Abstract:
An interfacing circuitry for a semiconductor circuit of a computer system selects the semiconductor circuit for a device operation in accordance with data, addresses, and control information received from a multiline bus of the computer system in a form of packets. The computer system has a plurality of semiconductor circuits. The interfacing circuitry is coupled to the multiline bus. The multiline bus has a total number of lines less than a total number of bits in any single address. The interfacing circuitry resides inside the semiconductor circuit and includes a decoder for decoding the packets received to identify the data, addresses, and control information. A control logic circuitry is coupled to the decoder circuitry for controlling device operation of the first semiconductor circuit in accordance with the data, addresses, and control information received. A register circuitry is coupled to the decoder and the control logic circuitry for storing a first value corresponding to a first predetermined time period during which the interfacing circuitry must wait before transmitting reply information through the multiline bus in response to the data, addresses, and control information received. The register circuitry applies the first value to the control logic circuitry to cause the control logic circuitry to wait for the first predetermined time period before accessing the multiline bus for transmitting the reply information.
Abstract:
An apparatus for synchronously generating a first clock signal in a first circuitry and a second clock signal in a second circuitry of a data processing system is described. A clock generating circuitry generates a global clock signal. A transmission line transfers the global clock signal from its first end to its second end and includes a midpoint between the first end and the second end. A first clock signal generation circuit is coupled at a first point between the first end and the midpoint and a second point between the midpoint and the second end. The first and second points have the same line length to the midpoint. The first clock signal generation circuit generates the first clock signal at a first timing point which is halfway between the global clock signal with a first propagation delay from the first end to the first point and the signal with a second propagation delay from the first end to the second point. A second clock signal generation circuit is coupled at a third point between the first end and the midpoint and a fourth point between the midpoint and the second end. The third and fourth points have the same line length to the midpoint. The second clock signal generation circuit generates the second clock signal at a second timing point which is halfway between the global clock signal with a third propagation delay from the first end to the third point and the signal with a fourth propagation delay from the first end to the fourth point. The first timing point is the same as the second timing point such that the first signal is synchronized with the second signal.
Abstract:
The present invention includes a memory subsystem comprising at least two semiconductor devices, including at least one memory device, connected to a bus, where the bus includes a plurality of bus lines for carrying substantially all address, data and control information needed by said memory devices, where the control information includes device-select information and the bus has substantially fewer bus lines than the number of bits in a single address, and the bus carries device-select information without the need for separate device-select lines connected directly to individual devices. The present invention also includes a protocol for master and slave devices to communicate on the bus and for registers in each device to differentiate each device and allow bus requests to be directed to a single or to all devices. The present invention includes modifications to prior-art devices to allow them to implement the new features of this invention. In a preferred implementation, 8 bus data lines and an AddressValid bus line carry address, data and control information for memory addresses up to 40 bits wide.
Abstract:
The present invention includes a memory subsystem comprising at least two semiconductor devices, including at least one memory device, connected to a bus, where the bus includes a plurality of bus lines for carrying substantially all address, data and control information needed by said memory devices, where the control information includes device-select information and the bus has substantially fewer bus lines than the number of bits in a single address, and the bus carries device-select information without the need for separate device-select lines connected directly to individual devices. The present invention also includes a protocol for master and slave devices to communicate on the bus and for registers in each device to differentiate each device and allow bus requests to be directed to a single or to all devices. The present invention includes modifications to prior-art devices to allow them to implement the new features of this invention. In a preferred implementation, 8 bus data lines and an AddressValid bus line carry address, data and control information for memory addresses up to 40 bits wide.
Abstract:
A controller device for controlling a synchronous dynamic random access memory device. The controller device includes output driver circuitry to output block size information to the memory device. The block size information defines an amount of data to be output by the memory device. In addition, the controller device includes input receiver circuitry to receive the amount of data output by the memory device.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit device which includes an array of dynamic memory cells. The integrated circuit device comprises an input receiver to sample an operation code synchronously with respect to a transition of a clock signal, the operation code indicating a read operation. The integrated circuit device also comprises an output driver to output data in response to the operation code, wherein the data is output after a number of clock cycles of the clock signal transpire.
Abstract:
A synchronous memory device including an array of memory cells. The memory device includes a plurality of sense amplifiers, coupled to the array of memory cells, to sense data. The memory device further includes input receiver circuitry to sample an operation code synchronously with respect to a transition of an external clock signal. The operation code including precharge information and, in response to the precharge information, the plurality of sense amplifiers are automatically precharged after the data is sensed.
Abstract:
A synchronous memory device and methods of operation and controlling such a device. The method of controlling the memory device includes providing a value which is representative of a number of cycles of an external clock signal to transpire after which the memory device responds to a read request. The method further includes providing block size information to the memory device, wherein the block size information defines an amount of data to be output by the memory device in response to a read request. The method further includes receiving the amount of data, after the number of clock cycles of the external clock signal transpire.
Abstract:
A synchronous memory device and a method of controlling the memory device. The memory device including at least one memory section having a plurality of memory cells. The memory device includes a first internal register to store a value which is indicative of a number of clock cycles to transpire before the memory device responds to a read request. The memory device also includes a second internal register to store an identification value to identify the memory device on a bus.
Abstract:
A memory device having a plurality of memory cells, the memory device comprising clock receiver circuitry to receive an external clock signal, and input receiver circuitry to sample, in response to a write request, a first portion of data after a number of clock cycles of the external clock signal transpire. The first portion of data is sampled synchronously with respect to the external clock signal.