Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first terminal for receiving a data signal, a second terminal for receiving an external reference voltage, a receiver, and a reference voltage generation circuit. The receiver is powered by a power supply voltage with respect to ground and has a first input coupled to the first terminal, a second input for receiving a shared reference voltage, and an output for providing a data input signal. The reference voltage generation circuit is coupled to the second terminal and receives the power supply voltage. The reference voltage generation circuit is operable to form the shared reference voltage by mixing noise from the power supply voltage and noise from the second terminal.

Abstract: A method for receiving a multi-level error signal having more than two logic levels includes oversampling the multi-level error signal to provide sampled symbols, wherein a first level of the multi-level error signal indicates no error, and second and third levels of the multi-level error signal indicate first and second error conditions, respectively. The sampled signals are de-serialized to provide sets of symbols. A start of a symbol period is determined in response to detecting that a given sample is different from a prior sample, and the prior sample indicates no error. The sets of symbols are filtered to provide corresponding output symbols based on the start.

Abstract: A clock circuit for clock gating using a cascaded clock gating control signal, including: a first B-latch accepting, as input, a clock gating control signal and enabled by a first clock signal; a second B-latch accepting, as input, an output from the first B-latch and enabled by a second clock signal; and a first logic outputting, based on the first B-latch, a first gated clock signal; and a second logic outputting, based on the second B-latch, a second gated clock signal.

Abstract: A multi-phase clock gating circuit receives a plurality of respective phased clock signals, and a one-hot stop phase select signal indicating a first selected phase for which gating of the phased clock signals is to be started. Responsive to a clock control signal indicating the phased clock signals are to be gated, the clock signals are gated beginning at the first selected phase, in order of phase, including looping from a last phase to a first phase.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a first die having a phase locked loop outputting a local clock signal and a strobe signal to a first transmit block of the first die. The strobe signal has a phase offset relative to the local clock signal. A second die is aligned with the first die so each of a first plurality of connection points of the first die is substantially equidistant to a corresponding connection point of a second plurality of connection points of the second die. A plurality of connection paths of a substantially same length couple a connection points of the first plurality of connection points to corresponding connection points of the second plurality of connection points. Different connection paths transmit data signals from the first die to the second die based on the local clock signal and transmit the strobe signal from the first die to the second die.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a first die having a phase locked loop outputting a local clock signal and a strobe signal to a first transmit block of the first die. The strobe signal has a phase offset relative to the local clock signal. A second die is aligned with the first die so each of a first plurality of connection points of the first die is substantially equidistant to a corresponding connection point of a second plurality of connection points of the second die. A plurality of connection paths of a substantially same length couple a connection points of the first plurality of connection points to corresponding connection points of the second plurality of connection points. Different connection paths transmit data signals from the first die to the second die based on the local clock signal and transmit the strobe signal from the first die to the second die.

Abstract: A semiconductor package for skew matching in a die-to-die interface, including: a first die; a second die aligned with the first die such that each connection point of a first plurality of connection points of the first die is substantially equidistant to a corresponding connection point of a second plurality of connection points of the second die; and a plurality of connection paths of a substantially same length, wherein each connection path of the plurality of connection paths couples a respective connection point of the first plurality of connection points to the corresponding connection point of the second plurality of connection points.

Abstract: A method for receiving a multi-level error signal having more than two logic levels includes oversampling the multi-level error signal to provide sampled symbols, wherein a first level of the multi-level error signal indicates no error, and second and third levels of the multi-level error signal indicate first and second error conditions, respectively. The sampled signals are de-serialized to provide sets of symbols. A start of a symbol period is determined in response to detecting that a given sample is different from a prior sample, and the prior sample indicates no error. The sets of symbols are filtered to provide corresponding output symbols based on the start.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first terminal for receiving a data signal, a second terminal for receiving an external reference voltage, a receiver, and a reference voltage generation circuit. The receiver is powered by a power supply voltage with respect to ground and has a first input coupled to the first terminal, a second input for receiving a shared reference voltage, and an output for providing a data input signal. The reference voltage generation circuit is coupled to the second terminal and receives the power supply voltage. The reference voltage generation circuit is operable to form the shared reference voltage by mixing noise from the power supply voltage and noise from the second terminal.

Abstract: A data transmission system includes a first integrated circuit. The first integrated circuit includes a first mixing terminal coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal at a point internal to the first integrated circuit, a first return terminal, a first resistor having a first terminal coupled to the first mixing terminal, and a second terminal for providing a first mixed voltage, and a second resistor having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first resistor, and a second terminal coupled to the first return terminal.

Abstract: A data transmission system includes a first circuit, a second circuit, and a reference voltage generation circuit. The first circuit includes a transmitter powered by a first power supply voltage and having an input for receiving a data output signal, and an output. The second circuit includes a receiver powered by a second power supply voltage and having a first input coupled to the output of the transmitter, a second input for receiving a reference voltage, and an output for providing a data input signal. The reference voltage generation circuit forms the reference voltage by mixing a first signal generated by the first circuit based on the first power supply voltage and a second signal generated by the second circuit based on the second power supply voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor package for skew matching in a die-to-die interface, including: a first die; a second die aligned with the first die such that each connection point of a first plurality of connection points of the first die is substantially equidistant to a corresponding connection point of a second plurality of connection points of the second die; and a plurality of connection paths of a substantially same length, wherein each connection path of the plurality of connection paths couples a respective connection point of the first plurality of connection points to the corresponding connection point of the second plurality of connection points.

Abstract: A clock circuit for clock gating using a cascaded clock gating control signal, including: a first B-latch accepting, as input, a clock gating control signal and enabled by a first clock signal; a second B-latch accepting, as input, an output from the first B-latch and enabled by a second clock signal; and a first logic outputting, based on the first B-latch, a first gated clock signal; and a second logic outputting, based on the second B-latch, a second gated clock signal.

Abstract: A data transmission system includes a first circuit, a second circuit, and a reference voltage generation circuit. The first circuit includes a transmitter powered by a first power supply voltage and having an input for receiving a data output signal, and an output. The second circuit includes a receiver powered by a second power supply voltage and having a first input coupled to the output of the transmitter, a second input for receiving a reference voltage, and an output for providing a data input signal. The reference voltage generation circuit forms the reference voltage by mixing a first signal generated by the first circuit based on the first power supply voltage and a second signal generated by the second circuit based on the second power supply voltage.

Abstract: A decision feedback equalization (DFE) receiver and method are provided. The DFE receiver is configured to sample data bits from a data bus. The DFE receiver includes a data sampler configured to sample a current data bit from the data bus using one of a first, second and third voltage reference. The DFE receiver also includes multiplexing logic configured to select one of the first, second and third voltage references based on a prior data bus level. The wherein the first voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was a logic zero. The second voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was a logic one. The third voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was tri-state.

Abstract: A decision feedback equalization (DFE) receiver and method are provided. The DFE receiver is configured to sample data bits from a data bus. The DFE receiver includes a data sampler configured to sample a current data bit from the data bus using one of a first, second and third voltage reference. The DFE receiver also includes multiplexing logic configured to select one of the first, second and third voltage references based on a prior data bus level. The wherein the first voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was a logic zero. The second voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was a logic one. The third voltage reference is selected if the prior data bus level was tri-state.