US-12625780-B2 - Quadrature error correction circuit and memory device having the same

US12625780B2US 12625780 B2US12625780 B2US 12625780B2US-12625780-B2

Abstract

The memory device includes a clock receiver receiving an external clock signal, a transmitter receiving first to Nth data in parallel and sequentially outputting the first to Nth data based on first to Nth clock signals including different phases, and a QEC circuit correcting a skew between the first to Nth clock signals, wherein the external clock signal includes a same frequency as the first to Nth clock signals, and the QEC circuit selectively receives the first clock signal among the first to Nth clock signals, generates the second clock signal including a phase different from a phase of the first clock signal based on a delay operation with respect to the first clock signal, and corrects the skew between the first to Nth clock signals by performing a phase comparison between the first to Nth clock signals generated based on the first and second clock signals.

Inventors

Junyoung Park
Joohwan Kim
Jindo BYUN
Eunseok SHIN
Hyunyoon Cho
Junghwan Choi

Assignees

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231024
Priority Date: 20230113

Claims (18)

1 . A memory device comprising: a clock receiver configured to receive an external clock signal; a transmitter configured to receive a plurality of data in parallel and sequentially output the plurality of data based on a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency as the external clock signal, each one of the plurality of clock signals having a phase different from another one of the plurality of clock signals; and a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit configured to: receive only a first clock signal among the plurality of clock signals, the first clock signal having a first phase, generate a second clock signal among the plurality of clock signals, based on a delay operation with respect to the first clock signal, the second clock signal having a second phase different from the first phase of the first clock signal, and correct a skew between the plurality of clock signals by performing a phase comparison between the plurality of clock signals generated based on the first clock signal and the second clock signal.
2 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality clock signals comprise the first clock signal, the second clock signal, a third clock signal and a fourth clock signal which have a sequential phase difference of 90 degrees in this order, and wherein the QEC circuit comprises: a first delayer configured to output the second clock signal by performing a first quad delay operation on the first clock signal; a control code storage configured to store a first control code generated based on the phase comparison between the plurality of clock signals; and an edge controller configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and control at least one of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the first clock signal and at least one of a second rising edge and a second falling edge of the second clock signal based on the first control code.
3 . The memory device of claim 2 , wherein the QEC circuit further comprises: a phase splitter configured to output the first to fourth clock signals by performing a signal processing on the first clock signal and the second clock signal; a multiplexer configured to selectively output two clock signals from among the first to fourth clock signals; a second delayer configured to perform a second quad delay operation on one of the two clock signals output from the multiplexer; and a phase detector configured to perform the phase comparison between a clock signal output from the multiplexer and a clock signal output from the second delayer, and output a comparison result.
4 . The memory device of claim 3 , further comprising: a control code generator configured to generate the first control code based on the comparison result output from the phase detector, wherein the first control code generated from the control code generator is stored in the control code storage.
5 . The memory device of claim 4 , wherein the control code generator is further configured to generate: a second control code to control the first delayer to adjust a phase difference between the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and a third control code to control the second quad delay operation on the one of the two clock signal output from the multiplexer by controlling the second delayer.
6 . The memory device of claim 3 , wherein the multiplexer is configured to: selectively output the first clock signal and the second clock signal in an operation of correcting the skew between the first clock signal and the second clock signal, selectively output the second clock signal and the third clock signal in an operation of correcting the skew between the second clock signal and the third clock signal, selectively output the third clock signal and the fourth clock signal in an operation of correcting the skew between the third clock signal and the fourth clock signal, and selectively output the fourth clock signal and the first clock signal in an operation of correcting the skew between the fourth clock signal and the first clock signal.
7 . The memory device of claim 3 , wherein the phase detector comprises a Bang Bang Phase Detector.
8 . The memory device of claim 3 , further comprising: a control code generator configured to generate a control code based on the comparison result output from the phase detector for correcting the skew between the plurality of clock signals.
9 . The memory device of claim 2 , wherein the QEC circuit further comprises: a phase splitter configured to output the first to fourth clock signals by performing a signal processing on the first clock signal and the second clock signal; a multiplexer configured to selectively output two clock signals from among the first to fourth clock signals; at least one second delayer provided on a first path and configured to perform a second quad delay operation on one of the two clock signals output from the multiplexer; at least one third delayer provided on a second path different from the first path and configured to perform a third quad delay operation on any one of the two clock signals output from the multiplexer; and a phase detector configured to perform a phase comparison between the clock signal output from the multiplexer and a clock signal provided from the first path or the second path and provide a comparison result.
