Abstract: A successive-approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit includes a comparator circuit and a plurality of latch circuits. The comparator circuit is configured to compare an analog signal with a plurality of reference levels. The latch circuits, coupled to the comparator circuit and connected in series, are triggered sequentially in response to a plurality of trigger signals, respectively, to store a comparator output of the comparator circuit and accordingly generate a digital signal. A first latch circuit and a second latch circuit of the latch circuits are triggered in response to a first trigger signal and a second trigger signal of the trigger signals, respectively. The first latch circuit is configured to generate the second trigger signal according to the comparator output stored in the first latch circuit.

Abstract: A clock and data recovery circuit includes a sampling circuit, a phase detector, a first processing circuit, a second processing circuit and an oscillator circuit. The sampling circuit is configured to sample input data according to an output clock, and generate a sampling result. The phase detector is configured to generate a detection result according to the sampling result. The first processing circuit is configured to process the sampling result to generate a first digital code. The second processing circuit is configured to accumulate a portion of the first digital code to generate a second digital code. A rate of change of a code value of the second digital code is slower than a rate of change of a code value of the first digital code. The oscillator circuit is configured to generate the output clock according to the detection result, the first digital code and the second digital code.

Abstract: A circuit module with reliable margin configuration, may include a main circuit, a first auxiliary circuit and a second auxiliary circuit. When the first auxiliary circuit is on, the second auxiliary circuit may be on or off according to whether a control signal is of a first level or a second level. When the first auxiliary circuit and the second auxiliary circuit are both on, the first auxiliary circuit and the second auxiliary circuit may jointly cause an operation parameter of the main circuit to be a first value. When the first auxiliary circuit is on and the second auxiliary circuit is off, the first auxiliary circuit may cause the operation parameter to be a second value. An operation margin of the main circuit may cover a range between the first value and the second value.

Abstract: A driver circuit includes a first output terminal, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch and a power source. The first output terminal is arranged for outputting a data output. The first switch is selectively coupled between the first output terminal and a power supply node according to a data input. The second switch is selectively coupled between the first output terminal and a first reference node according to the data input. The third switch is selectively coupled between the first reference node and a reference voltage. The power source is configured to selectively provide one of a supply voltage signal and a supply current signal to the power supply node. When the power source is configured to provide the supply voltage signal, the third switch is switched on. When the power source is configured to provide the supply current signal, the third switch is switched off.

Abstract: A voltage regulator circuit includes a first amplifier, a second amplifier and a transistor. Respective first input terminals of the first and second amplifiers are coupled to a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, respectively. A connection terminal of the transistor is coupled to a supply voltage. A control terminal of the transistor is selectively coupled to one of respective output terminals of the first and second amplifiers. When the control terminal of the transistor is coupled to the output terminal of the first amplifier, another connection terminal of the transistor is coupled to a second input terminal of the first amplifier to output a regulated voltage. When the control terminal of the transistor is coupled to the output terminal of the second amplifier, the another connection terminal of the transistor is coupled to a second input terminal of the second amplifier to output the regulated voltage.

Abstract: A circuit module with improved line load, may comprise a first line, a first switch, a second line, a second switch and a second driver. The first switch may be on and off to conduct and stop conducting between the first line and a first node. The second switch may be on and off to conduct and stop conducting between the second line and the first node. The second driver, coupled to the second line, may be enabled to drive the second line according to a voltage of a second node, and may be disabled to stop driving the second line. The voltage of the second node may be controlled by a voltage of the first node. When the first switch is on, the second switch may be off. When the second switch is off, the second driver may be enabled.

Abstract: A successive-approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit includes a comparator circuit and a plurality of latch circuits. The comparator circuit is configured to compare an analog signal with a plurality of reference levels. The latch circuits, coupled to the comparator circuit and connected in series, are triggered sequentially in response to a plurality of trigger signals, respectively, to store a comparator output of the comparator circuit and accordingly generate a digital signal. A first latch circuit and a second latch circuit of the latch circuits are triggered in response to a first trigger signal and a second trigger signal of the trigger signals, respectively. The first latch circuit is configured to generate the second trigger signal according to the comparator output stored in the first latch circuit.

