Abstract: In one embodiment, a jitter detector comprises a logic circuit coupled to receive a plurality of inputs indicative of states captured from a plurality of outputs of a delay chain responsive to a first clock input and a plurality of clocked storage devices coupled to the logic circuit. The logic circuit is configured to identify a first input of the plurality of inputs that is: (i) captured in error from a corresponding one of the plurality of outputs of the delay chain, and (ii) the corresponding one of the plurality of outputs of the delay chain is least delayed by the delay chain among the plurality of outputs that are captured in error. The plurality of clocked storage devices are configured to accumulate an indication of which of the plurality of outputs have been captured in error over a plurality of clock cycles of the first clock input.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes at least one digital leakage detector that includes digital circuitry configured to detect an approximation of a magnitude of the leakage current in transistors of the integrated circuit and configured to generate a digital output representing the approximated magnitude. In another embodiment, a leak detector includes leak circuits and clocked storage devices. Each leak circuit is configured to generate an output signal indicative of a different magnitude of leakage current in a transistor. The clocked storage devices are configured to capture a state representing the output signals of the leak circuits. In another embodiment, a method includes running a test for leakage current in a digital leakage detector, wherein a digital output of the digital leakage detector represents a magnitude of a leakage current being experienced by the integrated circuit during use; and outputting the digital output from the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A clock gater circuit comprises a plurality of transistors having source-drain connections forming a stack between a first node and a supply node. A given logical state on the first node causes a corresponding logical state on an output clock of the clock gater circuit. In one embodiment, a first transistor of the plurality of transistors has a gate coupled to receive an enable input signal. A second transistor is connected in parallel with the first transistor, and has a gate controlled responsive to a test input signal to ensure that the output clock is generated even if the enable input signal is not in an enabled state. In another embodiment, the plurality of transistors comprises a first transistor having a gate controlled responsive to a clock input of the clock gater circuit and a second transistor having a gate controlled responsive to an output of a delay circuit.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a storage circuit comprises a first passgate having an input coupled to receive a signal representing a data input to the storage circuit and further having an output connected to a storage node in the storage circuit. The storage circuit also comprises a scan latch having an input connected to a scan data input to the storage circuit and further coupled to receive a scan enable input. The scan latch is configured to store the scan data input responsive to an assertion of the scan enable input, and also comprises a second passgate connected to the storage node and having an input coupled to receive the stored scan data. Each of the first passgate and the second passgate are coupled to receive respective pairs of control signals to control opening and closing of the passgates, wherein the scan enable signal controls which of the respective pairs of control signals are pulsed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a logic circuit, a plurality of passgates, at least one pulse generator, and a plurality of latch elements. The logic circuit has a plurality of inputs, and each of the passgates has an output directly connected to one of the inputs. The pulse generator is configured to generate a pair of control signals to the passgates, and is configured to generate pulses on the pair of control signals to open the passgates. Each of the latch elements is connected to a respective input and is configured to latch the signal on the respective input when passgates are open and to retain the signal on the respective input when the passgates are closed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a combined mux/storage circuit comprises a latch element, a plurality of passgates connected to the latch element, and logic circuitry. Each passgate has an input coupled to receive a signal representing a respective mux input and is configured to open and close responsive to respective pairs of control signals. The logic circuitry is coupled to receive a clock signal, a delayed clock signal, and mux select control signals, and is configured to generate pulses on the pair of control signals to control a passgate that has an input coupled to receive the signal representing a selected mux inputs, as indicated by the mux select control signals. The width of the pulses is dependent on the clock signal and the delayed clock signal. The latch element is configured to latch the signal representing the selected mux input in parallel with the selected mux input being driven as an output of the mux/storage circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a modified dynamic flip-flop avoids the power waste created by prior art dynamic flip-flops by including a conditional pre-charge control circuit and method. When the modified dynamic flip-flop is in a holding mode, i.e., in the clock disable state, the modified dynamic flip-flop does not use power pre-charging and discharging the internal dynamic node every cycle.

Abstract: A clock skew tolerant clocking scheme addresses both the max-time and min-time problems by using dual transparent pulsed latches operated by complementary phases of the clock signal. According to the present invention, the first pulsed latch is triggered by a first pulse derived by the leading edge of a clock signal pulse and the second pulsed latch is triggered by a second pulse derived from the trailing edge of the clock signal. By employing transparent pulse latches, the clock skew tolerant clocking scheme of the invention provides max-time clock skew tolerance. In addition, unlike prior art solutions, according to the invention, the transparency periods of the dual complementary pulsed latches do not overlap so there is never a transparency period between two successive stages and, therefore, there is no opportunity to introduce the min-time, or racing condition, problem.

