Having Specific Active Circuit Element Or Structure (e.g., Fet, Complementary Transistors, Etc.) Patents (Class 327/264)
  • Patent number: 11533048
    Abstract: A delay circuit includes the following: an input module, configured to receive a target input signal and output the target input signal to a first node, the target input signal being a rising edge signal or a falling edge signal of a pulse signal; an output module, configured to output a target output signal, the target output signal being a delayed signal of the target input signal; and a delay control module, connected to the input module through the first node, and connected to the output module through a second node. The delay control module includes at least one delay capacitor unit, and the delay control module is configured to control a connection between the at least one delay capacitor unit and the first node according to a rising edge delay duration or a falling edge delay duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daoxun Wu, Weibing Shang, Yanfeng Gu
  • Patent number: 10776550
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a path logic and a timing fixing circuit. The path logic is coupled between an output pin of a first circuit and an input pin of a second circuit. The timing fixing circuit has an input pin coupled to the path logic, and is used to adjust a propagation delay of the path logic. The timing fixing circuit introduces no short-circuit current under normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Yi-Feng Chen, Chun-Sung Su
  • Patent number: 9997210
    Abstract: A circuit comprises a data storage element that includes a sampling stage configured to sample a data value, the sampling stage comprising a plurality of p-type devices, wherein at least one of the plurality of p-type devices is non-collinear relative to the other p-type devices, a plurality of n-type devices, wherein at least one of the plurality of n-type devices is non-collinear relative to the other n-type devices, a feedback stage configured to maintain the data value sampled by the sampling stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Rabe
  • Patent number: 9831888
    Abstract: A sort-and-delay time-to-digital converter (TDC) is provided, made up of a plurality of serially connected sort-and-delay circuits. Each sort-and-delay circuit accepts a time-differential input signal with a first edge separated from a second edge by an input duration of time. The first and second edges are selectively routed as a time-differential output signal with a delayed edge separated from a trailing edge by an output duration of time representing a compression of the input duration of time. Each sort-and-delay circuit also supplies a TDC coded bit (e.g., Gray code) indicating the order in which the first and second edges are routed as leading and trailing edges. The TDC outputs a digital output signal representing the initial input duration of time associated with the initial time-differential input signal received by the initial sort-and-delay circuit. Associated TDC, sort-and-delay, and time amplification methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: IQ-Analog Corp.
    Inventor: Mikko Waltari
  • Patent number: 9692399
    Abstract: An example of the invention provides a digital delay unit that is made up of a plurality of NAND gates. The digital delay unit includes a first delay path and a second delay path. The first delay path is coupled between a first input terminal and an output terminal to provide a basic time delay which is caused by one NAND gate. The second delay path is coupled between a second input terminal and the output terminal to provide at least three basic time delays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SILICON MOTION, INC.
    Inventor: Yu-Hsuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 9264027
    Abstract: A Process Compensated Delay has been disclosed. In one implementation delay is primarily based on electron mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: INTEGRATED DEVICE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Amit Majumder
  • Patent number: 9000821
    Abstract: A delay circuit for receiving an input signal and generating a delayed output signal. The delay circuit includes a first delay module and a second delay module. The first delay module includes a first delay unit for generating a first delayed signal according to an input signal and a first logic unit, coupled to the first delay unit, for generating a first delayed output signal according to the first delayed signal and the input signal. The second delay module includes a second delay unit for generating a second delayed signal according to the first delayed output signal and a second logic unit, coupled to the second delay unit, for generating the delayed output signal according to the second delayed signal and the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Huimin Tsai, Yu-Min Yeh
  • Publication number: 20150091628
    Abstract: A circuit for detecting a signal transition on an input signal includes a mirror delay circuit and an input blocking circuit to prevent signal glitches or undesired signal pulses from being passed to the output signal node, thereby preventing signal distortions from being detected as a valid signal transition. The input transition detection circuit generates stable and correct transition detection pulses having a consistent pulse width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Seong Jun Jang
  • Patent number: 8975935