Abstract: An integrated circuit in a transmitter includes a multi-lane interface, N signal generating circuits, a lane selection circuit and a control circuit. The multi-lane interface has N lanes. M of the N signal generating circuits are configured to generate M clock signals respectively. (N-M) of the N signal generating circuits are configured to generate (N-M) data signals respectively. The lane selection circuit is configured to select M of the N lanes as M clock lanes by coupling the M clock signals to the M clock lanes respectively, and couple one of the (N-M) data signals to one of remaining (N-M) lanes, serving as (N-M) data lanes, according to a data select signal. The control circuit is configured to generate a data select signal according to a lane identifier of the one of the (N-M) lanes. The data select signal has a signal value mapping to the lane identifier.

Abstract: A power management circuit includes an inverter circuit and a latch circuit. The inverter circuit is configured to receive a first control signal from an inverter input terminal and generate a second control signal at an inverter output terminal. The first control signal carries power status information of a first supply voltage. The latch circuit has a latch supply terminal, a first latch input terminal and a second latch input terminal. The latch supply terminal is coupled to a second supply voltage becoming ready before the first supply voltage. The first latch input terminal and the second latch input terminal are coupled to the inverter output terminal and the inverter input terminal respectively. The latch circuit is configured to generate a third control signal according to respective signal levels of the first control signal and the second control signal, and accordingly perform power control of an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A clock and data recovery circuit includes a sampling circuit, a phase detector, a first processing circuit, a second processing circuit and an oscillator circuit. The sampling circuit is configured to sample input data according to an output clock, and generate a sampling result. The phase detector is configured to generate a detection result according to the sampling result. The first processing circuit is configured to process the sampling result to generate a first digital code. The second processing circuit is configured to accumulate a portion of the first digital code to generate a second digital code. A rate of change of a code value of the second digital code is slower than a rate of change of a code value of the first digital code. The oscillator circuit is configured to generate the output clock according to the detection result, the first digital code and the second digital code.

Abstract: A signal conversion circuit includes a first pair of capacitors and a comparator. The first pair of capacitors includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor having a same capacitance value. Each of the first capacitor and the second capacitor is coupled to an input signal during a first sampling phase, while uncoupled from the input signal during a first conversion phase after the first sampling phase. The comparator has a first input terminal and a second input terminal. During the first conversion phase, the first capacitor is coupled between the first input terminal and a first reference signal, the second capacitor is coupled between the first input terminal and a second reference signal different from the first reference signal, and the comparator is configured to compare a signal level at the first input terminal and a signal level at the second input terminal to convert the input signal.

Abstract: A clock and data recovery circuit includes a phase detector (PD), a phase frequency detector (PFD), a multiplexer circuit, a conversion stage and an oscillator. The PD detects a difference in phase between a data signal and an oscillating signal to generate a first set of error signals. The PFD detects a difference in phase and frequency between a reference clock signal and the oscillating signal to generate a second set of error signals. The multiplexer circuit selectively outputs the first set of error signals or the second set of error signals as a third set of error signals according to a selection signal. The conversion stage determines a set of gains according to the selection signal, and converts the third set of error signals with the set of gains to generate a set of input signals. The oscillator generates the oscillating signal according to the set of input signals.

Abstract: An integrated circuit in a physical layer of a receiver is provided. The integrated circuit includes a multi-lane interface, a lane selection circuit and N sampling circuits. The multi-lane interface has N lanes. N is an integer greater than one. The lane selection circuit, coupled to the multi-lane interface, is configured to select M of the N lanes as M clock lanes, and output M signals on the M clock lanes respectively. M is a positive integer less than N. Remaining (N?M) lanes serve as (N?M) data lanes. The N sampling circuits are coupled to the multi-lane interface and the lane selection circuit. (N?M) of the N sampling circuits are coupled to the (N?M) data lanes respectively. Each of the (N?M) sampling circuits is configured to sample a signal on one of the (N?M) data lanes according to one of the M signals on the M clock lanes.