10 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein, in a first operation, the multiplexer is further configured to output the two clock signals having a phase difference of 180 degrees from each other, and an even number of quad delay operations are performed on the clock signal provided via the second path, wherein the phase detector is configured to perform a phase comparison between the clock signal output from the multiplexer and the clock signal provided from the second path; and wherein, by controlling the first delayer based on a result of the phase comparison, the second clock signal is controlled to have a phase difference of 90 degrees relative to the first clock signal.
11 . The memory device of claim 10 , wherein, in a second operation, the multiplexer is further configured to output the two clock signals having a phase difference of 90 degrees from each other, and an odd number of quad delay operations are performed on the clock signal provided via the first path, wherein the phase detector is configured to a phase comparison between the clock signal output from the multiplexer and the clock signal provided via the first path; and wherein the skew between the first to fourth clock signals is corrected by controlling at least one of the first rising edge and the first falling edge of the first clock signal and at least one of the second rising edge and the second falling edge of the second clock signal based on a result of the phase comparison.
12 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the clock receiver is configured to receive a differential clock signal comprising the external clock signal and an inversion signal of the external clock signal.
13 . The memory device of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of clock signals comprise the first clock signal, the second clock signal, a third clock signal and a fourth clock signal which have a sequential phase difference of 90 degrees in this order, and wherein the memory device further comprises: a buffer configured to output the first clock signal and an inversion signal of the first clock signal based on a buffer operation on the differential clock signal; a multiplexer configured to selectively output the first clock signal among the first clock signal and the inversion signal of the first clock signal; and a phase locked loop configured to perform a phase locked loop operation on the first clock signal and provide the first clock signal to the QEC circuit.
14 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the external clock signal comprises a period divided by 4 compared to a data rate output by the transmitter.
15 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the QEC circuit further comprises: a phase splitter configured to output the plurality of clock signals by performing a signal processing on the first clock signal and the second clock signal.
16 . The memory device of claim 15 , wherein the QEC circuit further comprises: a phase detector configured to: perform the phase comparison between two of the plurality of clock signals output by the phase splitter, and output a comparison result of the phase comparison.
17 . A memory device comprising: a clock receiver configured to receive an external clock signal; a transmitter configured to receive a plurality of data in parallel and sequentially output the plurality of data based on a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency as the external clock signal, each one of the plurality of clock signals having a phase different from another one of the plurality of clock signals; and a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit configured to: selectively receive a first clock signal among the plurality of clock signals, the first clock signal having a first phase, generate a second clock signal based on a delay operation with respect to the first clock signal, the second clock signal having a second phase different from the first phase of the first clock signal, and correct a skew between the plurality of clock signals by performing a phase comparison between the plurality of clock signals generated based on the first clock signal and second clock signal, wherein the plurality clock signals comprise a first clock signal, a second clock signal, a third clock signal and a fourth clock signal which have a sequential phase difference of 90 degrees in this order, and wherein the QEC circuit comprises: a first delayer configured to output the second clock signal by performing a first quad delay operation on the first clock signal; a control code storage configured to store a first control code generated based on the phase comparison between the plurality of clock signals; and an edge controller configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and control at least one of a first rising edge and a first falling edge of the first clock signal and at least one of a second rising edge and a second falling edge of the second clock signal based on the first control code.
