimizing signal integrity and reducing performance degradation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If on-die termination circuits are simultaneously enabled and disabled, then signal integrity is maintained through impedance matching, but preamble and postamble times increase causing performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal integrityVSAvoidpreamble and postamble times

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the on-die termination control into separate circuits for different signal types (data signals and read data strobe signals). Each termination circuit can be independently enabled and disabled based on its specific signal timing requirements, allowing the data termination circuit to be disabled earlier than the strobe termination circuit, thereby reducing preamble and postamble times while maintaining signal integrity for each signal type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If on-die termination circuits are enabled earlier to improve signal reception, then signal integrity is enhanced, but device operation time increases due to extended preamble and postamble periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal reception qualityVSAvoiddevice operation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic control of termination circuits where the enable and disable timing of each termination circuit is independently adjustable based on the specific signal characteristics and timing requirements. This allows optimization of signal reception quality without unnecessarily extending the overall operation time, as each circuit can be activated only when its specific signal needs termination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11664803B2Apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal, a method of operating the same, a memory device, and a method of operating the memory device

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A signal transmitting and receiving apparatus including: a first on-die termination circuit connected to a first pin through which a first signal is transmitted or received and, when enabled, the first on-die termination circuit is configured to provide a first termination resistance to a signal line connected to the first pin; a second on-die termination circuit connected to a second pin through which a second signal is transmitted or received and, when enabled, the second on-die termination circuit is configured to provide a second termination resistance to a signal line connected to the second pin; and an on-die termination control circuit configured to independently control an enable time and a disable time of each of the first on-die termination circuit and the second on-die termination circuit.