    Abstract: A delay circuit includes a first flip flop (FF), a transistor connected to the FF, a first resistor capacitor circuit (RCC) coupled to the transistor and between a voltage and a ground, a first comparator for comparing an output of the first RCC and a voltage reference, gate logic coupled to the input line and to an output of the first FF and to a second FF, a second transistor coupled to the second FF, a second RCC coupled to the second transistor and between the voltage and ground, a second comparator for comparing an output of the second RCC and the voltage reference and coupled to the first FF, and output logic coupled to the first and second comparators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Yung, Jose M. Cruz-Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20140203859
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device capable of adjusting the timing of a clock signal or a high-quality semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a circuit including a second transistor. A channel of the first transistor is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. A first signal is input to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor. The other of the source and the drain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor. A first clock signal is input to the circuit. The circuit outputs a second clock signal. The timing of the second clock signal is different from that of the first clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kato, Wataru Uesugi
  • Patent number: 8786347
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a delay circuit includes a ring oscillator circuit and a counter circuit. The ring oscillator circuit includes a delay chain having delay elements and configured to generate one of more clock cycles of an oscillator clock signal in response to a clock cycle of a clock signal. The counter circuit includes two counters that are configured to store a count state corresponding to a number of clock cycles of the oscillator clock signal during a single clock cycle of the clock signal. A first buffer is configured to store the number of clock cycles of the oscillator clock signal. The delay circuit includes a buffer to store a bit pattern corresponding to a number of delay elements traversed in a partial clock cycle of the oscillator clock signal in response to the clock cycle of the clock signal based on outputs of the plurality of delay elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Abhishek Chakraborty, Nagalinga Swamy Basayya Aremallapur, Vikas Narang
  • Patent number: 8779820
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Gasper, Michael J. McManus
  • Patent number: 8754716
    Abstract: A ring oscillator includes (2N+1) inverting delay circuit cells, and each delay circuit cell has an input port and an output port, where N is an integer larger than zero. Each of these (2N+1) inverting delay circuit cells receives a control voltage, and all of the (2N+1) inverting delay circuit cells are electrically connected with each other in series. Furthermore, the input port of one of the (2N+1) inverting delay circuit cells is electrically connected with the output port of an adjacent delay circuit cell of the (2N+1) inverting delay circuit cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Ying-Chieh Ho, Yu-Sheng Yang, Chau-Chin Su
  • Patent number: 8710889
    Abstract: A delay cell includes a feed-forward inverter and a feedback inverter. The feedback inverter is coupled to the feed-forward inverter. The feed-forward inverter has an input and an output. Similarly, the feedback inverter has an input and an output. A drive strength of the feed-forward inverter is larger than a drive strength of the feedback inverter such that a transition at the input of the feed-forward inverter propagates to the output of the feed-forward inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey Christopher Chromczak
  • Patent number: 8664995
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Gasper, Michael J. McManus
  • Patent number: 8536921
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Gasper, Michael J. McManus
  • Patent number: 8466729
    Abstract: A delay cell includes a first inverted transistor pair, a second inverted transistor pair and a plurality of delay units. The first inverted transistor pair is used to receive an input signal. The second inverted transistor pair is electrically cross-coupled to the first inverted transistor pair and cross-controlled by the first inverted transistor pair. The delay units are cascaded between the first inverted transistor pair and between the second inverted transistor pair, thereby providing a plurality of signal propagation delays sequentially, wherein the input signal is delayed for a pre-determined time by the first inverted transistor pair, the second inverted transistor pair and the delay units which are operated sequentially, thereby creating an output signal corresponding to the pre-determined time. A digitally controlled oscillator including the aforementioned delay cells is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Chen-Yi Lee, Chien-Ying Yu, Chia-Jung Yu
  • Patent number: 8461893
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages. Each parallel-coupled inverter stage includes N pairs of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The N transistor pairs have configurable source-drain node connections between a drain node and a source node of each transistor in the pair, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain node connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Gasper, Gerard M. Blair, Bruce E. Zahn
  • Publication number: 20130069703
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Martin J. Gasper, Michael J. McManus
  • Patent number: 8400201