18 . A memory device comprising: a clock receiver configured to receive an external clock signal; a transmitter configured to receive a plurality of data in parallel and sequentially output the plurality of data based on a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency as the external clock signal, each one of the plurality of clock signals having a phase different from another one of the plurality of clock signals; and a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit configured to: selectively receive a first clock signal among the plurality of clock signals, the first clock signal having a first phase, generate a second clock signal based on a delay operation with respect to the first clock signal, the second clock signal having a second phase different from the first phase of the first clock signal, and correct a skew between the plurality of clock signals by performing a phase comparison between the plurality of clock signals generated based on the first clock signal and second clock signal, wherein the clock receiver is configured to receive a differential clock signal comprising the external clock signal and an inversion signal of the external clock signal, wherein the plurality of clock signals comprise the first clock signal, the second clock signal, a third clock signal and a fourth clock signal which have a sequential phase difference of 90 degrees in this order, and wherein the memory device further comprises: a buffer configured to output the first clock signal and an inversion signal of the first clock signal based on a buffer operation on the differential clock signal; a multiplexer configured to selectively output the first clock signal among the first clock signal and the inversion signal of the first clock signal; and a phase locked loop configured to perform a phase locked loop operation on the first clock signal and provide the first clock signal to the QEC circuit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0005533, filed on Jan. 13, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field The disclosure relates to a quadrature error correction circuit, and more particularly, to a quadrature error correction circuit to correct a skew between multi-phase clock signals and a memory device including the quadrature error correction circuit. 2. Description of Related Art Memory devices, such as Low Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR) Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) and the like, may be used in various types of electronic devices, such as smartphones, wearable devices tablet personal computers (PCs), and ultrabooks, and the like. The memory devices may operate according to various specifications such as LPDDR, Double Data Rate x (DDRx), and the like. The memory device may receive a preset clock signal from a memory controller, generate multi-phase clock signals by using the received clock signal, and receive write-data or transmit read-data to the memory controller by using the generated multi-phase clock signals. Since a skew between the multi-phase clock signals degrades data-transceiving characteristics, the skew between multi-phase clock signals may need to be properly corrected. However, power consumption may need to be reduced in a process of generating the multi-phase clock signals. SUMMARY An aspect of the disclosure provides a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit, which increases the degree of integration and reduces power consumption by eliminating one or more of circuit blocks in a related art the memory device. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a memory device including: a clock receiver configured to receive an external clock signal: a transmitter configured to receive a plurality of data in parallel and sequentially output the plurality of data based on a plurality of clock signals having a same frequency as the external clock signal, each one of the plurality of clock signals having a phase different from another one of the plurality of clock signals; and a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit configured to: selectively receive a first clock signal among the plurality of clock signals, the first clock signal having a first phase, generate a second clock signal based on a delay operation with respect to the first clock signal, the second clock signal having a second phase different from the first phase of the first clock signal, and correct a skew between the plurality of clock signals by performing a first phase comparison between the plurality of clock signals generated based on the first clock signal and second clock signal. According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a memory device including: a clock receiver configured to receive a differential signal corresponding to a 4-division signal of a data rate as an external clock signal: a buffer configured to output a first clock signal and an inversion signal of the first clock signal based on a buffering operation on the differential signal: a first multiplexer configured to receive the first clock signal and the inversion signal of the first clock signal and selectively output the first clock signal: a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit configured to receive the first clock signal from the first multiplexer, internally generate 4-phase clock signals including the first clock signal, a second clock signal, a third clock signal, and a fourth clock signal based on the first clock signal, correct a skew between the first to fourth clock signals, and output the skew-corrected first clock signal and the skew-corrected second clock signal: a clock generation circuit configured to output the first to fourth clock signals based on the skew-corrected first clock signal and the second clock signal received from the QEC circuit: and a transceiving circuit configured to receive first data, second data, third data and fourth data in parallel and sequentially output the first to fourth data based on the first to fourth clock signals output from the clock generation circuit. According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a quadrature error correction (QEC) circuit including: a first delayer configured to receive a first clock signal and output a second clock signal having a phase delay of 90 degrees with respect to the first clock signal: an edge controller configured to control a first rising edge or a first falling edge of the first clock signal based on a first control code, and control a second rising edge or a second falling edge of the second clock signal based on a second control code; a phase splitter configured to perform a signal processing on the first clock signal and the second clock signal to generate 4-phase clock signals