Multi-Level Receiver Clock Phase Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices face challenges in accurately restoring multi-level signals due to timing differences caused by parasitic capacitance and resistance components in the routing wiring and elements, leading to errors in data recovery.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a multi-level receiver and clock controller that individually adjusts the phase of clock signals input to sense amplifiers, using a reference clock signal and test data patterns to optimize the timing and reduce errors in data restoration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-level signals are transmitted to improve data transmission speed, then productivity increases, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to timing errors in signal restoration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the clock signal generation into multiple independent clock signals, each assigned to a specific sense amplifier. This segmentation allows each clock signal to be individually adjusted in phase to compensate for timing differences caused by parasitic capacitance and resistance in routing wiring, thereby maintaining signal restoration accuracy while supporting high-speed multi-level signal transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality adjustment by individually tuning the phase of each clock signal based on the specific timing characteristics of its associated sense amplifier and routing path. This localized optimization ensures that each signal path is compensated for its unique parasitic effects, improving overall restoration accuracy without compromising transmission speed.
2Manufacturing precision
If individual phase adjustment of clock signals is implemented to improve signal restoration accuracy, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the restored signal from each sense amplifier is used to adjust the phase of its corresponding clock signal. This feedback loop automatically compensates for timing differences without requiring complex external calibration, thereby improving signal restoration accuracy while keeping the control mechanism relatively simple and integrated within the receiver circuitry.
3Productivity
If more sense amplifiers are added to handle multi-level signals, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the sense amplifiers and clock control mechanism to be multi-functional. Each sense amplifier can handle multiple signal levels, and the clock control system can manage multiple clock signals using a unified phase adjustment approach. This universality allows the system to process higher data rates by adding sense amplifiers without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes: a multi-level receiver including N sense amplifiers and a decoder decoding an output of the N sense amplifiers, each of the N sense amplifiers receiving a multi-level signal having M levels and a reference signal (where M is a natural number, higher than 2, and where N is a natural number, lower than M); a clock buffer receiving a reference clock signal; and a clock controller generating N clock signals using the reference clock signal, inputting the N clock signals to the N sense amplifiers, respectively, and individually determining a phase of each of the N clock signals using the output of the N sense amplifiers.