    Abstract: A delay clock generator includes a plurality of delay element arrays arranged in parallel; a feed side transfer line and a return side transfer line provided in each of the delay elements which make up the delay element arrays, and that transfer a clock signal in a feed direction and a return direction; a selector selecting a first transfer route that couples the feed side transfer lines to each other along the preceding and succeeding delay elements and a third transfer route that couples the return side transfer lines to each other along the preceding and succeeding delay elements, and a second transfer route that couples the feed side transfer lines and the return side transfer lines of each of the delay elements; and a decoder causing the selector to select the second transfer route for one of the delay elements in the delay element array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Kazumi Kojima
  • Patent number: 8395433
    Abstract: A cascoded input-output device is provided configured to receive at an input node a lower voltage input signal and to generate at an output node a higher voltage output signal. The input-output device is split into two voltage domains to enable output signals in a larger range to be generated, while the components of the input-output device individually operate in a smaller range. By applying a selected bias voltage to a protected node of the cascoded input-output device, first changing that selected bias voltage in response to a transition of the input signal and then switching that selected bias voltage back when the output signal reaches a predetermined level, that node is protected, either avoiding stress-inducing voltage swings or providing a switching speed increasing charge boost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Mikael Rien, Jean-Claude Duby
  • Patent number: 8384460
    Abstract: An adjustable delay circuit includes first and second transistors each having a control input coupled to an input node of the adjustable delay circuit and an output coupled to an output node of the adjustable delay circuit. The adjustable delay circuit includes a first pass gate coupled between first and second capacitors and the output node of the adjustable delay circuit. The first and the second capacitors are coupled between a node at a high voltage and a node at a low voltage. The first pass gate is operable to be controlled by a first delay control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Chiakang Sung, John Henry Bui, Khai Nguyen, Bonnie I. Wang, Xiaobao Wang
  • Patent number: 8350612
    Abstract: A reset circuit and a delay circuit are provided. The delay circuit includes a first resistor module, a second resistor module, a switch module and a capacitor module. First terminals of the first and the second resistor modules are coupled respectively to a first voltage and a second voltage. The switch module have a control terminal served as a input terminal of the delay circuit, a first terminal served as a output terminal of the delay circuit, a second terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first resistor module, and a third terminal coupled to a second terminal of the second resistor module. In the delay circuit, the first terminal selectively connected to the second terminal or the third terminal in accordance with the control terminal. The capacitor module couples between the first terminal of the switch module and the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Zen-Wen Cheng, Kai-Lan Chuang, Ching-Chung Lee
  • Patent number: 8314633
    Abstract: Described herein are various principles for operating a transmitter circuit to reduce noise affecting a signal being generated and reducing jitter. In some embodiments, a circuit is operated in a way that switching occurs at or above a bit rate of transmission, such that at least one switch changes state at least for every bit. Operating the circuit in such a way leads to a switching rate that is above a resonant frequency of the circuit and prevents large oscillations and noise from being inserted into the signal and causing communication problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Pvt. Ltd.
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Tapas Nandy, Phalguni Bala, Pikul Sarkar
  • Patent number: 8294502
    Abstract: Integrated circuits with delay circuitry are provided. Delay circuitry may receive a clock signal and generate a corresponding delayed clock signal. The delayed clock signal generated using the delay circuitry may exhibit reduced duty cycle distortion in comparison to conventional systems. The delay circuitry may include a pulse generation circuit, a delay circuit, and a latching circuit. The pulse generation circuit may generate pulses in response to detecting rising edges or falling edges at its input. The pulses may propagate through the delay circuit. The latching circuit may generate (reconstruct) a delayed version of the clock signal in response to receiving the pulses at its control input. The delay circuitry may be used in duty cycle distortion correction circuitry, delay-locked loops, and other control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: David Lewis
  • Patent number: 8278988
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising timer logic for generating a first modulated waveform signal, and delay logic, operably coupled to the timer logic and arranged to provide a first delay in a rising edge of the first modulated waveform signal generated by the timer logic; and provide a second delay in a falling edge of the first modulated waveform generated by the timer logic. The first delay and second delay of the first modulated waveform forms a second, refined modulated waveform signal that comprises a higher frequency resolution than a frequency resolution of the first modulated waveform signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Mienkina, Pavel Grasblum
  • Patent number: 8242828
