Memory Physical Layer Interface Circuit Clock Tree Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The advancement of processor performance has led to a need for faster memory devices, with DDR SDRAM requiring clock cycle times smaller than the clock tree delay time, making it difficult to design memory physical layer circuits effectively, thus necessitating improved accuracy and operation efficiency in memory systems.
Innovation Solution
A memory physical layer interface circuit with a clock generation module and multiple FIFO modules that generate and manage clock signals to synchronize data transmission between a memory controller and a memory device, reducing clock tree length and allowing for more efficient operation by dividing clock frequencies and using phase-shifting to align signal timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the clock cycle time is reduced to increase data processing speed, then the memory speed increases, but the clock tree delay time becomes longer relative to the clock cycle time, making circuit design difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the clock distribution system into multiple independent clock trees, each serving specific functional blocks. This segmentation allows each clock tree to be optimized independently, reducing the relative delay impact on each segment while maintaining high overall system speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces clock buffer circuits as intermediary elements between the clock source and various functional blocks. These buffers act as mediators that regenerate and redistribute clock signals, effectively isolating delay variations in different parts of the circuit and simplifying the overall design.
2Measurement precision
If the clock tree length is reduced to improve timing accuracy, then the signal transmission speed increases, but the circuit layout becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the clock distribution into multiple shorter clock trees rather than one long tree, the patent achieves better timing accuracy for each segment while maintaining layout flexibility through modular arrangement of the segmented structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges clock trees and functional blocks in a multi-dimensional layout strategy, distributing clock trees across different spatial regions and routing them through optimized paths that reduce length without constraining the overall circuit layout flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory physical layer interface circuit electrically connected between a memory controller and a memory device is provided. The memory physical layer interface circuit includes a dock generation module and first-in-first-out (FIFO) modules. The clock generation module generates a reference clock signal and output related clock signals. The reference clock signal is transmitted to the memory device. Each of the FIFO modules writes the input information therein transmitted by the memory controller according to a write-related clock signal and retrieves the input information therefrom according to one of the output related clock signals to generate an output signal. The output signal is transmitted to the memory device to operate the memory device. The write-related clock signal is generated by dividing a frequency of one of the output related clock signals.