Abstract: An interconnect structure includes a signal wire and an active shield line adjacent to, but removed from, the signal wire. The interconnect structure also includes another active shield line adjacent to, but removed from, the signal wire. A signal driver is connected to the signal wire. The signal driver drives a pulse on the signal wire. A shield driver is connected to the active shield line. The shield driver asserts a signal on the active shield line substantially simultaneous with the pulse. Another shield driver is connected to the another active shield line. The another shield driver asserts a signal on the another active shield line substantially simultaneous with the pulse. The effect of the simultaneous signals on the signal wire and the active shield lines is to effectively cancel the lateral capacitances between these lines.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits with sense amplifier and shut-off are activated by a delayed clock and include a sense amplifier circuit that is triggered by a second delayed clock and a shut-off device. The addition of the sense amplifier circuit, and second delayed clock signal allows the sense amplifier circuit to act as the driver and therefore there is no need for increasing the size of the differential logic network to provide a driver function. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the large “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits with shut-off include a shut-off device. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient. In addition, the present invention provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that is more resistant to noise than prior art full-rail differential logic circuits.

Abstract: Modified high-speed flip-flop include an evaluation window that is self-adjusting and data selective. Consequently, modified high-speed flip-flop circuits designed according to the invention include an evaluation window that can be longer when the data signal is a digital “1” and significantly shorter when the data signal is a digital “0”. Therefore, the evaluation window of the modified high-speed flip-flop circuits of the invention selectively varies according to the state of the data signal so there is minimal hold time, increased efficiency and no opportunity for the creation of a racing condition. Consequently, the modified high-speed flip-flops of the invention are more robust and more efficient than prior art flip-flops.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits are provided with shut-off devices. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the large pre-charge high or “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient. In addition, the present invention provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that is more resistant to noise than prior art full-rail differential logic circuits.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits with sense amplifier and shut-off are activated by a delayed clock and include a sense amplifier circuit that is triggered by a second delayed clock and a shut-off device. The addition of the sense amplifier circuit, and second delayed clock signal allows the sense amplifier circuit to act as the driver and therefore there is no need for increasing the size of the differential logic network to provide a driver function. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the large “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits with sense amplifier and shut-off are activated by a delayed clock and include a sense amplifier circuit that is triggered by a second delayed clock and a shut-off device. The addition of the sense amplifier circuit, and second delayed clock signal allows the sense amplifier circuit to act as the driver and therefore there is no need for increasing the size of the differential logic network to provide a driver function. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the large “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits are provided with shut-off devices. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the large pre-charge high or “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient. In addition, the present invention provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that is more resistant to noise than prior art full-rail differential logic circuits.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits with sense amplifier and shut-off are activated by a delayed clock and include a sense amplifier circuit that is triggered by a second delayed clock and a shut-off device. The addition of the sense amplifier circuit, and second delayed clock signal allows the sense amplifier circuit to act as the driver and therefore there is no need for increasing the size of the differential logic network to provide a driver function. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the large “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient.

Abstract: Clocked full-rail differential logic circuits with shut-off include a shut-off device. The addition of the shut-off device provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that does not experience the “dip” experienced by prior art full-rail differential logic circuits and is therefore more power efficient. In addition, the present invention provides a full-rail differential logic circuit with shut-off that is more resistant to noise than prior art full-rail differential logic circuits.

Abstract: An interconnect structure includes a signal wire and an active shield line adjacent to, but removed from, the signal wire. The interconnect structure also includes another active shield line adjacent to, but removed from, the signal wire. A signal driver is connected to the signal wire. The signal driver drives a pulse on the signal wire. A shield driver is connected to the active shield line. The shield driver asserts a signal on the active shield line substantially simultaneous with the pulse. Another shield driver is connected to the another active shield line. The another shield driver asserts a signal on the another active shield line substantially simultaneous with the pulse. The effect of the simultaneous signals on the signal wire and the active shield lines is to effectively cancel the lateral capacitances between these lines.

Abstract: An automated method of analyzing crosstalk in a digital logic integrated circuit, the method operating on a digital computer, is described. The method uses available software to make an extracted, parameterized netlist from a layout of the integrated circuit. For at least one potential victim wire of the plurality of wires, determining a subset of the wires of the chip are found to be potential aggressor wires that may couple to the victim wire. The aggressor wires are combined into a common aggressor. A risetime of the common aggressor is calculated and used to calculate the magnitude of coupled noise on the victim wire induced by the aggressor wires. An alarm threshold for each potential victim wire is determined based upon the type of logic gate that receives the victim wire.