Selectable Event Reporter for Memory Signal Timing Analysis

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor devices face challenges in maintaining circuit robustness and failure detectability while reducing device footprint, as internal signals are often inaccessible and external measurement connections can alter the measured signals, limiting debugging and performance analysis.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a selectable event reporter within the system-in-package (SiP) that allows for real-time configuration to detect user-specified signal conditions, providing detailed measurements without additional external hardware, enabling debugging and performance analysis of memory operations beyond pass/fail results.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the device footprint is reduced to meet market demands, then device size and cost are improved, but circuit robustness and failure detectability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice footprintVSAvoidcircuit robustness and failure detectability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The performance monitoring circuit is nested within the existing memory device structure, utilizing available internal resources rather than adding external components. The circuit leverages existing signal paths and logic elements already present in the memory device, embedding the monitoring functionality within the same physical footprint without requiring additional external measurement hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The memory device performs self-diagnosis and self-monitoring through the integrated performance monitoring circuit. The circuit autonomously detects timing violations and performance degradation by monitoring internal signals, eliminating the need for external measurement equipment and enabling the device to monitor its own health status independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If external measurement connections are added to improve debugging and performance analysis, then failure detectability is improved, but the measured signals are altered and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailure detectabilityVSAvoidsignal alteration

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The performance monitoring circuit acts as an intermediary by monitoring signals through existing internal logic paths rather than directly tapping external measurement connections. The circuit uses intermediate signals already present within the memory device architecture, such as command bus signals and internal timing signals, to infer performance metrics without directly interfering with the primary data signals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The monitoring circuit creates copies of internal signal states and timing information through logic analysis rather than direct physical measurement. By replicating the logic evaluation functions already present in the memory device, the circuit can detect timing violations and performance issues by analyzing copied signal transitions through existing logic gates and pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If circuit density is increased to improve device performance, then operating speed and efficiency are improved, but signal accessibility and measurement capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating speedVSAvoidsignal accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The performance monitoring circuit utilizes existing multi-functional logic elements within the memory device that serve both operational and monitoring purposes. Existing logic gates and signal pathways used for normal memory operations are also leveraged to perform timing analysis and performance monitoring, eliminating the need for dedicated measurement infrastructure that would consume additional space and reduce density.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20240330081A1Apparatus including performance counter mechanism and associated methods

Publication Date: 2024.10.03 MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

An apparatus including a selectable event reporter internal to a memory device and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the selectable event reporter is dynamically configured to load user-defined event parameters. The selectable event reporter uses the user-defined event parameters to detect corresponding states in command and address signals provided by an external processor. The selectable event reporter communicates the detected events and/or other related observations to an external device.