US-12627285-B2 - Electronic circuit optimizing timing of clock signals and data signals and delay method thereof

Abstract

An electronic circuit applied to communication between a controller and a memory array includes a timer and a delay-locked loop. The timer counts a counting time based on a selection signal generated by the controller to generate a first enable signal. The delay-locked loop delays an output clock signal by a delay time based on a clock signal generated by the controller and the first enable signal to generate the delay clock signal. When the controller performs a read operation on the memory array, the memory array outputs the output clock signal and a data signal. The controller samples the data signal using the delay clock signal.

Inventors

• Cheng-Chih Wang

Assignees

• NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240910

Priority Date

20240117

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An electronic circuit, applied to communication between a controller and a memory array, wherein the electronic circuit comprises: a timer, configured to count a counting time based on a selection signal generated by the controller to generate a first enable signal; and a delay-locked loop, configured to delay an output clock signal by a delay time based on a clock signal generated by the controller and the first enable signal, to generate the delay clock signal; wherein when the controller performs a read operation on the memory array, the memory array outputs the output clock signal and a data signal; wherein the controller samples the data signal based on the delay clock signal; wherein power-consuming states of the delay-locked loop are switched based on the first enable signal.
2. 2 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the delay-locked loop comprises: a first logic unit, configured to output the clock signal as a reference clock signal based on the first enable signal being in an enable state; a loop filter, configured to generate a control voltage; a charge pump, configured to charge and discharge the loop filter based on a control signal; a phase comparator, configured to compare phases of the reference clock signal and a first internal delay signal to generate the control signal; and a first delay chain, having a predetermined number of delay cells and delaying the reference clock signal based on the control voltage to generate the first internal delay signal.
3. 3 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the delay-locked loop comprises: a second delay chain, having the predetermined number of delay cells and delaying the output clock signal by the delay time to generate a second internal delay signal; and a multiplexer, configured to select one of output signals output by the predetermined number of delay cells as the delay clock signal.
4. 4 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first delay chain delays the reference clock signal by the delay time to generate the first internal delay signal; wherein the reference clock signal has a cycle period; wherein the delay time is equal to the cycle period.
5. 5 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when a phase of the reference clock signal is equal to a phase of the first internal delay signal, the phase comparator generates a lock signal; wherein the controller determines, based on the lock signal, that the phase of the reference clock signal is equal to the phase of the first internal delay signal, and samples the data signal based on the delay clock signal.
6. 6 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the first enable signal is in a disable state, the first logic unit does not output the reference clock signal; wherein when the first enable signal is in the enable state, the first logic unit outputs the clock signal as the reference clock signal; wherein the delay-locked loop operates in a high power state based on the first enable signal being in the enable state.
7. 7 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein when the first enable signal is in the disable state, the delay-locked loop is not being powered; wherein the delay-locked loop operates in a first low-power state based on the first enable signal being in the disable state; wherein power consumption of the delay-locked loop operating in the high power state exceeds power consumption of the delay-locked loop operating in the first low-power state.
8. 8 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein when the selection signal is transitioned from a first logic level to a second logic level, the communication between the controller and the memory array begins, the first enable signal is in the enable state, and the timer resets the counting time.
9. 9 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 8 , wherein when the selection signal is transitioned from the second logic level to the first logic level, the timer begins counting the counting time; wherein when the counting time reaches a first target time, the timer sets the first enable signal to be in the disable state; wherein the delay-locked loop is disabled based on the first enable signal being in the disable state.
10. 10 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the timer further counts the counting time based on an additional clock signal.
11. 11 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the delay-locked loop comprises: a second logic unit, configured to perform a logic operation on the first enable signal and a second enable signal to generate a third enable signal; wherein the first logic unit further generates the reference clock signal based on the third enable signal.
12. 12 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when the first enable signal and the second enable signal are both in the enable state, the first logic unit outputs the clock signal as the reference clock signal; wherein when the first enable signal or the second enable signal is in the disable state, the first logic unit does not output the reference clock signal.
13. 13 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the delay-locked loop comprises: a third logic unit, configured to generate a hold signal based on the first enable signal and the second enable signal; wherein when the first enable signal is in the disable state and the second enable signal is in an enable state, the hold signal is in a turn-off state; wherein when the first enable signal and the second enable signal are both in the enable state or the disable state, the hold signal is in a turn-on state; wherein the delay-locked loop operates in a second low-power state based on the hold signal being in the turn-off state; wherein power consumption of the delay-locked loop operating in the second low-power state is between power consumption of delay-locked loop operating in the high power state and power consumption of the delay-locked loop operating in the first low-power state.
14. 14 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the loop filter comprises: a resistor, coupled to the charge pump; a capacitor, coupled between the control voltage and a ground; and a switch, coupled between the resistor and the capacitor and controlled by the hold signal.
