IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,158,356
Granted Patent B1
US 11,158,356 · App. 17/097,948 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Calibration circuit and operating method of the calibration circuit

Inventors: Jin Ha Hwang (Icheon-si, KR); Kwan Su Shon (Icheon-si, KR); Keun Seon Ahn (Icheon-si, KR); Yo Han Jeong (Icheon-si, KR); Eun Ji Choi (Icheon-si, KR)
Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
G11C5/147G11C7/109G11C7/1063G11C7/1069G11C7/1096G11C2207/2254
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,158,356
App. No.
17/097,948
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

Provided is a calibration circuit and operating method of the calibration circuit. A calibration circuit includes a first resistor code output circuit and a second resistor code output circuit. The first resistor code output circuit is coupled to an external resistor through an input/output pad, performs a first calibration operation, based on a first resistor value, such that a target voltage applied to a first reference node coupled to the input/output pad has a set voltage level, and outputs a first resistor code as a result obtained by performing the first calibration operation. The second resistor code output circuit receives the target voltage, sets an internal resistor value, based on the first resistor code, performs a second calibration operation, based on a second resistor value different from the first resistor value, and outputs a second resistor code as a result obtained by performing the second calibration operation. The first resistor value is a resistor value of the first resistor.

Claims (61)

1. A calibration circuit comprising:

a first resistor code output circuit coupled to a first resistor through an input/output pad, the first resistor code output circuit configured to perform a first calibration operation, based on a first resistor value, such that a target voltage applied to a first reference node coupled to the input/output pad has a set voltage level, and output a first resistor code as a result obtained by performing the first calibration operation; and

a second resistor code output circuit configured to receive the target voltage, set an internal resistor value based on the first resistor code, perform a second calibration operation based on a second resistor value different from the first resistor value, and output a second resistor code as a result obtained by performing the second calibration operation,

wherein the first resistor value is a resistor value of the first resistor.

2. The calibration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first resistor code output circuit includes:

a reference voltage generator configured to generate a pull-up reference voltage and a pull-down reference voltage;

a first pull-up code generator configured to generate a first pull-up resistor code, based on the target voltage and the pull-up reference voltage; and

a first pull-down code generator configured to generate a first pull-down resistor code, based on the first pull-up resistor code and the pull-down reference voltage,

wherein the first resistor code includes the first pull-up resistor code and the first pull-down resistor code.

3. The calibration circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first pull-up code generator includes:

a first pull-up resistor coupled between a power voltage node and the first reference node, the first pull-up resistor having a resistor value controlled according to the first pull-up resistor code;

a first comparator configured to generate a first up/down signal, based on a result obtained by comparing the target voltage and the pull-up reference voltage; and

a pull-up counter configured to output the first pull-up resistor code in response to the first up/down signal.

4. The calibration circuit of claim 3 , wherein a resistor value of the first pull-up resistor is determined based on the first resistor value.

5. The calibration circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first pull-down code generator includes:

a plurality of second pull-up resistors coupled between a power voltage node and a second reference node, the plurality of second pull-up resistors having a resistor value controlled according to the first pull-up resistor code;

a first pull-down resistor coupled between the second reference node and a ground voltage node;

a second comparator configured to generate a second up/down signal, based on a result obtained by comparing a voltage applied to the second reference node with the pull-down reference voltage; and

a pull-down counter configured to output the first pull-down resistor code in response to the second up/down signal.

6. The calibration circuit of claim 5 , wherein a number of the plurality of second pull-up resistors is N, where N is a natural number of 2 or more, and

wherein a size of the first pull-down resistor is N times of that of the second pull-up resistor.

7. The calibration circuit of claim 5 , wherein the resistor value of the first pull-down resistor is the same as an overall resistor value of the plurality of second pull-up resistors.

8. The calibration circuit of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of second pull-up resistors are coupled in parallel.

9. The calibration circuit of claim 5 , wherein a resistor value of each of the plurality of second pull-up resistors is determined based on the first resistor value, and

a resistor value of the first pull-down resistor is determined based on the second resistor value.

10. The calibration circuit of claim 2 , wherein the second resistor code output circuit includes:

a register configured to store the first pull-up resistor code received from the first resistor code output circuit; and

a second pull-up code generator configured to generate a second pull-up resistor code, based on the first pull-down resistor code received from the first resistor code output circuit, the first pull-up resistor code received from the register, and the target voltage, and

wherein the second resistor code includes the second pull-up resistor code.

11. The calibration circuit of claim 10 , wherein the second pull-up code generator includes:

a third pull-up resistor coupled between a power voltage node and a third reference node, the third pull-up resistor having a resistor value controlled according to the second pull-up resistor code;

a second pull-down resistor coupled between the third reference node and a ground voltage node;

a third comparator configured to generate a third up/down signal, based on a result obtained by comparing a voltage applied to the third reference node with the target voltage; and

a pull-up counter configured to output the second pull-up resistor code in response to the third up/down signal.

12. The calibration circuit of claim 11 , wherein the resistor value of the third pull-up resistor and a resistor value of the second pull-down resistor are determined based on the second resistor value.

13. The calibration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second resistor value is set as a resistor value obtained by dividing the first resistor value by an integer multiple.

14. A method for operating a calibration circuit coupled to a first resistor through an input/output pad, the method comprising:

performing a first calibration operation, based on a first resistor value, such that a target voltage applied to a first reference node coupled to the input/output pad has a set voltage level;

outputting a first resistor code as a result obtained by performing the first calibration operation;

performing a second calibration operation, based on the target voltage, a second resistor value different from the first resistor value, and the first resistor code; and

outputting a second resistor code as a result obtained by performing the second calibration operation,

wherein the first resistor value is a resistor value of the first resistor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the outputting of the first resistor code includes:

outputting a first pull-up resistor code, based on a result obtained by comparing the target voltage and a reference pull-up voltage; and

outputting a first pull-down resistor code, based on the first pull-up resistor code and a reference pull-down voltage, and

wherein the first resistor code includes the first pull-up resistor code and the first pull-down resistor code.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the outputting of the first pull-down resistor code includes:

setting a resistor value of a plurality of pull-up resistors, based on the first pull-up resistor code;

setting a resistor value of a pull-down resistor, based on the first pull-down resistor code; and

outputting the first pull-down resistor code, based on a result obtained by comparing a voltage applied between the pull-down resistor and the plurality of pull-up resistors with the reference pull-down voltage, and

wherein the plurality of pull-up resistors and the pull-down resistor are coupled in series between a power voltage node and a ground voltage node.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein resistor value of each of the plurality of pull-up resistors is determined based on the first resistor value, and

the resistor value of the pull-down resistor is determined based on the second resistor value.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein a number of the plurality of pull-up resistors is N, where N is a natural number of 2 or more, and

wherein a size of the pull-down resistor is N times of that of each of the plurality of pull-up resistor.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the outputting of the second resistor code includes:

setting a resistor value of a pull-up resistor and a pull-down resistor, based on a first resistor code; and

outputting a second pull-up resistor code, based on a result obtained by comparing a voltage applied between the pull-down resistor and the pull-up resistor with the target voltage,

wherein the pull-up resistor and the pull-down resistor are coupled in series between a power voltage node and a ground voltage node, and

wherein the second resistor code includes the second pull-up resistor code.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second resistor value is set as a resistor value obtained by dividing the first resistor value by an integer multiple.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2020
From: HWANG, JIN HA; SHON, KWAN SU; AHN, KEUN SEON; JEONG, YO HAN; CHOI, EUN JI
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 054414/0652 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0063738 · May 27, 2020 · national
Cited By (1)
US 12,333,191