Calibration methods and circuits to calibrate drive current and termination impedance

• US 10,666,254 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2019
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Huy M., Gadde, Vijay, Lau, Benedict
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cho, James H
• Application Number:
  US16/357,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20190305777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0005 Modifications of input or output impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/01 Modifications for accelerating switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 21/08 Output circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/24 the characteristic being amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0278 Arrangements for impedance matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0298 Arrangement for terminating transmission lines

Abstract

Described are on-die termination (ODT) systems and methods that facilitate high-speed communication between a driver die and a receiver die interconnected via one or more signal transmission lines. An ODT control system in accordance with one embodiment calibrates and maintains termination resistances and drive currents to produce optimal output swing voltages. Comparison circuitry employed to calibrate the reference resistance is also used to calibrate the drive current. Termination elements in some embodiments are divided into two adjustable resistive portions, both of which are designed to minimize capacitive loading. One portion is optimized to produce a relatively high range of adjustment, while the other is optimized for fine-tuning and glitch-free switching.

Claims

1. An integrated-circuit (IC) die comprising:

a reference terminal to receive a reference signal;

a termination control system coupled to the reference terminal, the termination control system to develop at least one termination-control signal responsive to the reference signal; and

a transmitter to transmit a data signal from the die, the transmitter including;

a current-controlled amplifier having a current source drawing a current responsive to the at least one termination-control signal; and

a termination element coupled to the current-controlled amplifier and the termination control system, the termination element exhibiting a termination impedance calibrated responsive to the at least one termination-control signal;

the termination control system further including;

a comparator having a comparator input coupled to the reference terminal and a comparator output to provide the at least one termination-control signal responsive to the reference signal, the comparator further including a second comparator input;

an integrated termination element coupled to the second comparator input; and

a current source coupled to the integrated termination element to draw a calibrated current through the integrated termination element, wherein the current source draws a second current proportional to the calibrated current through the reference terminal.

2. The IC die of claim 1, the current-controlled amplifier further comprising a transistor coupled between the current source and the termination element.

3. The IC die of claim 2, further comprising a second termination element, the current-controlled amplifier further comprising a transistor coupled between the current source and the second termination element.

4. The IC die of claim 1, wherein the at least one termination-control signal includes a first control signal coupled to the current-controlled amplifier and a second control signal coupled to the termination element.

5. The IC die of claim 1, wherein the termination control system includes a comparator having a comparator input coupled to the reference terminal and a comparator output to provide the at least one termination-control signal responsive to the reference signal.

6. The IC die of claim 1, the reference terminal to receive a reference voltage from an external voltage reference.

7. An integrated-circuit (IC) die comprising:

a reference terminal to receive a reference signal;

a termination control system coupled to the reference terminal, the termination control system to develop at least one termination-control signal responsive to the reference signal; and

a transmitter to transmit a data signal from the die, the transmitter including;

a current-controlled amplifier having a current source drawing a current responsive to the at least one termination-control signal; and

a termination element coupled to the current-controlled amplifier and the termination control system, the termination element exhibiting a termination impedance calibrated responsive to the at least one termination-control signal;

wherein the termination control system includes a comparator having a comparator input coupled to the reference terminal and a comparator output to provide the at least one termination-control signal responsive to the reference signal; and

a first counter coupled to the comparator output to store a first count of the at least one termination-control signal to control the current-controlled amplifier and a second counter coupled to the comparator output to store a second count of the at least one termination-control signal to control the termination impedance.

8. The IC die of claim 7, the comparator further including a second comparator input, the termination control system further including an integrated termination element coupled to the second comparator input.

9. The IC die of claim 8, the termination control system further including a current source coupled to the integrated termination element to draw a calibrated current through the integrated termination element.

10. The IC die of claim 9, wherein the current source draws a second current proportional to the calibrated current through the reference terminal.

11. The IC die of claim 7, the reference terminal to draw a reference current from an external reference resistor.

12. A method of calibrating a transmitter on an integrated-circuit (IC) die, the method comprising:

deriving a reference resistance from a reference external to the IC die using a comparator on the IC die;

storing a value representative of the reference resistance on the IC die;

deriving a reference current from the reference external to the IC die using the comparator on the IC die;

storing a value representative of the reference current on the IC die;

conveying the value representative of the reference resistance and the value representative of the reference current to the transmitter;

calibrating a termination impedance of the transmitter responsive to the value representative of the reference resistance; and

calibrating a drive current of the transmitter responsive to the value representative of the reference current.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reference external to the IC die comprises a reference resistor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the reference external to the IC die comprises a voltage source.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising directing the drive current through a differential transistor pair.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a second termination impedance of the transmitter, the method further comprising calibrating the second termination impedance of the transmitter responsive to the value representative of the reference resistance.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising distributing the value representative of the reference resistance to at least one additional transmitter.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising distributing the value representative of the reference current to at least one additional transmitter.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the value representative of the reference resistance and the value representative of the reference current is a digital value.