Data Output Circuit Pre-Emphasis for Stable PVT-Compensated Driving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor data output circuits face significant voltage level variations due to logic level changes, affecting the driving force and stability of data output pads under varying process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) conditions.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a data output circuit that includes a code generator producing supplementary codes to control the driving force of main and auxiliary drivers, allowing for pre-emphasis operations that adjust driving forces in response to impedance code variations, ensuring consistent data output regardless of PVT changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the data output circuit uses conventional main drivers with fixed driving force, then the circuit structure is simple, but the voltage level varies significantly under PVT conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The driver circuit is segmented into multiple main drivers (first main driver, second main driver) with different driving strengths. Each main driver is controlled by separate control signals (first control signal, second control signal) to selectively activate appropriate driving strength based on PVT conditions, thereby maintaining stable voltage levels without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit dynamically adjusts its driving force by selecting between different main drivers based on real-time PVT conditions. The control logic automatically switches between first main driver and second main driver to maintain optimal voltage levels, making the system adaptive rather than static
2Reliability
If the data output circuit adds pre-emphasis operation with code generator, then the voltage level stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The code generator performs preliminary analysis of PVT conditions and pre-determines the appropriate driving strength configuration before data output. By generating control signals in advance based on detected impedance codes, the system prepares the optimal driver configuration, ensuring voltage stability without adding complex real-time adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The code generator acts as an intermediary component that translates PVT condition detection into appropriate control signals for the main drivers. This mediator layer simplifies the overall control architecture by centralizing the decision-making logic, rather than requiring direct complex interconnections between sensors and multiple drivers
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a code generator configured to generate a supplementary code with a value changing in response to a variation of an impedance code, a main driver configured to receive an output data and drive the received output data to a data output pad, wherein a driving force of the main driver is controlled according to the impedance code, and an auxiliary driver configured to receive the output data and drive the received output data to the data output pad, wherein a driving force of the auxiliary driver is controlled according to the supplementary code.