US7535270B2
Active / In Force
US
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Semiconductor memory device
Assignee: SK Hynix Inc
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Filing: 2007-06-29
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Granted: 2009-05-19
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Expires: 2027-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor memory device includes a delay locked loop for correcting a duty cycle rate of a delay locked clock signal. The semiconductor memory device includes a delay locked circuit, a duty cycle correction circuit, and a clock synchronization circuit. The delay locked circuit outputs a delay locked clock by delaying a system clock by a predetermined time. The duty cycle correction circuit outputs a first clock by correcting a duty cycle of the delay locked clock, wherein the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock is controlled according to a time difference between a second edge of the first clock and that of a second clock derived from the first clock. The clock synchronization circuit synchronizes a first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock.
Inventors
- 👤 Hyun-woo Lee
- 👤 Won-Joo Yun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:25
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C7/00; G11C7/10; G11C7/1072; G11C8/00; G11C7/22; G11C7/222; H; H03; H03L; H03L7/00; H03L7/06; H03L7/07; H03L7/08; H03L7/081; H03L7/0812; H03L7/0814; H03L7/0816; H03L7/0818
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a delay locked circuit for outputting a delay locked clock by delaying a system clock by a predetermined time; a duty cycle correction circuit for outputting a first clock by correcting a duty cycle of the delay locked clock, wherein the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock is controlled according to a time difference between a second edge of the first clock and that of a second clock derived from the first clock; and a clock synchronization circuit for synchronizing a first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a delay locked circuit for outputting a delay locked clock by delaying a system clock by a predetermined time; a duty cycle correction circuit for outputting a first clock by correcting a duty cycle of the delay locked clock, wherein the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock is controlled according to a time difference between a second edge of the first clock and that of a second clock derived from the first clock; and a clock synchronization circuit for synchronizing a first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
91 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 1 , wherein the clock synchronization circuit includes: a first delay line for delaying the first clock for a predetermined time; an inversion unit for outputting the second clock by inverting an output of the first delay line; a first phase comparison unit for comparing the first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock; and a loop control unit for controlling a delay time of the first delay line in response to the comparison result of the first phase comparison unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
107 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 2 , wherein the duty cycle correction circuit includes: a second phase comparison unit for comparing the time of the second edge of the first clock with that of the second clock when the first edge of the first clock is synchronized with the first edge of the second clock; a duty cycle control unit for outputting duty cycle control signals corresponding to the comparison result of the second phase comparison unit; and a duty cycle correction unit for controlling the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock in response to the duty cycle control signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 3 , wherein the delay locked circuit includes: a third phase comparison unit for comparing the system clock with a feedback clock; a second delay line for outputting the delay locked clock to the duty cycle correction circuit by delaying the system clock by the predetermined time; a delay line control unit for controlling a delay time of the second delay line according to the comparison result of the third phase comparison unit; and a replica delay unit for delaying the first clock output from the duty cycle correction circuit by a modeling delay time, thereby outputting the feedback clock.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
169 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 3 , wherein the duty cycle correction unit includes: a plurality of first PMOS transistors connected to each other in parallel for being selectively turned on in response to the duty cycle control signals, thereby providing a supply voltage; a second PMOS transistor, connected between the plurality of first PMOS transistors and a first NMOS transistor, for receiving the delay locked clock output from the delay locked circuit through its gate; the first NMOS transistor, connected between the second PMOS transistor and a plurality of second NMOS transistors, for receiving the delay locked clock outputted from the delay locked circuit through its gate; the plurality of second NMOS transistors connected to each other in parallel between the first NMOS transistor and a ground voltage terminal for being selectively turned on in response to the duty cycle control signals; and an inverter for inverting a signal on a common node of the second PMOS and the first NMOS transistors, thereby outputting the first clock.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 4 , wherein the delay time of the first delay line in the clock synchronization circuit is a half of the delay time of the second delay line in the delay locked circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a first phase comparison unit for comparing a system clock with a feedback clock; a first delay line for outputting a delay locked clock by delaying the system clock by a predetermined time a delay line control unit for controlling a delay time of the first delay line according to the comparison result of the first phase comparison unit; a duty cycle correction unit for controlling the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock in response to duty cycle control signals, thereby outputting a first clock; a replica delay unit for delaying the first clock for a modeling delay time, thereby outputting the feedback clock; a clock synchronization unit for synchronizing a first edge of the first clock with that of a second clock derived from the first clock; and a duty cycle correction control unit for controlling the duty cycle correction unit according to a time difference between a second edge of the first clock and that of the second clock.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
172 words
A semiconductor memory device, comprising: a first phase comparison unit for comparing a system clock with a feedback clock; a first delay line for outputting a delay locked clock by delaying the system clock by a predetermined time a delay line control unit for controlling a delay time of the first delay line according to the comparison result of the first phase comparison unit; a duty cycle correction unit for controlling the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock in response to duty cycle control signals, thereby outputting a first clock; a replica delay unit for delaying the first clock for a modeling delay time, thereby outputting the feedback clock; a clock synchronization unit for synchronizing a first edge of the first clock with that of a second clock derived from the first clock; and a duty cycle correction control unit for controlling the duty cycle correction unit according to a time difference between a second edge of the first clock and that of the second clock.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 7 , wherein the clock synchronization unit includes: a second delay line for delaying the first clock by a predetermined time; an inversion unit for outputting the second clock by inverting an output of the second delay line; a second phase comparison unit for comparing the first edge of the first clock and that of the second clock; and a loop control unit for controlling a delay time of the second delay line in response to the comparison result of the second phase comparison unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
The semiconductor memory device of claim 8 , wherein the duty cycle correction control unit includes: a third phase comparison unit for comparing the time of the second edge of the first clock and that of the second clock when the first edge of the first clock is synchronized with that of the second clock; a duty cycle control unit for outputting the duty cycle control signals corresponding to the comparison result of the third phase comparison unit to the duty cycle correction unit.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for driving a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising: outputting a delay locked clock by delaying a system clock for a predetermined time in order to output a data synchronized with the system clock; controlling the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock, thereby outputting a first clock; outputting a second clock derived from the first clock; and synchronizing a first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for driving a semiconductor memory device, the method comprising: outputting a delay locked clock by delaying a system clock for a predetermined time in order to output a data synchronized with the system clock; controlling the proportion of high to low level periods of the delay locked clock, thereby outputting a first clock; outputting a second clock derived from the first clock; and synchronizing a first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the synchronizing the first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock includes: comparing the first edge of the first clock with that of the second clock; and delaying the first edge of the second clock according to the result of comparing the first edges.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the controlling the proportion of the high to low level periods of the delay locked clock includes: comparing the time of the second edge of the first clock with that of the second clock when the first edge of the first clock is synchronized with that of the second clock; and controlling the proportion of the high to low level periods of the delay locked clock according to the result of comparing the timing.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2012-05-18 | 2012-11-17 | 2013-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2016-05-18 | 2016-11-17 | 2017-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2020-05-18 | 2020-11-17 | 2021-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |