Patents by Inventor Terence J. Magee
Terence J. Magee has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 10103718Abstract: An example method of calibrating a source-synchronous system includes: performing initial calibration of a source-synchronous receiver, which is configured to receive data signals and a strobe, to determine an initial strobe delay and initial data delays; setting a strobe delay circuit that delays the strobe to have the initial strobe delay and data delay circuits that delay the data signals to have the initial data delays; measuring first data eye margins of the data signals at a first time; calculating metrics for the data signals based on the first data eye margins; and measuring second data eye margins of the data signals at a second time; and updating the data delay circuits and the strobe delay circuit based on the second data eye margins and the metrics.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2017Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Richard W. Swanson, Terence J. Magee, Qi Zhang, Srinivas Vura
-
Publication number: 20180294802Abstract: An example method of calibrating a source-synchronous system includes: performing initial calibration of a source-synchronous receiver, which is configured to receive data signals and a strobe, to determine an initial strobe delay and initial data delays; setting a strobe delay circuit that delays the strobe to have the initial strobe delay and data delay circuits that delay the data signals to have the initial data delays; measuring first data eye margins of the data signals at a first time; calculating metrics for the data signals based on the first data eye margins; and measuring second data eye margins of the data signals at a second time; and updating the data delay circuits and the strobe delay circuit based on the second data eye margins and the metrics.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2017Publication date: October 11, 2018Applicant: Xilinx, Inc.Inventors: Richard W. Swanson, Terence J. Magee, Qi Zhang, Srinivas Vura
-
Patent number: 10009197Abstract: An intersymbol interference (ISI) compensation circuit includes a data input for receiving an input data signal including a plurality of bits. An adjustment circuit is configured to adjust bit periods of the bits to generate a first adjusted signal and a second adjusted signal. A sampling circuit is configured to generate a first sample signal by sampling the first adjusted signal, and generate a second sample signal by sampling the second adjusted signal. A decision generation circuit is configured to provide a first decision for a first bit. The first decision provides a chosen adjusted signal that is one of the first and second adjusted signals. A selection circuit is configured to determine a compensated value of the first bit based on a chosen sample signal that is one of the first and second sample signals. The chosen sample signal is generated by sampling the chosen adjusted signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2016Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Asim A. Patel
-
Patent number: 9355696Abstract: In an example, a control device includes a data path, a clock path, a multiplexing circuit, and a calibration unit. The data path comprises a data delay unit coupled to a data input of a sampling circuit. The clock path comprises a clock delay unit coupled to a clock input of the sampling circuit. The multiplexing circuit selectively couples a reference clock or a data bus to an input of the data delay unit, and selectively couples the reference clock or a source clock to an input of the clock delay unit. The calibration unit is coupled to a data output of the sampling circuit. The calibration unit is operable to adjust delay values of the data delay unit and the clock delay unit based on the data output of the sampling circuit to establish and maintain a relative delay between the data path and the clock path.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Xiaoqian Zhang
-
Publication number: 20160133305Abstract: In an example, a control device includes a data path, a clock path, a multiplexing circuit, and a calibration unit. The data path comprises a data delay unit coupled to a data input of a sampling circuit. The clock path comprises a clock delay unit coupled to a clock input of the sampling circuit. The multiplexing circuit selectively couples a reference clock or a data bus to an input of the data delay unit, and selectively couples the reference clock or a source clock to an input of the clock delay unit. The calibration unit is coupled to a data output of the sampling circuit. The calibration unit is operable to adjust delay values of the data delay unit and the clock delay unit based on the data output of the sampling circuit to establish and maintain a relative delay between the data path and the clock path.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2014Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Xiaoqian Zhang
-
Patent number: 9330749Abstract: In an example, a memory control device includes an output circuit, an output delay unit, and a write-levelization controller. The output circuit is coupled to provide an output signal comprising a data signal or data strobe signal for a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) system having a plurality of ranks. The output delay unit is coupled to apply an output delay to a bitstream to be transmitted to generate the output signal. The output delay includes an aggregate of a de-skew delay and a write-levelization delay. The write-levelization delay controller is coupled to adjust the write-levelization delay for each write transaction to the SDRAM system of a plurality of write transactions based on a selected rank of the plurality of ranks. The de-skew delay is the same across the plurality of ranks for each of the plurality of write transactions.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2014Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Dhruv Choksey, Terence J. Magee
-
