Patent ID: 7280417

Claim:
A signal capture system for capturing a data signal using a data strobe signal having a preamble of strobe signal transitions, the system comprising: a decoder coupled to receive a memory command signal corresponding to a data transfer, the decoder being operable to generate a data start signal after a delay period from receiving the memory command signal corresponding to a data transfer; and a data latch circuit having a data input terminal coupled to receive the data signal and a clock input terminal coupled to receive the data strobe signal, the data latch circuit being operable to capture the received data signal responsive to respective transitions of the data strobe signal to output a captured data signal corresponding to the data signal captured by the data latch; and a control circuit coupled to the data latch circuit to receive the data signal, the control circuit outputting the captured data signal responsive to receiving the data start signal, the control circuit comprising: a quadrature delay circuit coupled to receive the data strobe signal, the quadrature delay circuit being operable to generate a delayed strobe signal by delaying the data strobe signal by approximately one-quarter period of the period of a system clock signal; and an output circuit coupled to the data latch circuit to receive the data signal captured in the data latch circuit, the output circuit outputting the captured data signal responsive to the delayed strobe signal after receipt of the data start signal, the output circuit comprising a deserializer circuit coupled to the data latch circuit to receive and store a plurality of bits of the data signal coupled in serial form to the deserializer, the deserializer being operable to output the stored plurality of bits of the data signal in parallel in synchronism with the delayed strobe signal responsive to the data start signal.