Memory Device Pipe Latch Timing Margin via Grouped Signal Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory devices face challenges in ensuring a sufficient timing margin for data output from pipe latches, leading to reduced data windows due to overlapping signal activations.
Innovation Solution
The memory device is designed with N memory areas divided into groups, each with multiple pipe latches and dedicated pipe output signal generation circuits, including ring-shaped shift register units and a blocking unit, to manage area selection signals and prevent simultaneous shift operations, ensuring sequential and controlled data output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple pipe latch groups are used to store data from multiple memory areas, then data output capability and productivity are improved, but timing margin for data output is reduced due to overlapping signal activations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides N memory areas into a first group and a second group, with each group having dedicated pipe output signal generation circuits. This segmentation prevents signal activation overlap between groups, ensuring sufficient timing margin while maintaining high data output capability through parallel operation of multiple pipe latch groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a blocking unit as an intermediary component in the pipe output signal generation circuit. This blocking unit controls and prevents simultaneous shift operations between different memory area groups, acting as a mediator that coordinates signal activations to maintain timing margin while enabling continuous data output.
2Ease of operation
If pipe output signal generation circuits are added to manage multiple memory areas, then data output control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs pipe output signal generation circuits that can serve multiple memory areas within their respective groups. These circuits perform multiple functions including signal generation, shift operation control, and coordination with memory area selection, reducing the need for separate dedicated circuits for each memory area and thus managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the pipe output signal generation function with the memory area selection function in an integrated circuit structure. By merging these functions and using shared resources like the blocking unit across multiple memory areas, the patent reduces overall device complexity while maintaining ease of operation for data output control.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory device may include N memory areas that are divided into a first group and a second group, and are selected by area selection signals corresponding to the N memory areas among N area selection signals, N*M pipe latches that store output data of memory areas corresponding to the N*M pipe latches among the N memory areas, a first pipe output signal generation circuit that generates 1-1th to 1-Mth pipe output signals of pipe latches, which correspond to memory areas belonging to the first group, in response to an area selection signal corresponding to a predetermined memory area of memory areas, and a second pipe output signal generation circuit that generates 2-1th to 2-Mth pipe output signals of pipe latches, which correspond to memory areas belonging to the second group, in response to an area selection signal corresponding to a predetermined memory area of memory areas.