15. 15 . The electronic circuit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein when the hold signal is in the turn-off state, the switch is turned off and the capacitor is configured to hold the control voltage; wherein when the hold signal is in the turn-on state, the switch is turned on.
16. 16 . A delay method applied to an electronic circuit, wherein the electronic circuit is applied to communication between a controller and a memory array, wherein the delay method comprises: determining whether a selection signal is in an enable state or a disable state; when the selection signal is in the enable state, receiving an output clock signal of the memory array; and delaying the output clock signal by a delay time to generate a delay clock signal using a delay-locked loop; wherein data in a data signal is aligned with a rising edge or a falling edge of the delay clock signal; wherein the controller samples the data signal based on the delay clock signal.
17. 17 . The delay method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising: when the selection signal is in the disable state, counting a counting time; determining whether the counting time reaches a first target time; when the counting time reaches the first target time, stopping the output of the delay clock signal and continuing to determine whether the selection signal is in the enable state or the disable state; and when the counting time has not reached the first target time, continuing to count the counting time and continuing to delay the output clock signal by the delay time to generate the delay clock signal using the delay-locked loop.
18. 18 . The delay method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising: resetting the counting time when the selection signal is in the enable state.
19. 19 . The delay method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the delay-locked loop further comprises a capacitor to store a control voltage; wherein the delay-locked loop delays the output clock signal by the delay time to generate the delay clock signal based on the control voltage.
20. 20 . The delay method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the delay method further comprises: when the counting time reaches the first target time, holding the control voltage by the capacitor to keep outputting the delay clock signal and to reduce power consumption; and when the counting time reaches a second target time, discharging the capacitor to stop outputting the delay clock signal; wherein the second target time exceeds the first target time.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 113101785, filed on Jan. 17, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The disclosure is generally related to an electronic circuit suitable for a memory and a delay method for the memory, and more particularly it is related to an electronic circuit that optimizes the timing of clock signals and data signals generated by a memory array and a delay method thereof. Description of the Related Art In recent years, edge computing and artificial intelligence have gradually become the mainstream of the market. In addition to more powerful microprocessors (MCU/MPU), people's requirements for storage products have become increasingly stringent. Compared with a traditional virtual static random access memory (Pseudo SRAM, pSRAM), a new type of memory called HyperRAM has begun to be used, especially in the Internet of Things and consumer devices. Due to its ultra-low power consumption, simple design, and easy control, HyperRAM thrives in automotive and industrial applications. HyperRAM uses a bus called HyperBus for transmission. HyperBus uses a high-speed 8-bit transmission interface for both address and data. In addition, differential clock signals, read/write latch signals, and chip select units are used for each memory element. HyperBus supports external flash memory and random access memory on the same bus and is suitable for any microcontroller with a HyperBus-compatible peripheral interface. When reading the memory array, the microprocessor latches the data signal (i.e., DQ[7:0]) information. Since HyperBus is a double data rate (DDR) transmission interface, it is necessary to delay the clock signal of the bidirectional read/write data strobe signal so that the rising and falling edges of the clock signal are aligned with the center of the data signal to obtain the correct sampling value. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION For solving above problems, the present invention proposes an electronic circuit and a delay method. Through the electronic circuit and the delay method proposed by the present invention, the midpoint of the data signal of the memory array is aligned with the rising edge or the falling edge of the output clock signal (i.e., RWDS) to improve the accuracy of controller sampling. In addition, the electronic circuit and the delay method proposed by the present invention further count the counting time. When the electronic circuit times out, the electronic circuit enters a low-power state or even stops operating, thereby minimizing power loss as much as possible. In an embodiment, an electronic circuit applied to communication between a controller and a memory array is provided. The electronic circuit comprises a timer and a delay-locked loop. The timer is configured to count a counting time based on a selection signal generated by the controller to generate a first enable signal. The delay-locked loop is configured to delay an output clock signal by a delay time based on a clock signal generated by the controller and the first enable signal to generate the delay clock signal. When the controller performs a read operation on the memory array, the memory array outputs the output clock signal and a data signal. The controller samples the data signal using the delay clock signal. Power-consuming states of the delay-locked loop are switched based on the first enable signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the delay-locked loop comprises a first logic unit, a loop filter, a charge pump, a phase comparator, and a first delay chain. The first logic unit is configured output the clock signal as a reference clock signal based on the first enable signal being in an enable state. The loop filter generates a control voltage. The charge pump is configured to charge and discharge the loop filter based on a control signal. The phase comparator is configured to compare phases of the reference clock signal and a first internal delay signal to generate the control signal. The first delay chain has a predetermined number of delay cells and delays the reference clock signal based on the control voltage to generate the first internal delay signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the delay-locked loop comprises a second delay chain and a multiplexer. The second delay chain has the predetermined number of delay cells and delays the output clock signal by the delay time to generate a second internal delay signal. The multiplexer is configured to select one of the output signals output by the predetermined number of delay cells as the delay clock signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first delay chain delays the reference clock signal by the delay time to generate the first internal delay signal. The reference clock signal has a cycle period. The delay time is equal to the cycle pe