Semiconductor Chip ID Allocation Without Fuse Area Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor memory systems face challenges in efficiently controlling multiple memory chips due to the high cost and area occupation of fuses used for recording chip IDs, especially in 3D stack structures where data bandwidth degradation and transmission rate issues are prevalent.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor apparatus with a master chip and slave chips, where each slave chip has an ID generating unit that modifies an operation code to generate unique IDs, eliminating the need for fuses by serially connecting these units to dynamically allocate and adjust chip IDs based on select signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fuses are used to record chip IDs in slave chips, then unique identification is achieved, but device area increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the chip ID recording function from physical fuses and relocates it to a digital implementation using operation code modification. The slave chip ID generating unit modifies the operation code received from the master chip to embed the slave chip's unique identifier, eliminating the need for physical fuse structures while maintaining unique identification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical fuses to store chip IDs, the invention creates a digital copy of the identification mechanism by modifying operation codes. The slave chip ID generating unit generates a modified operation code that serves as a digital representation of the chip ID, replacing the physical fuse-based storage with a software-based solution.
2Measurement precision
If fuses are used to record chip IDs in slave chips, then unique identification is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the chip ID recording function from physical fuses and relocates it to a digital implementation using operation code modification. The slave chip ID generating unit modifies the operation code received from the master chip to embed the slave chip's unique identifier, eliminating the need for physical fuse structures while maintaining unique identification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical fuses to store chip IDs, the invention creates a digital copy of the identification mechanism by modifying operation codes. The slave chip ID generating unit generates a modified operation code that serves as a digital representation of the chip ID, replacing the physical fuse-based storage with a software-based solution.
3Adaptability or versatility
If operation codes are modified serially in slave chips, then chip ID allocation becomes flexible, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the chip ID allocation function into a dedicated slave chip ID generating unit within each slave chip. This unit independently modifies the operation code to embed the slave chip's identifier, distributing the identification functionality across multiple slave chips rather than requiring centralized fuse-based management, thereby improving flexibility while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements dynamic chip ID allocation by allowing the slave chip ID generating unit to modify operation codes in real-time based on the received select signal. This dynamic modification capability enables flexible assignment of chip IDs without requiring physical reconfiguration or additional hardware, achieving adaptability through software-based operation code manipulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor apparatus may include a master chip, first to nth slave chips, first to nth slave chip ID generating units, and a master chip ID generating unit. The first to nth slave chip ID generating units are disposed respectively in the first to nth slave chips and connected in series to each other. Each of the first to nth slave chip ID generating units is configured to add a predetermined code value to an mth operation code to generate an (m+1)th operation code. The master chip ID generating unit is disposed in the master chip to generate a variable first operation code in response to a select signal. Here, ‘n’ is an integer that is equal to or greater than 2, and ‘m’ is an integer that is equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or smaller than ‘n’.