IP Library Granted Patent US 12670939
Granted Patent B2
US 12670939 · App. 18/426,825 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Memory system, operating method of the memory system, and interface circuit of the memory system

Inventors: Anil Kavala (Suwon-si, KR); Youngmin Jo (Suwon-si, KR); Jungjune Park (Suwon-si, KR); Chiweon Yoon (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G11C7/225G11C7/1096G11C7/222
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12670939
App. No.
18/426,825
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a memory system including a memory device including a plurality of non-volatile memories, each of the plurality of non-volatile memories being electrically connected to a buffer chip, and a memory controller electrically connected to the buffer chip and configured to transmit a reference clock signal used in correction of a data signal, wherein the buffer chip includes a delay clock generation chain configured to generate a first delay clock signal or a second delay clock signal from the reference clock signal, a first register configured to store the first delay clock signal, and a second register configured to store the second delay clock signal, and wherein the buffer chip is configured to perform compensation on a strobe signal of the data signal based on the first delay clock signal, and perform compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.

Claims (51)

1 . A memory system comprising:

a memory device comprising a plurality of non-volatile memories, each of the plurality of non-volatile memories being electrically connected to a buffer chip; and

a memory controller electrically connected to the buffer chip and configured to transmit a reference clock signal used in correction of a data signal,

wherein the buffer chip comprises:

a delay clock generation chain configured to generate at least one of a first delay clock signal or a second delay clock signal from the reference clock signal;

a first register configured to store a first delay clock code comprising information of the first delay clock signal; and

a second register configured to store a second delay clock code comprising information of the second delay clock signal, and

wherein the buffer chip is configured to perform a coarse locking operation on a data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code, perform a fine locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the second delay clock code, perform compensation on the data strobe signal based on a delay division generated based on the coarse locking operation and the fine locking operation, and perform compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.

2 . The memory system of claim 1 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the buffer chip is configured to perform compensation on the data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code by phase-shifting the first delay clock signal by 90°, and combining the first delay clock signal that is phase-shifted by 90° with the data strobe signal.

3 . The memory system of claim 1 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the buffer chip is further configured to perform compensation on the data strobe signal by combining the second delay clock signal with the data strobe signal.

4 . The memory system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a time-to-digital converter (TDC) configured to perform time-to-digital conversion on the reference clock signal; and

a third register configured to store information of the reference clock signal that is time-to-digital converted.

5 . The memory system of claim 4 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the buffer chip is further configured to perform compensation on the data signal by combining the reference clock signal that is time-to-digital converted with the data signal.

6 . The memory system of claim 1 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the buffer chip is configured to perform compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal by combining the second delay clock signal with the data signal.

7 . The memory system of claim 1 , wherein, when a read operation is performed, the buffer chip is further configured to:

perform a coarse locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code;

perform a fine locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the second delay clock code; and

perform compensation on a second read signal for the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.

8 . An operating method of a memory system comprising a memory device and a memory controller, the memory device comprising a plurality of non-volatile memories, each of the plurality of non-volatile memories being electrically connected to a buffer chip, and the memory controller being electrically connected to the buffer chip and configured to transmit a reference clock signal used in compensation of a data signal, the operating method comprising:

generating at least one of a first delay clock signal or a second delay clock signal from the reference clock signal;

storing a first delay clock code comprising information of the first delay clock signal;

storing a second delay clock code comprising information of the second delay clock signal; and

compensating for the data signal based on a first delay clock code and a second delay clock code,

wherein the compensating for the data signal comprises performing a coarse locking operation on a data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code, performing a fine locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the second delay clock code, performing compensation on the data strobe signal based on a delay division generated based on the coarse locking operation and the fine locking operation, and performing compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.

9 . The operating method of claim 8 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the performing compensation on the data strobe signal comprises phase-shifting the first delay clock signal by 90°, and combining the first delay clock signal that is phase-shifted by 90° with the data strobe signal.

10 . The operating method of claim 8 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the compensating for the data signal further comprises performing compensation on the data strobe signal by combining the second delay clock signal with the data strobe signal.

11 . The operating method of claim 8 , further comprising:

performing time-to-digital (TDC) conversion on the reference clock signal; and

storing information of the reference clock signal that is time-to-digital converted.

12 . The operating method of claim 11 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the compensating for the data signal further comprises performing compensation on the data signal by combining the reference clock signal that is time-to-digital converted with the data signal.

13 . The operating method of claim 8 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the performing compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal comprises combining the second delay clock signal with the data signal.

14 . The operating method of claim 9 , wherein, when a read operation is performed, the compensating for the data signal further comprises:

performing a coarse locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code;

performing a fine locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the second delay clock code; and

performing compensation on a second read signal for the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.

15 . An interface circuit of a memory system, the interface circuit comprising:

a delay clock generation chain configured to generate at least one of a first delay clock signal or a second delay clock signal from a reference clock signal;

a first register configured to store a first delay clock code comprising information of the first delay clock signal; and

a second register configured to store a second delay clock code comprising information of the second delay clock signal,

wherein the interface circuit is configured to perform a coarse locking operation on a data strobe signal based on a first delay clock code, perform a fine locking operation on the data strobe signal based on a second delay clock code, perform compensation on the data strobe signal based on a delay division generated based on the coarse locking operation and the fine locking operation, and perform compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.

16 . The interface circuit of claim 15 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the interface circuit is further configured to perform compensation on the data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code by phase-shifting the first delay clock signal by 90°, and combining the first delay clock signal that is phase-shifted by 90° with the data strobe signal.

17 . The interface circuit of claim 15 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the interface circuit is further configured to perform compensation on the data strobe signal by combining the second delay clock signal with the data strobe signal.

18 . The interface circuit of claim 15 , further comprising:

a time-to-digital converter (TDC) configured to perform time-to-digital conversion on the reference clock signal; and

a third register configured to store information of the reference clock signal that is time-to-digital converted.

19 . The interface circuit of claim 15 , wherein, when a write operation is performed, the interface circuit is further configured to perform compensation on the data signal based on the second delay clock signal by combining the second delay clock signal with the data signal.

20 . The interface circuit of claim 15 , wherein, when a read operation is performed, the interface circuit is further configured to:

perform a coarse locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the first delay clock code;

perform a fine locking operation on the data strobe signal based on the second delay clock code; and

perform compensation on a second read signal for the data signal based on the second delay clock signal.