Patent number: 9324409Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and circuit for gating a strobe (DQS) signal are disclosed. The method sends a read command to a memory, sends a strobe clock signal after the read command is sent and before the DQS signal is received from the memory, wherein the strobe clock signal comprises a duration equal to a duration of the DQS signal, gates the DQS signal based on the strobe clock signal to generate a positively gated strobe signal for indicating a rising edge of the DQS signal, wherein the gating is performed during a pre-amble of the DQS signal and generates a negatively gated strobe signal based on the positively gated strobe signal for indicating a falling edge of the DQS signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2014Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Jayant Mittal
-
Publication number: 20160111139Abstract: In an example, a memory control device includes an output circuit, an output delay unit, and a write-levelization controller. The output circuit is coupled to provide an output signal comprising a data signal or data strobe signal for a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) system having a plurality of ranks. The output delay unit is coupled to apply an output delay to a bitstream to be transmitted to generate the output signal. The output delay includes an aggregate of a de-skew delay and a write-levelization delay. The write-levelization delay controller is coupled to adjust the write-levelization delay for each write transaction to the SDRAM system of a plurality of write transactions based on a selected rank of the plurality of ranks. The de-skew delay is the same across the plurality of ranks for each of the plurality of write transactions.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2014Publication date: April 21, 2016Applicant: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Dhruv Choksey, Terence J. Magee
-
Patent number: 9281049Abstract: Systems, devices, and circuits for source-synchronous memory interfaces are disclosed. For example, a device includes a first NAND gate with an input for receiving a serial mode enable signal. In addition, the device also includes a second NAND gate with an input for receiving a forwarded strobe signal and an input for receiving an output of the first NAND gate. The device also includes a third NAND gate with an input for receiving a data strobe signal, and an XNOR gate with an input for receiving an output of the second NAND gate and an input for receiving an output of the third NAND gate.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2014Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Jayant Mittal
-
Patent number: 9224444Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for synchronizing a clock signal data path, a write strobe signal data path and a write data signal data path are disclosed. The method determines an amount of phase shift between the clock signal data path and the write strobe signal data path and between the clock signal data path and the write data signal data path, gates a clock signal to generate strobe clock signals that are phase shifted by at least one phase shift, applies a fine phase shift to the strobe clock signals where the strobe clock signals have an overall phase shift that is approximately equal to the amount of phase shift, and synchronizes a launch of the clock signal data path, the write strobe signal data path, and the write data signal data path using the strobe clock signals with the overall phase shift.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: XILINX, INC.Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Sathappan Ravi, Dhruv Choksey
-
Patent number: 8743634Abstract: A system and method for interfacing a memory controller and a source synchronous memory utilizing a generic low power strobe. A set of double rate (2×) strobes can be generated by gating a continuous double rate clock in order to enable the set of double rate strobes only for duration of a data transfer from controller to the memory. The data and control from a SDR continuous single rate (1×) clock domain with respect to the memory controller can be moved to a set of double rate clock domain by sampling with the set of double rate strobes. The phase of the set of double rate strobes can be shifted in relation to the continuous single rate clock and a phase relationship of the generated synchronous signals to the memory can be dynamically switched by changing the phase of the set of double rate strobes. The set of double rate clock domain enables each bit-slice to be independently programmed to generate an output to the memory at each phase relative to the controller single rate clock.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Terence J. Magee, Cheng-Gang Kong
-
Patent number: 8453096Abstract: A non-linear common coarse delay system and method for delaying a data strobe in order to preserve fine delay accuracy and compensate PVT (Process, Voltage, and Temperature) variation effects. A common coarse delay and a fine delay can be initialized to a quarter-cycle delay for shifting a read output DQS (Data Queue Strobe) associated with a memory device in order to sample a read output DQ (Data Queue) within a physical layer. The fine delay can be programmed from minimum to maximum delay with fixed linear increments at each delay step in order to determine the resolution and accuracy of the delay. An optimum delay size of both the coarse and the fine delay can be determined based on an application slowest frequency of operation. A spare coarse delay and a functional coarse delay can be trained in association with a spare fine delay and the functional fine delay can be updated in order to monitor the process, voltage, and temperature variation effects.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Terence J. Magee, Christopher D. Paulson, Cheng-Gang Kong
-
