Granted Patent B2

US 8,254,189 · App. 12/434,375 · Granted Aug 28, 2012

Abstract

Claims (74)

1. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

performing a number of memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operation being performed with different time delays for a first edge of a control signal, the control signal used for capturing data provided by the at least one memory device, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used in the memory access operations;

utilizing the selected time delay in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and

prior to performing, measuring the current operating temperature; and refraining from further current operating temperature measurements until the time delay for the control signal is selected.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the memory access operations are performed with different time delays for a second edge of the control signal, the selecting further comprises selecting a time delay from the time delays used for the second edge of the control signal, and the utilizing further comprises utilizing the selected time delay for the second edge of the control signal in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the memory access operations is responsive to an indication that a current temperature is outside a predetermined temperature range.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: prior to performing, measuring the current operating temperature; and following selecting the time delay for the control signal, redefining the predetermined temperature range based upon the measured current operating temperature.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: prior to performing, suspending responding to user input until the time delay for the control signal is selected.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: prior to performing, flushing and disabling a cache; and restoring previous contents of and enabling the cache following selection of the time delay.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is generated by an integrated circuit and is an input of the at least one memory device, and wherein the method further comprises: routing the control signal to an input of the integrated circuit.

8. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

generating, by an integrated circuit, a control signal and sending the control signal to the at least one memory device;

routing the control signal to an input of the integrated circuit, the routed control signal being used to capture data provided by the at least one memory device;

performing memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operations being performed with different time delays for a first edge of the routed control signal so as to vary times for capturing the data provided during the memory access operations, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used with the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected time delay for the routed control signal in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; determining that a current operating temperature is outside of a predetermined temperature range;

responsive to the determination, repeating performing the memory access operations on the at least one memory device and selecting a new time delay for the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected new time delay for the routed control signal in subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device;

prior to determining, measuring the current operating temperature; and

refraining from further operating temperature measurements until after the new time delay for the routed control signal is selected.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising performing the memory access operations with different time delays for a second edge of the routed control signal, recording results of the memory access operations, selecting a time delay from the time delays of the second edge of the routed control signal, and utilizing the selected time delay for the routed control signal in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device.

10. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

generating, by an integrated circuit, a control signal and sending the control signal to the at least one memory device;

routing the control signal to an input of the integrated circuit, the routed control signal being used to capture data provided by the at least one memory device;

performing memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operations being performed with different time delays for a first edge of the routed control signal so as to vary times for capturing the data provided during the memory access operations, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used with the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected time delay for the routed control signal in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device;

determining that a current operating temperature is outside of a predetermined temperature range;

responsive to the determination, repeating performing the memory access operations on the at least one memory device and selecting a new time delay for the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected new time delay for the routed control signal in subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and prior to determining, measuring the current operating temperature; and following selecting the new time delay for the routed control signal, redefining the predetermined temperature range based upon the measured current operating temperature.

11. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

generating, by an integrated circuit, a control signal and sending the control signal to the at least one memory device;

routing the control signal to an input of the integrated circuit, the routed control signal being used to capture data provided by the at least one memory device;

performing memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operations being performed with different time delays for a first edge of the routed control signal so as to vary times for capturing the data provided during the memory access operations, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used with the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected time delay for the routed control signal in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device;

determining that a current operating temperature is outside of a predetermined temperature range;

responsive to the determination, repeating performing the memory access operations on the at least one memory device and selecting a new time delay for the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected new time delay for the routed control signal in subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and following the determining, suspending responding to user input until the new time delay for the routed control signal is selected.

12. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

generating, by an integrated circuit, a control signal and sending the control signal to the at least one memory device;

routing the control signal to an input of the integrated circuit, the routed control signal being used to capture data provided by the at least one memory device;

performing memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operations being performed with different time delays for a first edge of the routed control signal so as to vary times for capturing the data provided during the memory access operations, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used with the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected time delay for the routed control signal in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device;

determining that a current operating temperature is outside of a predetermined temperature range;

responsive to the determination, repeating performing the memory access operations on the at least one memory device and selecting a new time delay for the routed control signal;

utilizing the selected new time delay for the routed control signal in subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and following the determining, flushing and disabling a cache of the integrated circuit; and restoring previous contents of and enabling the cache following selection of the new time delay.

13. A system, comprising:

at least one memory device; and

an integrated circuit operatively coupled to the at least one memory device, the integrated circuit comprising circuitry for:

performing a number of memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operation being performed with different time delays for a first edge of a control signal, the control signal used for capturing data provided by the at least one memory device, and

recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used in the memory access operations; and

utilizing the selected time delay in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and

circuitry for measuring a current operating temperature;

wherein the integrated circuit performs the memory access operations on the at least one memory device following an indication that the current operating temperature is outside a temperature range, a new temperature range being defined following each indication.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the control signal is generated by the integrated circuit and is an input to the at least one memory device and the integrated circuit.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein following selecting the time delay for the control signal, the integrated circuit redefines the temperature range based upon the measured current operating temperature.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the integrated circuit refrains from further operating temperature measurements until after the time delay for the control signal is selected.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the system suspends responding to user input until the time delay for the control signal is selected.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the integrated circuit flushes and disables a cache of the integrated circuit prior to performing the memory access operations, and restores previous contents of and enables the cache following selection of the time delay.

19. The method of claim 8 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises an integrated circuit chip and the input comprises an input of the integrated circuit chip.

20. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

performing a number of memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operation being performed with different time delays for a first edge of a control signal, the control signal used for capturing data provided by the at least one memory device, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used in the memory access operations;

utilizing the selected time delay in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and

prior to performing, suspending responding to user input until the time delay for the control signal is selected.

21. A method for tuning control signals associated with at least one memory device, comprising:

performing a number of memory access operations on the at least one memory device, the memory access operation being performed with different time delays for a first edge of a control signal, the control signal used for capturing data provided by the at least one memory device, and recording results of the memory access operations;

selecting a time delay from the time delays used in the memory access operations;

utilizing the selected time delay in performing subsequent memory access operations on the at least one memory device; and

prior to performing, flushing and disabling a cache; and restoring previous contents of and enabling the cache following selection of the time delay.

Assignments (7)