Memory ODT Control for Read/Write Failure Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing on-die termination (ODT) circuit in semiconductor memory systems often causes failures during write/read operations, making it difficult to determine whether the failure is due to the ODT circuit or the actual DRAM, which delays development and affects time to market.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that includes a detector generating an ODT control signal to inactivate the ODT operation during data read/write periods in response to a command signal, allowing for testing and control of the ODT operation, thereby enabling the ODT operation to be inactivated and facilitating failure analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ODT circuit unit operates during write/read operations, then signal loss is reduced through impedance matching, but failure analysis becomes difficult when errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the ODT circuit by introducing a control signal that can switch the ODT operation between active and inactive states. This allows the system to adaptively change the ODT configuration during different operation phases (normal operation vs. testing), enabling both reliable signal transmission during normal use and failure analysis during testing periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic testing operations where the ODT circuit is intentionally inactivated at specific intervals to perform failure analysis. By alternating between normal ODT operation and testing modes, the system can periodically detect and analyze failures without compromising overall signal transmission reliability.
2Reliability
If the ODT operation is continuously active, then signal integrity is maintained, but development time increases due to difficulty in analyzing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary testing capability by allowing the ODT circuit to be inactivated before actual failures occur. The testing mechanism is prepared in advance, enabling developers to proactively identify potential issues during development phases without waiting for field failures, thus reducing overall development time while maintaining signal integrity during normal operation.
3Device complexity
If the ODT circuit is designed to operate regardless of write/read operation, then the circuit structure is simplified, but failure analysis during different operation modes becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the ODT circuit's functionality by adding multi-mode operation capability. The same ODT circuit structure serves dual purposes: normal signal termination during write/read operations and testable configuration for failure analysis. This is achieved through a control signal that enables the circuit to respond differently based on operation mode, providing both structural simplicity and analytical capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for controlling on-die termination of a semiconductor memory includes a detector that generates an ODT control signal for inactivating an on-die termination operation in one of a data read period and a data write period in response to a command signal for testing the on-die termination operation, and a controller that inactivates the on-die termination operation in response to the ODT control signal.