Memory Data Driver with Simultaneous Termination and Pull-Up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor data drivers face challenges in reducing load and improving data transmission speed, which affects the overall performance of interface circuits in semiconductor circuit devices like DRAM and CPU.
Innovation Solution
A data driver design that includes a termination/pull-up driver and a pull-down driver, configured to perform termination and pull-up operations simultaneously during active intervals, and activate pull-down operations during read operations, using transistors and resistors to manage impedance and control signals for efficient data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional data driver is used, then the circuit structure is simple, but the data transmission speed is slow and the load is high
Solution Approach 1:
The data driver is segmented into multiple independent drivers: a first driver for termination operation, a second driver for pull-up operation, and a third driver for pull-down operation. Each driver is independently controlled by specific control signals, allowing simultaneous termination and pull-up operations while reducing mutual interference and improving data transmission speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The first driver is designed to perform both termination and pull-up operations simultaneously by responding to a termination control signal that is activated regardless of read or write operation intervals. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate dedicated circuits while maintaining high performance.
2Reliability
If additional timing margins are added to improve reliability, then data transmission reliability increases, but the data input/output speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The termination operation is performed in advance and continuously (activated regardless of read/write intervals) to prepare the data output terminal for rapid data transitions. This preliminary termination setup eliminates the need for additional timing margins during actual data operations, improving both reliability and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The termination control signal is activated continuously during both read and write operation intervals, maintaining constant termination readiness. This continuous useful action ensures reliable data transmission without requiring extra timing margins, thereby maximizing data I/O speed.
3Productivity
If the termination operation and pull-up operation are performed separately, then each operation can be optimized, but the driver complexity and load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first driver merges termination and pull-up functions into a single circuit unit that responds to a unified termination control signal. This allows both operations to be performed simultaneously through one driver, reducing overall driver complexity while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The driver circuit employs dynamic control signals (termination control signal and output control signal) that adaptively activate different driver components based on operational requirements. This dynamic activation allows optimized performance for each operation type while keeping the overall structure manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A data driver is presented in which the data driver includes a termination/pull-up driver and a pull-down driver. The termination/pull-up driver is configured to perform a termination operation and a pull-up operation at the same time for a data output terminal during an active interval of a semiconductor memory. The pull-down driver is configured to be activated when the semiconductor memory performs a read operation, and configured to pull down the output terminal in response to a level of an input data.