Circuits for Reducing Power Consumption of Memory Components
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
- one or more data links, a respective data link including a transmitter circuit configured to transmit a sequence of symbols onto a respective data line, each symbol being represented by one of a plurality of voltage levels, the respective data link including a precharge circuit configured to precharge the data line to a predefined voltage level between transmission of consecutive symbols in the sequence of symbols, the predefined voltage level being different from any of the plurality of voltage levels used to represent the symbols; and
a voltage generator circuit configured to;
generate one or more of the plurality of voltage levels; and
provide current from a voltage source to the transmitter circuit, the transmitter circuit being configured to transmit a respective symbol by driving the respective data line to a respective voltage level using the current provided by the voltage generator circuit, wherein the current drawn from the voltage source during transmission of the respective symbol is independent of the sequence of symbols.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit including one or more data links. A respective data link includes a precharge circuit, a voltage generator circuit, and a transmitter circuit. The precharge circuit is configured to precharge a data line to a predefined voltage level between transmission of symbols on the data line. The voltage generator circuit is configured to generate one or more transmit voltage levels, wherein a respective transmit voltage level represents a respective symbol to be transmitted on the data line and provide current from a voltage source to a transmitter circuit to drive the data line to a transmit voltage level representing a symbol to be transmitted, wherein the current drawn from the voltage source is independent of previously transmitted symbols. The transmitter circuit is configured to receive the symbol to be transmitted and drive the data line to the transmit voltage level using the current provided by the voltage generator circuit.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
-
one or more data links, a respective data link including a transmitter circuit configured to transmit a sequence of symbols onto a respective data line, each symbol being represented by one of a plurality of voltage levels, the respective data link including a precharge circuit configured to precharge the data line to a predefined voltage level between transmission of consecutive symbols in the sequence of symbols, the predefined voltage level being different from any of the plurality of voltage levels used to represent the symbols; and a voltage generator circuit configured to; generate one or more of the plurality of voltage levels; and provide current from a voltage source to the transmitter circuit, the transmitter circuit being configured to transmit a respective symbol by driving the respective data line to a respective voltage level using the current provided by the voltage generator circuit, wherein the current drawn from the voltage source during transmission of the respective symbol is independent of the sequence of symbols. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
wherein the second mode is large voltage swing mode.
-
-
22. A method, comprising:
at an integrated circuit; receiving a symbol to be transmitted on a data line; generating one or more transmit voltage levels, wherein a respective transmit voltage level represents a respective symbol to be transmitted on the data line; providing current from a voltage source to drive the data line to a transmit voltage level representing a symbol to be transmitted, wherein the current drawn from a voltage source is independent of previously transmitted symbols; driving the data line to the transmit voltage level using the current; and precharging the data line to a predefined voltage level between transmission of symbols on the data line. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
-
26. A method performed by an integrated circuit device coupled to a voltage source and a plurality of data lines, comprising:
-
transmitting a first symbol, including driving a respective data line to a first voltage level by drawing first current from the voltage source, the first voltage level representing the first symbol; after transmitting the first symbol and before transmitting a second symbol, precharging the respective data line to a predefined voltage level that is different from the first voltage level; transmitting the second symbol that is different in symbol value from the first symbol, including driving the respective data line to a second voltage level by drawing second current from the voltage source, the second voltage level representing the second symbol, the second voltage level being different from the predefined voltage level, the second current being substantially the same as the first current; after transmitting the second symbol and before transmitting a third symbol, precharging the respective data line to the predefined voltage level; and transmitting the third symbol having a same symbol value as the second symbol, including driving the respective data line to the second voltage level by drawing third current from the voltage source, the second voltage level representing the third symbol, the second voltage level being different from the predefined voltage level, the third current being substantially the same as the second current.
-
Specification