Abstract: A circuit having a sensing circuit and at least one of a first node and a second node is described. The sensing circuit includes a pair of a first type transistors and a pair of a second type transistors. Each transistor of the pair of the first type transistors is coupled in series with a transistor of the pair of the second type transistors. The first node has a first voltage and is coupled to each bulk of each transistor of the pair of the first type transistors. The second node has a second voltage and is coupled to each bulk of each transistor of the pair of the second type transistors.

Abstract: Some embodiments regard a circuit comprising a memory cell, a first data line, a second data line, a sensing circuit coupled to the first data line and the second data line, a node selectively coupled to at least three voltage sources via at least three respective switches, a fourth switch, and a fifth switch. A first voltage source is configured to supply a retention voltage to the node via a first switch. A second voltage source is configured to supply a ground reference voltage to the node via a second switch, and a third voltage source is configured to supply a reference voltage to the node via a third switch. The fourth switch and fifth switch are configured to receive a respective first control signal and second control signal and to pass a voltage at the node to the respective first data line and second data line.

Abstract: A memory circuit includes at least one first memory cell of a first memory array for storing a first datum. The at least one first memory cell is coupled with a first word line and a first bit line. A first bit line bar is disposed substantially parallel with the first bit line. A first switch is coupled between a sense amplifier and the first bit line bar. The first switch can electrically isolate the sense amplifier from the first bit line bar if the sense amplifier is capable of sensing a first voltage difference between the first bit line. The first bit line bar and the first voltage difference is substantially equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A memory circuit includes at least one memory cell for storing a charge representative of a datum. The memory cell is coupled with a word line and a bit line. A sense amplifier is coupled with the bit line. The sense amplifier is capable of precharging the bit line to a first voltage that is substantially equal to and higher than a threshold voltage (Vt) of a first transistor of the sense amplifier.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to sense amplifiers. In an embodiment involving a sense amplifier used with a memory cell, signals BL, ZBL, SN and SP are pre-charged and equalized to a voltage reference, e.g., Vref, using an equalizing signal. A compensation signal, e.g., SAC, is applied to compensate for the mismatch between transistors in the sense amplifier. The word line WL is activated to connect the memory cell to a bit line, e.g., bit line ZBL. Because the memory cell shares the charge with the connected bit line ZBL, it causes a differential signal to be developed between bit lines BL and ZBL. When enough split between bit lines BL and ZBL is developed, signals SP and SAE are raised to VDD (while signal SN has been lowered to VSS) to turn on the sense amplifier and allow it to function as desire. Other embodiments and exemplary applications are also disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (10) comprises a plurality of functional blocks (101, 102, 103), each of the functional blocks (101, 102, 103) being coupled between a first power supply line (110) and a second power supply line (120). A first functional block (101) is coupled to the first power supply line (110) via a first conductive path including a first switch (131) and a second functional block (102) is coupled to the first power supply line (110) via a second conductive path including a second switch (132), the first switch (131) and the second switch (132) being arranged to respectively disconnect the first functional block (101) and the second functional block (102) from the first power supply line (110) for switching said functional blocks (101, 102) from an active mode to a standby mode.

Abstract: A flash analog-to-digital converter comprises a resistive string powered by a reference voltage source for providing a set of equidistant reference voltages and a set of comparators for comparing the analog input signal with the reference voltages. A set of switches are arranged and controlled to perform an algorithm for mitigating the influence of mismatches between the components. The switches are arranged between the reference voltage source and the resistive string so that switches in the reference inputs to the comparators are avoided. The resistive string is preferably circular. The converter can handle differential signals.

Abstract: A method (100) is disclosed for communicating data over a data communication bus (310) comprising a first conductor (312) and a set of further conductors (314). The method (300) comprises providing the first conductor (312) with a first signal transition (210) for signalling the start of a first data communication period (T1); and providing a further conductor (314), after a predefined delay with respect to the provision of the first signal transition (210), with a delayed signal transition (220), the predefined delay defining a first data value. Consequently, the method of the present invention provides a data encoding technique for data communication over a bus that requires less switching activity than other encoding techniques such as pulse width modulation encoding. The present invention further discloses a data communication device (400), a data reception device (500) and a system (300) including these devices, all implementing various aspects of the aforementioned method.

Abstract: A flash analog-to-digital converter comprises a resistive string powered by a reference voltage source for providing a set of equidistant reference voltages and a set of comparators for comparing the analog input signal with the reference voltages. A set of switches are arranged and controlled to perform an algorithm for mitigating the influence of mismatches between the components. The switches are arranged between the reference voltage source and the resistive string so that switches in the reference inputs to the comparators are avoided. The resistive string is preferably circular. The converter can handle differential signals.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (10) comprises a plurality of functional blocks (101, 102, 103), each of the functional blocks (101, 102, 103) being coupled between a first power supply line (110) and a second power supply line (120). A first functional block (101) is coupled to the first power supply line (110) via a first conductive path including a first switch (131) and a second functional block (102) is coupled to the first power supply line (110) via a second conductive path including a second switch (132), the first switch (131) and the second switch (132) being arranged to respectively disconnect the first functional block (101) and the second functional block (102) from the first power supply line (110) for switching said functional blocks (101; 102) from an active mode to a standby mode.

