Circuit and method for controlling on-die signal termination

• US 20030218477A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Seong-Jin, Kwak, Jin-Seok
• Granted Patent: US 6,762,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 326/30
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0005 Modifications of input or output impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0298 Arrangement for terminating transmission lines

Abstract

A system and method allows for multiple modes of termination, including termination by a fixed value that is preprogrammed, and by a variable value that can, for example, be measured and determined by a self-calibration circuit. Multiple termination values can be achieved within a single device. This configuration is especially applicable to devices that have different loadings for address and data signals, for example in a configuration having a common, shared address bus, and multiple, localized data buses.

Claims

1. A control circuit for controlling the impedance of a pad termination comprising:

a first input for inputting a variable impedance value;

a second input for inputting a fixed impedance value; and

a selector for selecting one of the fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to a selection signal, and for outputting a selected impedance value to a pad termination circuit that provides the impedance of the pad termination in response to the selected impedance value.

2. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the fixed impedance value is generated in response to an open or closed state of a fuse, hard-wired state, or bonding state.

3. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the fixed impedance value comprises a first fixed impedance value and further comprising a third input for inputting a second fixed impedance value, and wherein the selector selects one of the first fixed impedance value, the second fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to the selection signal, and outputs the selected impedance value to the pad termination circuit.

4. The control circuit of claim 1 further comprising a fourth input for inputting a deactivation impedance value, and wherein the selector selects one of the fixed impedance value, the variable impedance value, and the deactivation impedance value in response to the selection signal, and outputs the selected impedance value to the pad termination circuit.

5. The control circuit of claim 4 wherein the pad termination circuit applies the deactivation impedance value by removing the applied impedance.

6. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the selector comprises a multiplexer.

7. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the variable impedance value is generated by a self-calibration circuit.

8. The control circuit of claim 7 wherein the self-calibration circuit comprises:

a reference node that is coupled to a bonding pad having a reference impedance;

a first comparator having a first input coupled to the reference node and a second input coupled to a reference voltage, the comparator comparing the first input and the second input to generate a comparison output;

a plurality of impedance loads in parallel between the reference node and a first reference voltage;

the plurality of impedance loads being selectively activated in response to the comparison output to provide a combined impedance that substantially matches the reference impedance.

9. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the fixed and variable impedance values comprise a plurality of binary bits.

10. The control circuit of claim 9 wherein the pad termination circuit comprises a bank of resistors, individually selectable according to the binary bits of the fixed or variable impedance values.

11. The control circuit of claim 10 wherein the plurality of resistors have resistance values that are binary multiples of each other and are connected to a common node that is coupled to a bonding pad, and wherein the impedance of the pad termination is determined by the combined selected resistance values.

12. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the selected impedance value comprises a first selected impedance value and further comprising a second selector for receiving the first selected impedance value, and for outputting a second selected impedance value to a second pad termination circuit that provides a second impedance of a second pad termination in response to the second selected impedance value.

13. The control circuit of claim 12 wherein the second selected impedance value is one of the same as the first selected impedance value, a multiple of the first selected impedance value, a deactivation value, or is independent of the first selected impedance value.

14. The control circuit of claim 12 wherein one of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of one of data and address pads and the other of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of the other of data and address pads.

15. The control circuit of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first and second selected impedance values is further used for termination of command signal pads.

16. The control circuit of claim 15 wherein the command signal pads comprise pads for at least one of a chip select signal (CSB), a row address signal (RASB), a column address strobe signal (CASB) and a write enable signal (WEB).

17. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the selection signal is generated in response to a mode register set (MRS) command used for setting the operation mode of a memory device.

18. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein the impedance value comprises pull-up and pull-down impedance values.

19. A control circuit for controlling the impedance of a pad termination at first and second circuit pads comprising:

a first circuit for generating a first selected impedance value comprising;

a first input for inputting a variable impedance value;

a second input for inputting a fixed impedance value; and

a first selector, for selecting one of the fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to a selection signal, and for outputting a first selected impedance value to a first pad termination circuit that provides the impedance of the first circuit pad termination in response to the first selected impedance value; and

a second circuit for generating a second selected impedance value comprising;

a third input for inputting the first selected impedance value; and

a second selector, for outputting, in response to the first selected impedance value, a second selected impedance value to a second pad termination circuit that provides the impedance of the second pad termination in response to the second selected impedance value.

20. The control circuit of claim 19 wherein the second selected impedance value is one of the same as the first selected impedance value, a multiple of the first selected impedance value, a deactivation value, or is independent of the first selected impedance value.

21. The control circuit of claim 19 wherein one of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of one of data and address pads and the other of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of the other of data and address pads.

22. The control circuit of claim 21 wherein at least one of the first and second selected impedance values is further used for termination of command signal pads.

23. The control circuit of claim 22 wherein the command signal pads comprise pads for at least one of a chip select signal (CSB), a row address signal (RASB), a column address strobe signal (CASB) and a write enable signal (WEB).

24. The control circuit of claim 19 wherein the selection signal is generated in response to a mode register set (MRS) command used for setting the operation mode of a memory device.

