Patents Examined by Margaret Wambach
  • Patent number: 6870895
    Abstract: A low power consumption shift register which inputs a CK signal with a low voltage with almost no effect of variation in characteristics of transistors. In the invention, an input portion of an inverter is set at a threshold voltage thereof and a CK signal is inputted to the input portion of the inverter through a capacitor means. In this manner, the CK signal is amplified, which is sent to the shift register. That is, by obtaining the threshold potential of the inverter, the shift register which operates with almost no effect of variation in characteristics of transistors can be provided. A level shifter of the CK signal is generated from an output pulse of the shift register, therefore, the low power consumption shift register having the level shifter which flows a shoot-through current for a short period can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Osame, Aya Anzai
  • Patent number: 6788757
    Abstract: A bi-directional shift-register circuit for outputting data in different sequence. A first shift-register unit includes a first-stage control terminal and a first-stage output terminal outputs a first output signal. A second shift-register unit includes a second-stage input terminal coupled to the first-stage output terminal and a third-stage output terminal, a second-stage control terminal and a second-stage output terminal outputs a second output signal. The second-stage control terminal is selectively coupled to the first-stage output terminal and the third-stage output terminal and disables the second shift-register unit according to the first output signal or a third output signal. A third shift-register unit includes a third-stage control terminal and the third-stage output terminal outputs the third output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Shi-Hsiang Lu, Jian-Shen Yu
  • Patent number: 6778626
    Abstract: A bi-directional shift-register circuit for outputting data in different turns according to a switching signal. Each shift-register unit includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, an output terminal and a clock input terminal for receiving the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Jian-Shen Yu
  • Patent number: 6778627
    Abstract: A shift-register circuit. The PMOS transistor includes a first gate for receiving an inverted output signal output from a previous stage shift-register unit, a first source for receiving an output signal from the previous stage shift-register unit, and a first drain. The first NMOS transistor includes a second gate coupled to the first drain, a second drain coupled to the clock signal and a second source. The capacitor is coupled between the second gate and the second source. The second NMOS transistor includes a third gate coupled to the first source, a third drain coupled to the second source and a third source coupled to the ground level. The third NMOS transistor includes a fourth gate coupled to an output of a next stage shift-register unit, a fourth drain coupled to a connection point of the second gate and the capacitor and a fourth source coupled to the ground level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Jian-Shen Yu
  • Patent number: 6765980
    Abstract: A shift register with low power consumption has memory circuits 151-15N connected in series, gate circuits in memory circuits 152n−1 in the odd-numbered locations become conductive when clock signal CK is high, and gate circuits in memory circuits 152n in the even-numbered locations become conductive when clock signal CK is low, wherein data signals S input are latched for output when the gate circuits are shut off. The circuit configuration is simplified. The Shift register operates every one half of the cycle of clock signal CK, allowing the frequency of clock signal to be reduced by half, resulting in reduced power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Toshiki Azuma, Manabu Nishimuzu, Atsuhiro Miwata
  • Patent number: 6757352
    Abstract: A real time clock counter includes a serially connected plurality of register units, each register unit having a bit register for storing clock data, a half adder for incrementing the clock data stored in the bit register, and an activation circuit for activating the bit register. Each activation circuit includes a first input for receiving an oscillating timing signal and a second input for receiving a binary carry term from the previous bit register unit's half adder. Each activation circuit also includes an output for outputting a first activation signal or a second activation signal according to the first value and the oscillating timing signal such that when the activation circuit outputs the first activation signal, the bit register is activated, and when the activation circuit outputs the second activation signal, the bit register is not activated, saving power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Faraday Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Min-Cheng Kao
  • Patent number: 6751282
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are arranged to provide a multi-bit digital signal that represents a normalized percentage of time that a signal is active. The apparatus includes an N-bit counter that is periodically reset to an initialization condition, and a logic block that processes the output of the N-bit counter. The N-bit counter is arranged to evaluate a monitored signal for each cycle of a clock signal, and modify the count accordingly. The logic block is configured to periodically scan the output of the N-bit counter after the expiration of a sampling time interval. The sampling time interval is determined by a timing circuit such as a window counter that is operated from the clock signal. The logic block periodically evaluates the output of the N-bit counter and provides the normalized multi-bit digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Kramer, Jered Michael Sandner, Ohad Falik