Abstract: As technology scales, on-chip interconnects are becoming narrower, and the height of such interconnects is not scaling linearly with the width. This leads to an increase of coupling capacitance with neighboring wires, leading to higher crosstalk. It also leads to poor performance due to poor RC response at the receiving of the wire, which may even result in failure in very noisy environments. An adaptive threshold scheme is proposed in which receiver switching thresholds are adjusted according to the detected noise in bus lines. These noise levels are dependent on both the front-end processing (transistor performance) as well as on the backend processing (metal resistance, capacitance, width and spacing). The circuit therefore automatically compensates for process variations.

Abstract: A clamper circuit for receiving an input signal from a victim wire, the clamper circuit being capable of receiving aggressor signals from aggressor wires, the aggressor wires being the signal wires that can potentially induce crosstalk on the victim wire and an output signal being selectively enabled based on the logic states of the input signal and the aggressor signals, the clamper circuit also being capable of accelerating the switching of the victim wire when an opposite transition occurs on the aggressors and victim wire at the same time, so as to thereby reduce worst case delay and improve the signal integrity.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (300) has a regular grid formed by substantially identical building blocks (100a-i). To avoid possible routing conflicts around the edges of the integrated circuit (300), which can be introduced by the use of a single type of an asymmetric building block, the integrated circuit (300) is extended with routing cells (200) that provide routing at the edges of the grid that are uncovered by the routing networks of the building blocks (100a-i). The routing cells (200) and the switch cell (250) are combined with a first routing structure (330) and a second routing structure (340) to form a routing network (280) surrounding the grid of the integrated circuit (300). Consequently, an integrated circuit (300) is presented that comprises only a single type of building block (100a-i) but still has a fully symmetric routing architecture.

Abstract: An electronic data processing circuit uses current mode signalling on a communication conductor, wherein a receiver supplies current to the communication conductor to try and keep a voltage on the conductor constant and measures the current that is needed to do so. A transition coding circuit is coupled between a data source circuit and the communication conductor, for driving the communication conductor in a first state in pulses in response to transitions in the logic signal and in a second state outside the pulses. The level that is used for indicating no change is selected so the current that needs to be supplied by the receiver is smaller when no change is signalled than when a change is signalled. Preferably only a nearly zero quiescent current is needed when there is no change.

Abstract: A buffer circuit (31), for example a repeater or receiver circuit for a signal wire of an on-chip bus, receives an input signal, and produces an output signal. The buffer circuit (31) comprises a first inverting stage (7) and a second inverter stage (9). The second inverting stage (9) provides the drive for the output (5). The first inverting stage (7) has additional circuitry (15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29) for controlling the strengths of the pull up path and the pull down path. The pull up/down paths are dynamically controlled according to the status of one or more aggressor signals. In one embodiment the switching threshold is lowered only in the worst case delay scenario, i.e. when the signal wire (3) is at a different logic level to the aggressor signals. In another embodiment, the switching threshold is raised when the signal wire and aggressor signals are all at the same logic level, thereby reducing crosstalk.

Abstract: A clamper circuit (1) receives an input signal (3) from the signal wire being clamped, i.e. the victim wire. The clamper circuit (1) also receives aggressor signals (5, 7) from aggressor wires, the aggressor wires being the signal wires that can potentially induce crosstalk on the victim wire. An output signal (9), for clamping the victim wire, is selectively enabled based on the logic states of the input signal (3) and the aggressor signals (5, 7). In addition to selectively providing a clamping signal, the clamper circuit (1) also has the advantage of accelerating the switching of the victim wire when an opposite transition occurs on the aggressors and victim wire at the same time, thereby reducing worst case delay and improving the signal integrity.

Abstract: As technology scales, on-chip interconnects are becoming narrower, and the height of such interconnects is not scaling linearly with the width. This leads to an increase of coupling capacitance with neighboring wires, leading to higher crosstalk. It also leads to poor performance due to poor RC response at the receiving of the wire, which may even result in failure in very noisy environments. An adaptive threshold scheme is proposed in which receiver switching thresholds are adjusted according to the detected noise in bus lines. These noise levels are dependent on both the front-end processing (transistor performance) as well as on the backend processing (metal resistance, capacitance, width and spacing). The circuit therefore automatically compensates for process variations.

Abstract: An electronic data processing circuit uses current mode signalling on a communication conductor, wherein a receiver supplies current to the communication conductor to try and keep a voltage on the conductor constant and measures the current that is needed to do so. A transition coding circuit is coupled between a data source circuit and the communication conductor, for driving the communication conductor in a first state in pulses in response to transitions in the logic signal and in a second state outside the pulses. The level that is used for indicating no change is selected so the current that needs to be supplied by the receiver is smaller when no change is signalled than when a change is signalled. Preferably only a nearly zero quiescent current is needed when there is no change.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (300) has a regular grid formed by substantially identical building blocks (100a-i). To avoid possible routing conflicts around the edges of the integrated circuit (300), which can be introduced by the use of a single type of an asymmetric building block, the integrated circuit (300) is extended with routing cells (200) that provide routing at the edges of the grid that are uncovered by the routing networks of the building blocks (100a-i). The routing cells (200) and the switch cell (250) are combined with a first routing structure (330) and a second routing structure (340) to form a routing network (280) surrounding the grid of the integrated circuit (300). Consequently, an integrated circuit (300) is presented that comprises only a single type of building block (100a-i) but still has a fully symmetric routing architecture.