Redundancy Initialization Component for Voltage Island Memory Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturers face challenges in efficiently distributing and updating repair data to redundant RAMs in voltage islands and non-power cycled regions of integrated circuits, particularly in cellular phones, without increasing component count or power usage, which affects cost and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design that includes power cycled and non-power cycled regions with redundant RAMs and repair registers, utilizing a redundancy initialization component to manage repair data distribution via a serial bus and clocking/control signals, allowing independent or concurrent initialization of memories across different regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If repair data is distributed to all redundant RAMs in both voltage islands and non-power cycled regions, then system reliability is improved, but power consumption increases due to additional components remaining always on
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory system into voltage islands (power-cycled regions) and non-power-cycled regions, allowing independent management of repair data initialization. The redundancy initialization component can selectively initialize repair registers in specific segments based on power state, ensuring reliability for active regions while avoiding unnecessary power consumption in inactive regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic initialization where the redundancy initialization component responds to power cycle events. When a voltage island is powered on, the component detects the power state change and initializes repair data only for RAMs in that specific region, rather than continuously initializing all RAMs in the system. This dynamic approach maintains reliability while reducing overall power consumption.
2Reliability
If repair data is distributed to all redundant RAMs, then system reliability is improved, but integrated circuit area increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The redundancy initialization component serves multiple functions: it initializes repair registers in both voltage islands and non-power-cycled regions, manages power-cycled and always-on regions, and responds to various power state transitions. This multi-functional component eliminates the need for separate initialization circuits for each region, reducing overall area while maintaining comprehensive repair data distribution for reliability.
3Reliability
If redundant RAMs are always powered on to maintain repair data, then system reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initializing repair data into the repair registers before the RAMs are powered on. When a voltage island is powered up, the redundancy initialization component has already prepared the repair data in the repair registers, so the RAMs can immediately operate with repair capabilities enabled. This eliminates the need to keep repair data continuously powered, as the initialization happens in advance when power is available.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic initialization triggered by power cycle events. Instead of continuously maintaining repair data in powered-on state, the redundancy initialization component periodically initializes repair registers whenever a voltage island transitions to a powered-on state. This periodic approach ensures reliability is maintained through regular initialization while minimizing power consumption during idle periods.
Data Source
AI summary
An approach that manages redundant memory in a voltage island is described. In one embodiment there is a design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process of a semiconductor device. In this embodiment, the design structure includes one or more voltage islands representing a power cycled region. One or more non-power cycled regions are located about the one or more voltage islands. Each of the one or more non-power cycled regions comprises at least one memory using redundancy and a repair register associated with each memory using redundancy. A redundancy initialization component is coupled to the one or more voltage islands and the one or more non-power cycled regions.