IP Library Granted Patent US 9,602,080
Granted Patent B2
US 9,602,080 · App. 14/513,017 · Granted Mar 21, 2017

Phase interpolators and push-pull buffers

Inventor: Gregory A. King (Hastings, MN)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
H03H11/16G11C7/1057G11C8/06G11C7/222
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,602,080
App. No.
14/513,017
Granted
Mar 21, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Interpolator systems are described utilizing one or more push-pull buffers to generate output clock signals that may be provided as inputs to a phase interpolator. The more linear slope on the output of the push-pull buffer may improve the linearity of a phase interpolator using the dock signals output from the push-pull buffers.

Claims (40)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a phase interpolator configured to receive first and second clock signals, a control signal, and a bias signal, the phase interpolator further configured to generate an output clock signal having a phase based on a phase of the first clock signal and a phase of the second clock signal, and further based on the control signal and the bias signal, wherein the phase interpolator comprises a plurality of buffers configured to alter the phase of the first and second clock signals based on which of the plurality of buffers are enabled by the control signal and to provide the output clock signal at a phase determined by the enabled buffers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the phase interpolator comprises a plurality of current sources configured to provide a level of current to a respective one of the plurality of buffers based on the bias signal, and wherein the level of current determines a relation of the phase of the output clock signal to the phases of the first and second clock signals.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

a phase interpolator configured to receive first and second clock signals, a control signal, and a bias signal, the phase interpolator further configured to generate an output clock signal having a phase based on a phase of the first clock signal and a phase of the second clock signal, and further based on the control signal and the bias signal; and

first and second push-pull buffers coupled to the phase interpolater and configured to provide the first and second clock signals, respectively.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first and second clock signals are out of phase by 90 degrees.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

a phase interpolator configured to receive first and second clock signals, a control signal, and a bias signal, the phase interpolator further configured to generate an output clock signal having a phase based on a phase of the first clock signal and a phase of the second clock signal, and further based on the control signal and the bias signal, wherein both of the first and second clock signals are differential clock signals and the output clock signal is a differential clock signal.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

an interpolator configured to receive first and second clock signals and provide an output clock signal, the interpolator comprising:

a plurality of buffers configured to provide the output clock signal having a phase based on the first and second clock signals, a control signal, and a current; and

a plurality of current sources configured to provide the current to the plurality of buffers based on a bias signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of buffers is associated with a respective clock phase and a phase of the output clock signal provided by an individual buffer of the plurality of buffers is based on a level of the current.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the phase of the output clock signal is based on the associated phase of two of the plurality of buffers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the phase of the output clock signal is closer to the associated phase of the buffer receiving the higher level of current.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a level of the current provided by plurality of current sources is based on a level of the bias signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising first and second push-pull buffers configured to provide the first and second clock signals, respectively.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein two buffers of the plurality of buffers are enabled at a time, and wherein the phase of the output clock is based on respective phases associated with each of the two enabled buffers.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first and second clock signals are out of phase with each other by 90 degrees.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving first and second clock signals;

receiving a bias voltage;

receiving a control signal; and

providing an output clock signal having a phase based on a phase of the first and second clock signal, the bias voltage, and the control signal,

wherein receiving a control signal comprises:

receiving the control signal at a plurality of buffers; and the method further comprises:

selectively enabling buffers of the plurality of buffers based on the control signal, wherein each of the plurality of buffers has a respective associated phase and the respective associated phases of enabled buffers of the plurality of buffers partially determines the phase of the output clock signal.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein selectively enabling buffers of the plurality of buffers comprises enabling two buffers of the plurality of buffers and wherein the phase of the output clock signal is based on the respective associated phases of the two enabled buffers and a level of current received by the two enabled buffers.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving a bias voltage comprises:

receiving the bias voltage at a plurality of current sources; and the method further comprises:

providing a current to a plurality of buffers, wherein a level of the current is based ed on a level of the bias voltage.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the higher the bias voltage received by a current source, the higher the current provided by the current source.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving first and second clock signals;

receiving a bias voltage;

receiving a control signal;

providing an output clock signal having a phase based on a phase of the first and second clock signal, the bias voltage, and the control signal;

receiving first and second input signals at first and second push-pull buffers; and

providing the first and second clock signals by the first and second push-pull buffers, respectively.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 13847176 · Mar 19, 2013
Continuation 12970086 · Dec 16, 2010
Related Publication 20150028928A1 · Jan 29, 2015