Publication number: 20120194248Abstract: A non-linear common coarse delay system and method for delaying a data strobe in order to preserve fine delay accuracy and compensate PVT (Process, Voltage, and Temperature) variation effects. A common coarse delay and a fine delay can be initialized to a quarter-cycle delay for shifting a read output DQS (Data Queue Strobe) associated with a memory device in order to sample a read output DQ (Data Queue) within a physical layer. The fine delay can be programmed from minimum to maximum delay with fixed linear increments at each delay step in order to determine the resolution and accuracy of the delay. An optimum delay size of both the coarse and the fine delay can be determined based on an application slowest frequency of operation. A spare coarse delay and a functional coarse delay can be trained in association with a spare fine delay and the functional fine delay can be updated in order to monitor the process, voltage, and temperature variation effects.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2011Publication date: August 2, 2012Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Christopher D. Paulson, Cheng-Gang Kong
-
Publication number: 20120195141Abstract: A system and method for interfacing a memory controller and a source synchronous memory utilizing a generic low power strobe. A set of double rate (2×) strobes can be generated by gating a continuous double rate clock in order to enable the set of double rate strobes only for duration of a data transfer from controller to the memory. The data and control from a SDR continuous single rate (1×) clock domain with respect to the memory controller can be moved to a set of double rate clock domain by sampling with the set of double rate strobes. The phase of the set of double rate strobes can be shifted in relation to the continuous single rate clock and a phase relationship of the generated synchronous signals to the memory can be dynamically switched by changing the phase of the set of double rate strobes. The set of double rate clock domain enables each bit-slice to be independently programmed to generate an output to the memory at each phase relative to the controller single rate clock.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2011Publication date: August 2, 2012Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Cheng-Gang Kong
-
Patent number: 7969799Abstract: A memory interface physical layer macro including one or more embedded input/output (I/O) buffers, one or more memory interface hardmacros and control logic. The one or more embedded input/output (I/O) buffers support a plurality of I/O supply voltage levels. The one or more memory interface hardmacros are coupled to the one or more embedded I/O buffers. The control logic controls the one or more hardmacros and the one or more I/O buffers.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Derrick Sai-Tang Butt, Cheng-Gang Kong, Terence J. Magee, Thomas Hughes
-
Patent number: 7865661Abstract: A memory interface subsystem including a write logic and a read logic. The write logic may be configured to communicate data from a memory controller to a memory. The read logic may be configured to communicate data from the memory to the memory controller. The read logic may comprise a plurality of physical read datapaths. Each of the physical read datapaths may be configured to receive (i) a respective portion of read data signals from the memory, (ii) a respective read data strobe signal associated with the respective portion of the received read data signals, (iii) a gating signal, (iv) a base delay signal and (v) an offset delay signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2008Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Derrick Sai-Tang Butt, Cheng-Gang Kong, Terence J. Magee
-
Patent number: 7605628Abstract: A method for glitch-free updates of a standard cell-based programmable delay including the steps of (A) generating an output signal in response to an input signal and a plurality of first control signals and (B) generating the plurality of first control signals in response to the output signal and a plurality of second control signals. The output signal may include a delayed version of the input signal. An amount of delay between the input signal and the output signal may be determined based upon the plurality of first control signals.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2007Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Terence J. Magee, Thomas Hughes, Hui-Yin Seto
-
Publication number: 20090091987Abstract: A memory interface physical layer macro including one or more embedded input/output (I/O) buffers, one or more memory interface hardmacros and control logic. The one or more embedded input/output (I/O) buffers support a plurality of I/O supply voltage levels. The one or more memory interface hardmacros are coupled to the one or more embedded I/O buffers. The control logic controls the one or more hardmacros and the one or more I/O buffers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2008Publication date: April 9, 2009Inventors: Derrick Sai-Tang Butt, Cheng-Gang Kong, Terence J. Magee, Thomas Hughes
-
Publication number: 20090043955Abstract: A memory interface subsystem including a write logic and a read logic. The write logic may be configured to communicate data from a memory controller to a memory. The read logic may be configured to communicate data from the memory to the memory controller. The read logic may comprise a plurality of physical read datapaths. Each of the physical read datapaths may be configured to receive (i) a respective portion of read data signals from the memory, (ii) a respective read data strobe signal associated with the respective portion of the received read data signals, (iii) a gating signal, (iv) a base delay signal and (v) an offset delay signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2008Publication date: February 12, 2009Inventors: Derrick Sai-Tang Butt, Cheng-Gang Kong, Terence J. Magee
-
Publication number: 20080278210Abstract: A method for glitch-free updates of a standard cell-based programmable delay including the steps of (A) generating an output signal in response to an input signal and a plurality of first control signals and (B) generating the plurality of first control signals in response to the output signal and a plurality of second control signals. The output signal may include a delayed version of the input signal. An amount of delay between the input signal and the output signal may be determined based upon the plurality of first control signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2007Publication date: November 13, 2008Inventors: Terence J. Magee, Thomas Hughes, Hui-Yin Seto