Multi-Phase Serializer Buffering for High-Speed Low-Power Data Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor serializers face challenges in achieving high operation speeds and low power consumption while correctly serializing data, as they struggle to synchronize data transmission with increasingly faster clock speeds and reduced power consumption requirements.
Innovation Solution
The proposed serializer includes a pre-buffer stage that generates delayed signals synchronized with pre-clock signals and a main buffer stage that generates output signals synchronized with main clock signals, utilizing phase differences between clock signals to effectively serialize data, allowing for efficient data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If clock speed is increased to achieve higher operation speed, then productivity is improved, but duration of action becomes shorter and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the clock signal into multiple phase-shifted clock signals (first clock signal, second clock signal, third clock signal, fourth clock signal with 90-degree phase differences). This segmentation allows data to be serialized across multiple overlapping time windows, effectively extending the useful action duration within each clock period and enabling higher operation speeds without proportionally reducing clock duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic sampling of data using multiple phase-shifted clock signals. By periodically capturing data at different phases (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°), the system achieves continuous data serialization across clock cycles, maintaining high productivity while extending the effective duration of data transmission through overlapping periodic windows.
2Productivity
If clock speed is increased to achieve higher operation speed, then productivity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the high-speed data transmission task across multiple phase-shifted clock signals. By distributing data serialization across four different clock phases, each clock signal operates at a manageable speed while collectively achieving high overall throughput. This segmentation reduces the power consumption burden on any single clock signal compared to using a single high-speed clock.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the output signals from four different phase-shifted clock domains into a single serialized data stream. This combining approach allows the system to achieve high operation speeds through coordinated multi-phase operation while maintaining lower individual clock frequencies, thereby reducing overall power consumption compared to a single high-frequency clock approach.
3Device complexity
If data is serialized with single clock signal, then device complexity is low, but reliability of data serialization deteriorates at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data serialization process into four distinct buffer stages, each synchronized to a different phase of the clock signal. This segmentation provides multiple independent sampling opportunities for each data bit, increasing the likelihood of successful data capture and reducing serialization errors at high speeds, while maintaining relatively simple individual buffer stage designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A serializer may include a pre-buffer stage and a main buffer stage. The pre-buffer stage may be configured to generate a plurality of delayed signals by buffering a plurality of signals in synchronization with a plurality of pre-clock signals, respectively. The main buffer stage may be configured to generate an output signal by buffering the plurality of delayed signals in synchronization with a plurality of main clock signals, respectively. The plurality of pre-clock signals may have phase differences from the plurality of main clock signals, respectively.