Abstract: A physical layer circuit at a transmitter includes an encoding chain and a plurality of flip-flops. The encoding chain, including encoding units coupled in series, is configured to encode a plurality of symbols to generate a plurality of first wire states. The encoding units are arranged to receive the symbols respectively, and convert respective symbol values of the symbols to the first wire states respectively. A first encoding unit is configured to convert a symbol value of a corresponding symbol according to a second wire state provided by a second encoding unit. The flip-flops are arranged to receive and output the first wire states according to a clock signal, respectively. One of the flip-flops is coupled between the first encoding unit and the second encoding unit. The second wire state provided by the second encoding unit is sent to the first encoding unit through the one of the flip-flops.

Abstract: A load circuit includes a first resistive element, a first transistor and a tristate control circuit. The first transistor has a first control terminal, a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal. The first connection terminal is coupled to to one of a first amplifier output terminal and a connection node through the first resistive element. The second connection terminal is coupled to the other of the first amplifier output terminal and the connection node. The tristate control circuit has a signal output terminal coupled to the first control terminal. When the signal output terminal is in the low impedance state, the first control terminal is arranged to receive a first control signal outputted from the signal output terminal. When the signal output terminal is in the high impedance state, the first control terminal is arranged to receive a second control signal different from the first control signal.

Abstract: A level shifter includes a latch circuit, an input stage, a driver stage and a control circuit. The latch circuit is configured to generate an output signal according to a signal level at a first drive node and a signal level at a second drive node. The input stage is configured to receive an input signal to adjust a signal level at a connection node. The driver stage is configured to drive the first drive node by coupling the connection node to the first drive node according to a set of control signals. The control circuit is coupled to the input stage and the driver stage. The control circuit is configured to control the driver stage to couple the connection node to the first drive node by adjusting a signal level of each control signal in the set of control signals during a level transition of the input signal.

Abstract: An error correcting system is provided. The error correcting system includes an error correcting code (ECC) circuit and a control circuit. The ECC circuit is configured to encode input data received from M input terminals to generate encoded data in response to a write operation, and output the encoded data. The input data includes write data associated with the write operation, and the encoded data includes the input data and associated parity data. The control circuit is coupled to at least one of the M input terminals. When the write operation is directed to a memory device having a data bit width less than M bits, the write data is inputted to a portion of the M input terminals, the control circuit is configured to provide reference data to another portion of the M input terminals, and the write data and the reference data serve as the input data.

Abstract: A memory device includes: at least one memory cell; a bit line connected to the at least one memory cell; a write controller; a write driver receiving a logic signal from an output terminal of the write controller, and driving the bit line based on the logic signal; a negative voltage generator generating a reference voltage for receipt by a ground terminal of the write driver; and a protector connected to one of a power terminal and the output terminal of the write controller. The protector is capable of releasing stress voltage of the write driver.

Abstract: A method for assisting a memory cell in an access operation is provided. The method includes: setting a supply voltage to a first supply voltage level to determine a reference probability value of the memory cell applied by the first supply voltage level; applying an assist voltage to an access line coupled to the memory cell, and setting the supply voltage to a second supply voltage level to determine a relationship between the assist voltage and the access failure probability of the memory cell applied by the second supply voltage level; determining, from the relationship, a target assist voltage level of the assist voltage corresponding to the reference probability value; and providing an assist circuit configured to apply the target assist voltage level to the access line during the access operation, wherein the memory cell is applied by the second supply voltage level during the access operation.

Abstract: A clock generator circuit includes a charge pump unit, a low-pass filter unit, a current-controlled clock generator and a voltage-to-current converter unit. The charge pump unit provides a pump current at an output terminal thereof. The low-pass filter unit is coupled to the output terminal of the charge pump unit, and develops a control voltage at an output terminal thereof based on the pump current. The voltage-to-current converter unit is coupled to the output terminal of the low-pass filter unit, the current-controlled clock generator and the charge pump unit, and provides a control current to the current-controlled clock generator. Each of the low-pass filter unit and the voltage-to-current converter unit includes a resistive element.