  • Patent number: 6738449
    Abstract: The invention features a fractional frequency divider including a phase selection device where mutually phase-shifted signals are alternately switched through to a phase output, at the input of the phase selection device; and a control device for selecting individual phases where the control device changes the mutually phase-shifted signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies, AG
    Inventor: Nicola Da Dalt
  • Patent number: 6100734
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip having improved on-chip circuitry including a phase-locked-loop for providing accurately timed signal having different durations and differently occurring timing edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventor: Laurence P. Flora
  • Patent number: 5828256
    Abstract: For time division multiplexing N bit-parallel circuit input signals at a high bit rate such as higher than 2.4 Gb/s, where N represents a predetermined integer greater than one, a multiplexer circuit comprises an N-stage shift register (11) for shifting a signal pulse through first to N-th dual output D F/F's (11(1)-11(N)) to produce N master and slave output signals as N stage output signals, N two-input NAND gates (15(1)-15(N)) supplied with the N bit parallel circuit input signals and the N master output signals to produce N gate output signals, an N-input NAND gate (17) multiplexing the N gate output signals into a single gate output signal, and a retiming D F/F (19) for retiming the single gate output signal into a bit-serial circuit output signal. The N slave output signals are delivered respectively to the dual output D F/F's of next stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masakazu Kurisu
  • Patent number: 5132568
    Abstract: A tri-state logic circuit of a BiCMOS having a power saving characteristic, a strong noise durability, a desirable driving characteristic and switching charaacteristic is disclosed. The circuit comprises PMOS transistors M1,M5 and NMOS transistors M2,M3,M4,M6,M7,M8,M9 and bipolar transistors Q1,Q2 and a capacitor C1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignees: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Telecommunication Authority
    Inventors: Young M. Kim, Won C. Song, Jin I. Hyun, Hah Y. Yoo
  • Patent number: 5132577
    Abstract: A BICMOS passgate circuit (PSGT3) (PSGT3A) for use in latches and flip-flops incorporates a bipolar output circuit (Q1,Q3) comprising a bipolar pullup transistor element (Q1) and a bipolar pulldown transistor element (Q3) coupled to the passgate output (V.sub.OUT) for transient charging and discharging of load capacitance (C.sub.L) at the passgate output (V.sub.OUT). The bipolar output circuit provides increased sinking and sourcing output drive current and .beta. amplification of sinking and sourcing drive current at the passgate output V.sub.OUT in response to data signals at the passgate intput (V'.sub.IN) in the transparent operating mode. An MOS input logic circuit coupled to the passgate input (V'.sub.IN) includes clock signal inputs (CP,CP) for implementing transparent and blocking operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Michael G. Ward
  • Patent number: 5001362
    Abstract: A BiCMOS current source reference network which eliminates the impact of d.c. power supply voltage drops on the operation of ECL circuits is described. This invention is essential for implementing ECL design techniques in VLSI BiCMOS circuits. Using the current source network, reference voltages are generated locally so that the ECL voltage references are correctly referenced to the local power supply potentials. A power supply insensitive band-gap reference generator is used to generate precision on-chip voltage references and current sources. The band-gap circuit uses both MOS and bipolar transistors and is much simpler than a similar using bipolar-only circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Hiep V. Tran
  • Patent number: 4939394
    Abstract: A synchronous circuit system comprises a switch circuit for receiving an asynchronous imput signal only within a specified period in response to a synchronizing signal, a latch circuit connected to the switch circuit, a signal transmission circuit connected to the output of the latch circuit and adapted for holding the logic state thereof as before until a necessary input level of the asynchronous input signal is reached, and a feedback circuit connected between the output of the latch circuit and the output of the switch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Masashi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 4906867
    Abstract: A buffer circuit particularly suited for driving the output pad of an integrated circuit, characterized in its provision of features which limit the rate of change of current flow in the power supply and ground lines to reduce noise. The circuit features feedback responsive compensation for variations in the capacitive load on the pad. In one form, the circuit includes a feedback capacitor between the pad and the control gate of the output transistor pulling the pad. The control gate of such pulling output driver transistor is, under one operational condition, provided with a voltage which increases at a limited rate during current enablement. The steady-state enablement of the output driver transistor is established later by a circuit logically responsive to the voltage on the output pad. The output driver transistor is subject to rapid disablement in response to a pulling of the control gate by a high speed and drive capacity transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: William K. Petty