    Abstract: A delay circuit is described having a variable capacitor and a triggering circuit. The variable capacitor and the triggering circuit may both include transistors. With both the variable capacitor and the triggering circuit dependent on the threshold voltage, the delay circuit may be less sensitive to process variations. The delay circuit may also include a capacitor, a first triggering circuit, a second triggering circuit, and a pull down circuit. The capacitor may discharge at a first rate, triggering the first triggering circuit which, in turn, activates the pull down circuit to pull down the capacitor at a second rate that is faster than the first rate. The second triggering circuit is triggered as the capacitor is pulled down, thereby reducing the effect of input signal noise on the output of the delay circuit. The discharging of the capacitor may be adjusted by a control input thereby making the delay of the delay circuit programmable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Rifeng Mai
  • Patent number: 8237481
    Abstract: A programmable Local Clock Buffer has a single inverter between the clock input and the delayed clock output. A transistor switch modulates the single inverter stage between a clock signal transmit state and a non-transmitting state. A combination of delay select bits control the timing of the beginning and ending of the transmit state of the inverter relative to the clock input via the transistor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yuen H. Chan, Rolf Sautter, Michael J. Lee, Juergen Pille
  • Patent number: 8203371
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first node through which an input signal passes and an adjustment block including at least one delay unit electrically connected to the first node. The semiconductor integrated circuit also includes a correction block configured to generate a control signal which controls whether to activate a delay unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Byung Deuk Jeon
  • Patent number: 8188781
    Abstract: The present invention provides a phase shift circuit that supports multiple frequency ranges. The phase shift circuit receives a plurality of control bits and causes a phase shift in a received signal, the phase shift corresponding to a number of time steps, the number depending on the control bits, and the time step is selected from a plurality of different time steps based on a frequency range associated with the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Andy L. Lee
  • Patent number: 8188770
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the embodiment, a driver outputs a driver current to a reception LSI, and a receiver included in the reception LSI receives an analog voltage signal corresponding to a value of the driver current as a receiver input. An A/D converter converts the voltage signal of the receiver input to a digital value, and transmits the digital value to a driver current controller in a transmission LSI. The driver current controller adjusts a number of PMOS driving stages in the driver or a number of NMOS driving stages in the driver, to make the digital value of the voltage signal of the receiver input belong to a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hideyuki Sakamaki
  • Patent number: 8130048
    Abstract: Equal numbers of variable capacitance elements, capacitance values of which are separately controlled according to a logic value of a corresponding bit of a delay control signal that is in a one-to-one relation with an oscillation frequency, are connected in parallel among differential outputs of all delay circuits excluding a differential non-inverting delay circuit at the end, which extracts a frequency signal to the outside. Bits of the delay control signal are connected in a one-to-one relation to the equal numbers of variable capacitance elements arranged on output sides of all the delay circuits, in a relation in which delay control signals continuous in terms of frequency are not connected to the equal number of variable capacitance elements arranged on an output side of one of the delay circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20110304372
    Abstract: A time amplifier circuit has first and second inverters and first and second pull-down paths. Each inverter includes a first NMOS transistor and a first PMOS transistor. A source of the first NMOS transistor is coupled to a ground node directly or through a first additional NMOS transistor having a gate coupled to a respective input node. The first and second inverters are coupled to first and second input nodes and to first and second output nodes, respectively. The first pull-down path is from the first output node to the ground node and is enabled in response to the first input signal and the second output signal being high. The second pull-down path is from the second output node to ground and is enabled in response to the second input signal and the first output signal being high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: You-Jen WANG, Shen-Iuan LIU, Feng Wei KUO, Chewn-Pu JOU, Fu-Lung HSUEH
  • Patent number: 8004337
    Abstract: A digital time delay circuit is provided in which fabrication process variations and temperature effects on the switching threshold level of digital circuits utilized in the timing delay circuits are substantially eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Dolpan Audio, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Alan Brannen
  • Patent number: 7977993
    Abstract: A signal delay circuit including a capacitive load element is described. The capacitive load element has a first input end, a second input end, and a third input end. The first input end receives a first signal, the second input end receives a second signal inverted to the first signal, and the third input end receives a control signal. The capacitance of the capacitive load element changes with the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hung-Wen Lu, Chau-Chin Su
