Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Ati Technologies Ulc

Anwar Kashem

Craig D Eaton

Pouya Najafi Ashtiani

Glenn A Dearth

Aaron John Nygren

Bryan Black

Edoardo Prete

Julius Din

James Michael O'Connor

Warren Fritz Kruger

Richard W Reeves

Fei Guo

Gerry Talbot

Sally Yeung

Feng Zhu

Brian W Amick

Gerald Robert Talbot

Michael Zhouying Su

Spencer Montgomery Gold

Warren Anderson

Steven Kommrusch

Deepesh John

Ronald L Pettyjohn

Tsun Ho Liu

David Da Wei Lin

Michael S Alfano

Glennis Eliagh Covington

Joseph R Siegel

Gershom Birk

Alicia Wen Ju Yurie Leong

Mahanth Kumar Gurram

Kapil Acharya

Sean Cummins

Warren R Anderson

A system includes a memory device and a memory controller operatively connected to the memory device via a physical layer interface (PHY). The PHY includes an active first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer configured to receive commands from the memory controller. The PHY also includes one or more on-demand FIFO buffers configured to be selectively enabled by the active first-in-first-out buffer to handle a data payload. The system ensures efficient power usage by gating clocks and clock distribution to the one or more on-demand FIFO buffers.

Fine-grained clocking and clock distribution in low power double data rate physical layer interface

Methods and systems are disclosed for training, by a sequencer of a memory interface system, an interface with DRAM. Techniques disclosed comprise scheduling a command sequence, including DRAM commands that are interleaved with one or more CSR commands; executing the scheduled command sequence, wherein the DRAM commands are sent to the DRAM through an internal datapath of the system and the CSR commands are sent to the internal datapath; and training the interface based on exchange of data, carried out by the DRAM commands, including adjustments to an operational parameter associated with the interface.

DRAM specific interface calibration via programmable training sequences

In accordance with described techniques for read gate training and tracking, a computing device includes a memory system (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM)) that receives a memory read operation which includes a memory clock that correlates to a physical layer (PHY) clock. The computing device includes a PHY that receives a return data signal from the memory system, where the return data signal includes a returned data strobe that is out-of-phase with respect to the PHY clock. The computing device includes training logic that utilizes edge detection to determine an unknown clocking phase of the returned data strobe with respect to the PHY clock. The computing device also includes tracking logic that utilizes the edge detection to detect a signal drift of the delay signal with respect to the returned data strobe and compensate for the drift.

Read gate training and tracking

Enhanced methods for memory context restore are described. A device may include a physical layer (PHY) having an interface to support communication of command signals and data with a physical memory. The PHY implements a training mode to train the interface, detect values of a plurality of parameters as part of training the interface, and store the detected values as initial training data. The PHY also implements a retraining mode to use the initial training data as seed data to retrain the interface.

Methods for enhanced memory context restore

Methods and systems are disclosed for frequency transitioning in a memory interface system. Techniques disclosed include receiving a signal indicative of a change in operating frequency, into a new frequency, in a processing unit interfacing with memory via the memory interface system; switching the system from a normal mode of operation into a transition mode of operation; updating control and state register (CSR) banks of respective transceivers of the system through a mission bus used during the normal mode of operation; and operating the system in the new frequency.

Reducing power consumption associated with frequency transitioning in a memory interface

Methods and systems are disclosed for clock delay compensation in a multiple chiplet system. Techniques disclosed include distributing, by a clock generator, a clock signal across distribution trees of respective chiplets; measuring phases, by phase detectors, where each phase measurement is associated with a chiplet of the chiplets and is indicative of a propagation speed of the clock signal through the distribution tree of the chiplet. Then, for each chiplet, techniques are further disclosed that determine, by a microcontroller, based on the phase measurements associated with the chiplet, a delay offset, and that delay, based on the delay offset, the propagation of the clock signal through the distribution tree of the chiplet using a delay unit associated with the chiplet.

Multi-chiplet clock delay compensation

A method and apparatus for training data in a computer system includes reading data stored in a first memory address in a memory and writing it to a buffer. Training data is generated for transmission to the first memory address. The data is transmitted to the first memory address. Information relating to the training data is read from the first memory address and the stored data is read from the buffer and written to the memory area where the training data was transmitted.

Method and apparatus for training memory

Methods and systems are disclosed for calibrating, by a memory interface system, an interface with dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) using a dynamically changing training clock. Techniques disclosed comprise receiving a system clock having a clock signal at a first pulse rate. Then, during the training of the interface, techniques disclosed comprise generating a training clock from the clock signal at the first pulse rate, the training clock having a clock signal at a second pulse rate, and sending, based on the generated training clock, command signals, including address data, to the DRAM.

Variable tick for DRAM interface calibration

Various resistor circuits and methods of making and using the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes forming a resistor onboard an interposer. The resistor is adapted to dampen a capacitive network. The capacitive network has at least one capacitor positioned external to the interposer.

Interposer-based damping resistor

Method of manufacturing interposer-based damping resistor

In one form, an apparatus comprises a delay circuit and a controller. The delay circuit delays a plurality of command and address signals according to a first delay signal and provides a delayed command and address signal to memory interface. The controller performs command and address training in which the controller provides an activation signal and a predetermined address signal with first timing according to the first delay signal, and the plurality of command and address signals besides the predetermined address signal with second timing according to the first delay signal, wherein the second timing is relaxed with respect to the first timing. The controller determines an eye of timing for the predetermined address signal by repetitively providing a predetermined command on the command and address signals, varying the first delay signal, and measuring a data signal received from the memory interface.

Address and control signal training

Various interposers and methods of manufacturing related thereto are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes an interposer that has a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side has a first reticle field and a second reticle field larger than the first reticle field. Plural conductor pads are positioned on the first side in the first reticle field. Plural dummy conductor pads are positioned on the first side in the second reticle field and outside the first reticle field.

Interposer with beyond reticle field conductor pads

A controller integrated in a memory physical layer interface (PHY) can be used to control training used to configure the memory PHY for communication with an associated external memory such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), thereby removing the need to provide training sequences over a data pipeline between a BIOS and the memory PHY. For example, a controller integrated in the memory PHY can control read training and write training of the memory PHY for communication with the external memory based on a training algorithm. The training algorithm may be a seedless training algorithm that converges on a solution for a timing delay and a voltage offset between the memory PHY and the external memory without receiving, from a basic input/output system (BIOS), seed information that characterizes a signal path traversed by training sequences or commands generated by the training algorithm.

Integrated controller for training memory physical layer interface

Techniques are disclosed relating to data inversion encoding. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an interface circuit. The interface circuit is configured to perform first and second data bursts that include respective pluralities of data transmissions encoded using an inversion coding scheme. In such an embodiment, the initial data transmission of the second data burst is encoded using the final data transmission of the first data burst. In some embodiments, the first and second data bursts correspond to successive write operations or successive read operations to a memory module from a memory PHY.

Data bus inversion coding

A system and method of data communications between a first device and a second device is disclosed. The method includes generating a first clock signal at the first device and generating a second clock signal having a phase offset from the first clock signal. The clock signals are transmitted from the first device to the second device. The method further includes regulating transmission of a read strobe signal sent from the second device to the first device utilizing the first clock signal. The method also includes regulating transmission of a data transfer signal sent from the second device to the first device utilizing the second clock signal.

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Anwar Kashem