Abstract: An apparatus including a plurality of first base circuits, a plurality of second base circuits, a first test circuit, a second test circuit, and a test path. The plurality of first base circuits may be coupled to the plurality of second base circuits via one or more base circuit paths on a layout. The first test circuit may be disposed in a first distal location of the layout. The second test circuit may be disposed in a second distal location of the layout. The test path may be configured to (i) couple the first test circuit to the second test circuit and (ii) generate a test time delay from the first test circuit to the second test circuit incrementally longer than a maximum time delay generated by any of the base circuit paths.

Abstract: A memory system for multiple processors includes a unified memory including a plurality of memory banks, and a memory controller coupled to the unified memory. The memory controller receives requests from the multiple processors, each of the requests including information of a memory address. The memory controller selects one of the memory banks by asserting a request signal only for a memory bank including the requested memory address, and provides the requesting processor with a requested memory operation on the selected memory bank.

Abstract: An apparatus generally having a register, an adder circuit and a mask circuit is disclosed. The register may be configured to replace a current value with a new value in response to a clock value. The adder circuit may be configured to generate the new value by adding the current value to a delta value. The mask circuit may be configured to mask at least one value among the delta value, the new value and the clock value in response to a mask value having a plurality of bits.

Abstract: A transmitter circuit improves a noise margin for decoding a common mode signal at a receiver circuit. The transmitter circuit includes a common mode signal transmitter and a noise margin enhancement circuit coupled to a transmission line. The common mode signal transmitter transmits a control message using a common mode signal. The common mode signal has a first voltage level and a second voltage level higher than the first voltage level, and the control message corresponds to a portion of the common mode signal having the first voltage level. The noise margin enhancement circuit raises a voltage level of the common mode signal to a third voltage level higher than the second voltage level for a specific time period from a rising edge of the common mode signal from the first voltage level.

Abstract: An apparatus generally having a register, an adder circuit and a mask circuit is disclosed. The register may be configured to replace a current value with a new value in response to a clock value. The adder circuit may be configured to generate the new value by adding the current value to a delta value. The mask circuit may be configured to mask at least one value among the delta value, the new value and the clock value in response to a mask value having a plurality of bits.

Abstract: A cache controller with an improved cache memory refill operation is presented. After a request from a CPU for a word of information and the word is not found in the cache memory, the cache controller starts a refill operation by which a line of information including the requested word is loaded into the cache memory from a main memory. The cache controller keeps track of the CPU requests. When a requested word appears during the refill operation, the CPU is notified to load the requested word as the word is loaded into the cache memory. Furthermore, the cache controller efficiently takes advantage of free cycles in the refill operation. If the CPU has requested a word in the cache memory, the cache controller reads the word from the cache memory so the CPU can load the word during a free cycle.