  • Patent number: 7969219
    Abstract: A delay cell with a wider delay range is provided. The delay cell employs frequency dependent current source to generate the majority of the delay of the cell, while a control circuit (which is generally a current source that is controlled by a control voltage) provides additional delay. Thus, the delay cell provided here can be used to improve the performance of delay locked loops (DLLs) and other circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jagannathan Venkataraman, Vivesvaraya A. Pentakota, Samarth S. Modi
  • Patent number: 7956663
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a delay circuit for performing one of a charge and a discharge in two stages, and delaying a signal, the delay circuit including an output section configured to output a delayed signal; two power supplies; and a delay inverter; wherein the delay inverter has a first transistor and a second transistor of an identical channel type for one of a first charge and a first discharge, the first transistor and the second transistor being connected in series with each other between the output section and one power supply, and the delay inverter has a third transistor of a different channel type from the first transistor and the second transistor for one of a second charge and a second discharge, the third transistor being connected in parallel with one of the first transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Werapong Jarupoonphol, Yoshitoshi Kida
  • Patent number: 7932764
    Abstract: A delay circuit has: an inverting receiver with a resistive element, the inverting receiver having an input node for receiving an input signal and an output node coupled to the resistive element; a capacitive element, coupled to the output node of the inverting receiver and the resistive element; a first transistor, having lower turned ON voltage at higher temperature; a second transistor, used for generating a rail to rail signals on a terminal of the first transistor; and an output inverter, having an input node coupled to the first transistor and an output node for outputting an output signal of the delay circuit. Further, a third transistor is used for enhancing pulling low of the output signal of the delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Min-Chung Chou
  • Patent number: 7750709
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that biases a floating node within an integrated circuit. During operation, the system first identifies the floating node within the integrated circuit to be biased. The system then determines a desired bias voltage. Next, the system couples a low-power bias source to the floating node to supply the desired bias voltage, wherein the floating node is biased without stopping data transmission through the floating node during biasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin M. Schauer, Robert D. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 7746141
    Abstract: A delay circuit includes a delay time setting circuit to set a delay time of an output signal with respect to an input signal, a first transistor connected to an input terminal of the delay time setting circuit and configured to set a first voltage to the input terminal of the delay time setting circuit and a second transistor connected to an output terminal of the delay time setting circuit and configured to reset the output terminal of the delay time setting circuit to a second voltage and clear the reset of the output terminal of the delay time setting circuit after the first voltage is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7728643
    Abstract: A delay circuit that includes a logic gate through which an input signal passes, a capacitor configured to be charged and discharged at an output terminal of the logic gate and delaying the input signal, and a mirroring unit configured to constantly maintain current output by the logic gate by mirroring current output by a constant current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Kwang-Myoung Rho
  • Publication number: 20100085098
    Abstract: Improved digital delay line driver is described. A delay line driver circuit includes elements to drive the delay line in one or multiple locations to provide a dynamic, adjustable slew rate on the output signal. The delay line driver circuit may also include active elements coupled to the transistors of the delay line to deactivate the delay line transistors substantially simultaneously, rather than cascading in series. Shutting off the delay line transistors substantially simultaneously reduces or eliminates crowbar or shoot through current on an edge transition of the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: ADTRAN, INC.
    Inventor: Paul C. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 7679414
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a fine tunable digital delay circuit that can be applied in a high frequency digital circuit. Further, the digital delay circuit can utilize a level restoring technique to enable a wide tunable delay range. The delay circuit can include a delay element configured to receive an input signal at an input node and output a controlled signal having a controlled rise time and a controlled fall time at a controlled node, a first plurality of transistors configured to bias a supply node of the delay element to govern the controlled rise time of the controlled signal, and a second plurality of transistors configured to bias a ground node of the delay element to govern the controlled fall time of the controlled signal. The delay circuit can further include a restoring circuit configured to charge or discharge the controlled node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Marvell Israel (MISL) Ltd.
