IP Library Granted Patent US 12,243,602
Granted Patent B2
US 12,243,602 · App. 18/411,822 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Method, device, and circuit for high-speed memories

Inventors: Jaspal Singh Shah (Ottawa, CA); Atul Katoch (Kanata, CA)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
G11C29/1201G11C29/12015G11C29/36G11C29/46G11C2029/3602
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,243,602
App. No.
18/411,822
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a memory device is disclosed. In some aspects, the memory device includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array, an input/output (I/O) interface connected to the plurality of memory cells to output data signal from each memory cell, and a control circuit. In some embodiments, the control circuit includes a first clock generator to generate a first clock signal and a second clock signal according to an input clock signal and a chip enable (CE) signal and provide the first clock signal to the plurality of memory cells. In some embodiments, the control circuit includes a second clock generator to generate a third clock signal according to the input clock signal and a DFT (design for testability) enable signal. In some embodiments, the control circuit generates an output clock signal according to the second clock signal or the third clock signal.

Claims (36)

1. A control circuit, comprising:

a first clock generator configured to generate a mission mode clock (MDCK) signal according to an input clock signal and a chip enable (CE) signal; and

a second clock generator configured to generate a design for testability (DFT) mode clock (DDCK) signal according to the input clock signal and provide the first clock generator with a DFT enable (DFTEN) signal;

wherein in response to the DFTEN signal being in a high logic state, an output clock signal, provided by the control circuit, follows the DDCK signal, and in response to the DFTEN signal being in a low logic state, the output clock signal follows the MDCK signal.

2. The control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a logic gate configured to perform a logic OR operation on the MDCK signal and the DDCK signal to generate the output clock signal.

3. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the DFTEN signal is generated by performing a logic OR operation on a scan enable (SE) signal and a DFT bypass (DFTBYP) signal.

4. The control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a logic gate configured to perform a logic NOR on the MDCK signal and the DDCK signal to generate a first clock signal, and the first clock signal passes through an inverter to generate the output clock signal.

5. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the MDCK signal passes through a first inverter to generate a first clock signal, the DDCK signal passes through a second inverter to generate a second clock signal, and the control circuit performs a logic NAND on the first clock signal and the second clock signal to generate the output clock signal.

6. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second clock generator provides a buffered DFTEN signal to the first clock generator.

7. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second clock generator generates the DDCK signal according to the input clock signal, the DFTEN signal, and an initialization (INIT) signal.

8. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first clock generator generates a global clock (GCK) signal according to the input clock signal and the chip enable (CE) signal, and provide the GCK signal to a plurality of memory cells.

9. A memory device, comprising:

a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array;

an input/output (I/O) interface, connected to the plurality of memory cells to output data signal from each memory cell; and

a control circuit, comprising:

a first clock generator configured to generate a mission mode clock (MDCK) signal according to an input clock signal and a chip enable (CE) signal; and

a second clock generator configured to generate a design for testability (DFT) mode clock (DDCK) signal according to the input clock signal and provide the first clock generator with a DFT enable (DFTEN) signal;

wherein in response to the DFTEN signal being in a high logic state, an output clock signal, provided by the control circuit, follows the DDCK signal, and in response to the DFTEN signal being in a low logic state, the output clock signal follows the MDCK signal.

10. The memory device of claim 9 , further comprising a logic gate configured to perform a logic OR operation on the MDCK signal and the DDCK signal to generate the output clock signal.

11. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the DFTEN signal is generated by performing a logic OR operation on a scan enable (SE) signal and a DFT bypass (DFTBYP) signal.

12. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to perform a logic NOR on the MDCK signal and the DDCK signal to generate a first clock signal, and the first clock signal passes through an inverter to generate the output clock signal.

13. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the MDCK signal passes through a first inverter to generate a first clock signal, the DDCK signal passes through a second inverter to generate a second clock signal, and the control circuit performs a logic NAND on the first clock signal and the second clock signal to generate the output clock signal.

14. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the second clock generator provides a buffered DFTEN signal to the first clock generator.

15. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the second clock generator generates the DDCK signal according to the input clock signal, the DFTEN signal, and an initialization (INIT) signal.

16. The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the first clock generator generates a global clock (GCK) signal according to the input clock signal and the chip enable (CE) signal, and provide the GCK signal to the plurality of memory cells.

17. A control circuit, comprising:

a first clock generator configured to generate a mission mode clock (MDCK) signal according to an input clock signal and a chip enable (CE) signal;

a second clock generator configured to generate a design for testability (DFT) mode clock (DDCK) signal according to the input clock signal and provide the first clock generator with a DFT enable (DFTEN) signal; and

a logic gate configured to generate an output clock signal based on the DDCK signal and the MDCK signal;

wherein in response to the DFTEN signal being in a high logic state, the output clock signal follows the DDCK signal, and in response to the DFTEN signal being in a low logic state, the output clock signal follows the MDCK signal.

18. The control circuit of claim 17 , wherein the logic gate is configured to perform a logic OR operation on the MDCK signal and the DDCK signal to generate the output clock signal.

19. The control circuit of claim 17 , wherein the logic gate is configured to perform a logic NOR operation on the MDCK signal and the DDCK signal to generate the output clock signal through an inverter.

20. The control circuit of claim 17 , further comprising:

a first inverter configured to logically invert the MDCK signal; and

a second inverter configured to logically invert the DDCK signal;

wherein the logic gate is configured to perform a logic NAND operation on the inverted MDCK signal and the inverted DDCK signal to generate the output clock signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2024
From: SHAH, JASPAL SINGH; KATOCH, ATUL
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 066117/0768 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17834122 · Jun 7, 2022
Provisional Application 63303638 · Jan 27, 2022
Related Publication 20240153573A1 · May 9, 2024
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