Semiconductor Phase Control Circuit for Jitter Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices face challenges in maintaining synchronized data transfer due to phase misalignment between external and internal clock signals, leading to issues like jitter and skew, which existing technologies struggle to effectively address.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a phase control circuit with a master DPA circuit and slave DPA circuits that dynamically adjust the delay value of the external clock signal based on the internal clock signal, using a PLL circuit to generate an internal clock signal and a phase determination control circuit to stabilize data sampling timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dynamic phase adjustment circuits are added to track external clock phase fluctuations, then jitter tolerance and data sampling stability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase control circuit is divided into a master DPA circuit and multiple slave DPA circuits. The master circuit handles phase tracking of the external clock signal, while slave circuits apply the tracked phase information to respective data input paths. This segmentation allows complex phase adjustment functionality to be organized into manageable, reusable modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The master DPA circuit acts as an intermediary between the external clock signal and the multiple slave DPA circuits. It processes the external clock signal to extract phase fluctuation information and generates control signals that are then applied to the slave circuits, mediating the phase adjustment across the entire system.
2Reliability
If multiple separate phase adjustment circuits are used for each data input, then data sampling stability is improved, but device complexity and training operation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The master DPA circuit provides universal phase tracking functionality that serves all slave DPA circuits. Instead of each circuit having independent phase adjustment capabilities, the master circuit's phase tracking result is universally applied to all data input paths through the slave circuits, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining sampling stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase tracking function is merged into a single master DPA circuit that serves multiple slave circuits. The master and slave circuits are combined into a hierarchical phase control system where the master's output controls the slaves, consolidating redundant functionality and reducing the total number of independent phase adjustment mechanisms needed.
3Measurement precision
If complex training operations are implemented to achieve phase alignment, then data transfer accuracy is improved, but productivity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The phase control circuit performs self-adjustment through its automatic phase tracking mechanism. The master DPA circuit continuously monitors the external clock signal and automatically generates appropriate control signals for the slave circuits, eliminating the need for manual training operations or complex initialization sequences while maintaining accurate phase alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous phase feedback through the master DPA circuit's tracking of external clock fluctuations. This feedback mechanism allows the circuit to automatically compensate for phase variations in real-time, achieving accurate phase alignment without requiring extensive training operations or manual intervention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures stable data sampling by tracking phase fluctuations in the external clock signal, improving jitter tolerance and reducing data transfer errors, while also simplifying the circuit and reducing the need for complex training operations.
Implementation Method 1
a PLL circuit to generate an internal clock signal from the external clock signal
Implementation Method 2
a phase adjustment circuit to adjust a delay value of the external clock signal based on the internal clock signal
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a clock generation circuit configured to receive a first clock signal and to generate a second clock signal from the first clock signal; a first phase adjustment circuit configured to generate a first control signal using the first clock signal and the second clock signal; and a second phase adjustment circuit configured to receive data and to add a first delay value based on the first control signal to the data.