    Inventors: Reuven Ecker, Inbal Gal
  • Patent number: 7675339
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a delayed clock signal of an input clock signal involves selectively delaying the input clock signal to produce the delayed clock signal based on the duty cycle of the input clock signal and the duty cycle of a logic signal derived from a logic operation of the input clock signal and the delayed clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Ngee Ching Lim, Cheng Huat Tan, Kin Soon Liew
  • Patent number: 7642866
    Abstract: A dynamic dual domino oscillating ring circuit is described, which has multiple non-inverting dual domino circuits, each having a signal input, N and P-domino triggers, precharge and pre-discharge, N and P-domino cutoffs and an output inverter. A number of the dual domino circuits are coupled in series, the output of one feeding the input of the next, to form a dual domino chain, which form stages of the dual domino ring. A number of the stages are coupled in series, the output of one feeding the input of the next, to form the ring. The first dual domino circuit of the chain receives a signal input and the N and P triggers for the chain. Within the ring, the output of each stage feeds the input signal to the next stage and is fed back to clock an earlier stage to allow the ring to oscillate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventor: Robert Masleid
  • Publication number: 20090322396
    Abstract: A method and a circuit for correcting duty cycle distortion. A delay insertion gate corrects data dependent delay distortion that is generated by CMOS flip-flop circuits. The delay insertion gate includes two field effect transistors and a current mirror. The two transistors each respectively receive an input signal from an upstream circuit. At least one of the transistors is coupled to an output node. The output node temporarily holds a voltage state within the delay insertion gate, correcting any distortion in the duty cycle of the input signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Paul M. Werking
  • Patent number: 7619457
    Abstract: A delay circuit is described having a variable capacitor and a triggering circuit. The variable capacitor and the triggering circuit may both comprise transistors. With both the variable capacitor and the triggering circuit dependent on the threshold voltage, the delay circuit may be less sensitive to process variations. The delay circuit may also include a capacitor, a first triggering circuit, a second triggering circuit, and a pull down circuit. The capacitor may discharge at a first rate, triggering the first triggering circuit which, in turn, activates the pull down circuit to pull down the capacitor at a second rate that is faster than the first rate. The second triggering circuit is triggered as the capacitor is pulled down, thereby reducing the effect of input signal noise on the output of the delay circuit. The discharging of the capacitor may be adjusted by a control input thereby making the delay of the delay circuit programmable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Rifeng Mai
  • Patent number: 7609108
    Abstract: Compound MOS capacitors and phase-locked loop with the compound MOS capacitors are disclosed. In the phase-locked loop, the compound MOS capacitors of the loop filter are HV (high voltage) devices, and the voltage control oscillator is a LV (low voltage) device. The compound MOS capacitor comprises a HV PMOS capacitor having a base coupled to a source terminal of a low voltage source and a HV NMOS capacitor having a base coupled to a ground terminal of the low voltage source. The gates of the HV PMOS capacitor and the HV NMOS capacitor are connected together to receive a control voltage. The capacitance of the compound MOS capacitor is near constant in any control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hsiao-Chyi Lin
  • Patent number: 7605630
    Abstract: A delay circuit respectively delays rising and falling edges of an input signal. The delay circuit comprises first and second delay lines, a control circuit, and first and second logic circuits. The first delay line delays the first input signal the first delay time to output the first delay output signal. The second delay line delays the first input signal the second delay time to output the second delay output signal. The control circuit outputs the control signal according to the first input signal. The first logic circuit receives the first delay output signal and outputs the first output signal according to the control signal and the first input signal. The second logic circuit receives the second delay output signal and outputs the second output signal according to the control signal and the first input signal. The first and second delay times are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Nanya Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Wen-Chang Cheng
  • Patent number: 7587541
    Abstract: A master-slave device communication circuit includes a master device, a bus, and a slave device having a bus switch connected to the master device via the bus, and a status detecting circuit. The status detecting circuit includes a power input terminal and a detecting signal output terminal. A power terminal of the master device is connected to the power input terminal of the status detecting circuit. The detecting signal output terminal is connected to the bus switch and a trigger pin of the master device. When the master device supplies power to the slave device via the power terminal thereof, the detecting signal output terminal transmits a control signal to control the bus switch to turn on the bus and trigger the master device to communicate with the slave device after a delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yang-Yuan Chen, Ming-Chih Hsieh