25. The control circuit of claim 19 wherein the second selector further outputs the second selected impedance value in response to a second selection signal.

26. The control circuit of claim 25 wherein the second selection signal is generated in response to a mode register set (MRS) command used for setting the operation mode of a memory device.

27. The control circuit of claim 19 wherein the fixed impedance value comprises a first fixed impedance value and wherein the first circuit further comprises a fourth input for inputting a second fixed impedance value, and wherein the selector selects one of the first fixed impedance value, the second fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to the selection signal, and outputs the selected impedance value to the first pad termination circuit.

28. The control circuit of claim 19 wherein the first circuit further comprises a fifth input for inputting a deactivation impedance value, and wherein the selector selects one of the fixed impedance value, the variable impedance value, and the deactivation impedance value,in response to the selection signal, and outputs the selected impedance value to the first pad termination circuit.

29. A method for controlling the impedance of a pad termination comprising:

inputting a variable impedance value at a first input;

inputting a fixed impedance value at a second input; and

selecting one of the fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to a selection signal, and outputting a selected impedance value to a pad termination circuit that provides the impedance of the pad termination in response to the selected impedance value.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the fixed impedance value is generated in response to an open or closed state of a fuse, hard-wired state, or bonding state.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the fixed impedance value comprises a first fixed impedance value and further comprising:

inputting a second fixed impedance value at a third input;

selecting one of the first fixed impedance value, the second fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to the selection signal; and

outputting the selected impedance value to the pad termination circuit.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

inputting a deactivation impedance value at a fourth input;

selecting one of the fixed impedance value, the variable impedance value, and the deactivation impedance value in response to the selection signal; and

outputting the selected impedance value to the pad termination circuit.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the pad termination circuit applies the deactivation impedance value by removing the applied impedance.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein further comprising generating the variable impedance value at a self-calibration circuit.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the fixed and variable impedance values comprise a plurality of binary bits.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the pad termination circuit comprises a bank of resistors, individually selectable according to the binary bits of the fixed or variable impedance values.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the plurality of resistors have resistance values that are binary multiples of each other and are connected to a common node that is coupled to a bonding pad, and wherein the impedance of the pad termination is determined by the combined selected resistance values.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the selected impedance value comprises a first selected impedance value and further comprising outputting a second selected impedance value in response to the first selected impedance value to a second pad termination circuit that provides a second impedance of a second pad termination in response to the second selected impedance value.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the second selected impedance value is one of the same as the first selected impedance value, a multiple of the first selected impedance value, a deactivation value, or is independent of the first selected impedance value.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of one of data and address pads and the other of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of the other of data and address pads.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein at least one of the first and second selected impedance values is further used for termination of command signal pads.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the command signal pads comprise pads for at least one of a chip select signal (CSB), a row address signal (RASB), a column address strobe signal (CASB) and a write enable signal (WEB).

43. The method of claim 29 wherein the selection signal is generated in response to a mode register set (MRS) command used for setting the operation mode of a memory device.

44. The method of claim 29 wherein the impedance value comprises pull-up and pull-down impedance values.

45. A method for controlling the impedance of a pad termination at first and second circuit pads comprising:

generating a first selected impedance value comprising;

inputting a variable impedance value at a first input;

inputting a fixed impedance value at a second input; and

selecting one of the fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to a selection signal, and outputting a first selected impedance value to a first pad termination circuit that provides the impedance of the first circuit pad termination in response to the first selected impedance value; and

generating a second selected impedance value comprising;

inputting the first selected impedance value at a third input; and

outputting, in response to the first selected impedance value, a second selected impedance value to a second pad termination circuit that provides the impedance of the second pad termination in response to the second selected impedance value.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the second selected impedance value is one of the same as the first selected impedance value, a multiple of the first selected impedance value, a deactivation value, or is independent of the first selected impedance value.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein one of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of one of data and address pads and the other of the first selected impedance value and second selected impedance value is used for termination of the other of data and address pads.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein at least one of the first and second selected impedance values is further used for termination of command signal pads.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the command signal pads comprise pads for at least one of a chip select signal (CSB), a row address signal (RASB), a column address strobe signal (CASB) and a write enable signal (WEB).

50. The method of claim 45 wherein the selection signal is generated in response to a mode register set (MRS) command used for setting the operation mode of a memory device.

51. The method of claim 45 wherein further comprising outputting the second selected impedance value in response to a second selection signal.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the second selection signal is generated in response to a mode register set (MRS) command used for setting the operation mode of a memory device.

53. The method of claim 45 wherein the fixed impedance value comprises a first fixed impedance value and wherein generating a first selected impedance value comprises:

inputting a second fixed impedance value at a fourth input;

selecting one of the first fixed impedance value, the second fixed impedance value and the variable impedance value in response to the selection signal; and

outputting the selected impedance value to the first pad termination circuit.

54. The method of claim 45 wherein generating a first selected impedance value further comprises:

inputting a deactivation impedance value at a fifth input,

selecting one of the fixed impedance value, the variable impedance value, and the deactivation impedance value in response to the selection signal; and

outputting the selected impedance value to the first pad termination circuit.