Abstract: An adaptive output driver circuit utilizes an initial point matched impedance model to match the impedance of an output driver to the transmission line and produce an initial step voltage into the transmission line that is half of the desired final voltage. The driver output impedance is controlled by comparing a model of the actual working output stage to a target resistance given by the user. Control signals used to calibrate the impedance of the model to match the target are also used to adjust the working output buffer, so that when the impedance of the model matches the target, the impedance of the working buffer also matches the target impedance.

Abstract: An inverter receives an energizing voltage with a particular magnitude (e.g. 1.5 V) at a first terminal and produces the voltage at a second terminal. The received and produced voltages are differentially introduced to a stage which produces a single-ended bias voltage (e.g. 3 V) related to the second terminal voltage. The bias voltage is servoed to regulate the second terminal voltage (e.g. 1.5 V) and the bias voltage (e.g. 3 V) regardless of energizing voltage variations. In response to the bias voltage and a variable input voltage, a pass transistor in a buffer produces a first control voltage different from the bias voltage by the pass transistor threshold voltage for input voltages greater than the bias voltage less the pass transistor threshold. The first control voltage corresponds to the input voltage for input voltages less than the bias voltage less the pass transistor threshold.

Abstract: An inverter receives an energizing voltage with a particular magnitude (e.g. 1.5 V) at a first terminal and produces the voltage at a second terminal. The received and produced voltages are differentially introduced to a stage which produces a single-ended bias voltage (e.g. 3 V) related to the second terminal voltage. The bias voltage is servoed to regulate the second terminal voltage (e.g. 1.5 V) and the bias voltage (e.g. 3 V) regardless of energizing voltage variations. In response to the bias voltage and a variable input voltage, a pass transistor in a buffer produces a first control voltage different from the bias voltage by the pass transistor threshold voltage for input voltages greater than the bias voltage less the pass transistor threshold. The first control voltage corresponds to the input voltage for input voltages less than the bias voltage less the pass transistor threshold.

Abstract: An inverter receives an energizing voltage with a particular magnitude (e.g. 1.5 V) at a first terminal and produces the voltage at a second terminal. The received and produced voltages are differentially introduced to a stage which produces a single-ended bias voltage (e.g. 3 V) related to the second terminal voltage. The bias voltage is servoed to regulate the second terminal voltage (e.g. 1.5 V) and the bias voltage (e.g. 3 V) regardless of energizing voltage variations. In response to the bias voltage and a variable input voltage, a pass transistor in a buffer produces a first control voltage different from the bias voltage by the pass transistor threshold voltage for input voltages greater than a value equal to the bias voltage less the pass transistor threshold, and corresponding to the input voltage for input voltages less than the bias voltage less the pass transistor threshold.

Abstract: First and second transistors respectively receive differential input signals each having first and second logic levels and respectively produce resultant currents dependent upon the levels of the input signals. The transistors may be CMOS transistors of the n-type with substantially identical characteristics. The input signals may be introduced to the gates of these transistors and the resultant currents may be produced at the drains of these transistors. Third and fourth transistors may receive the resultant currents. The third and fourth transistors may be CMOS transistors of the n-type with substantially identical characteristics. The resultant voltage at the first transistor may be introduced in a modified form to the third and fourth transistors to regulate the resultant voltage introduced to the third transistor and to expedite the response of the fourth transistor.

Abstract: Three delay lines may have common characteristics. The first delay line delays the rising edge of an input signal and a first inverter inverts this signal to provide a falling edge. A second inverter inverts the rising edge of the input signal to produce a falling edge which is introduced to the second delay line in a second path with the second inverter. The signals from the two paths may be introduced to a comparator which produces a control signal having logic levels dependent upon the relative times that the falling edges occur for the signals in the two paths. For example, the control signal may have the first logic level when the falling edge occurs first in the first path and the control signal may have the second logic level when the falling edge occurs first in the second path. The voltage from a charge pump is adjusted in accordance with the logic level of the control signal.

Abstract: A system for regulating an output voltage to a particular value includes a control transistor which produces an output voltage when energized by an energizing voltage. A voltage divider formed as by a pair of transistors with a particular ratio of transconductances divides the magnitude of this output voltage by a ratio related to the ratio of the transconductances. The transistors in the voltage divider may be respectively CMOS n- and p- transistors. The divided output voltage is introduced to a comparator (formed as from a pair of transistors) for comparison with a fixed reference voltage obtained as from a resistance ladder energized by the energizing voltage. The comparator introduces voltages to a comparator amplifier in accordance with such comparison. The comparator amplifier may include a transistor which produces changes in a current related to changes in the divided output voltage.

Abstract: An enhancement mode field effect transistor and a depletion mode field effect transistor are connected in a circuit to provide for a conductivity of the transistors during a first polarity in an alternating voltage and to provide for a non-conductivity of the transistors during a second polarity in the alternating voltage. The circuit also provides for the continued and proper operation of the circuit even when voltages having a magnitude greater than the breakdown voltage of the enhancement mode field effect transistor are applied to the circuit. Each of the transistors may have a source, a gate and a drain. The gates of the transistors receive an alternating voltage of one polarity at the same time that the drain of the depletion mode field effect transistor receives a voltage of the opposite polarity. The source of the depletion mode field effect transistor and the drain of the enhancement mode field effect transistor are common.

Abstract: A substantially constant current is divided between two lines in accordance with the relative values of an input voltage and a reference voltage respectively introduced to such lines. The currents through the first and second lines respectively charge first and second capacitances. The charges in the first and second capacitances respectively control the magnitudes of the currents flowing through first and second control members to charge the first and second capacitances. The control members are interconnected so that any difference between the flow of current through the control members and the associated capacitances between magnified. When the charge in an individual one of the capacitances reaches a particular value, a signal on an output terminal associated with the other capacitance changes from the first magnitude to a second magnitude. During this time, the signal associated with the first capacitance remains at substantially the first magnitude.

Abstract: A variable input voltage is periodically introduced in first time periods to an amplifier such as a differential amplifier to obtain an output from the amplifier. The amplifier may receive a reference voltage at one input terminal and the input voltage at a second input terminal in the first time periods. The input to the amplifier is periodically shorted in second time periods alternating with the first time periods so that the reference voltage is applied to both input terminals. Any offset voltage from the amplifier in the second time period may be converted to a binary signal to indicate the polarity of the offset voltage. The binary signal may be introduced to a storage member such as a capacitance. The capacitance accumulates energy in accordance with the characteristics of the binary signal in successive ones of the second time periods. The energy in the capacitance is introduced to the output terminals of the amplifier in a direction to compensate for the offset voltage in the amplifier.

Abstract: The device refreshes the cells of an array of dynamic memory cells a row at a time during precharging of the bit or column lines. Normal access to read or write to the cells also refreshes them. Refresh circuits connect to the row line between the row address decoder and the cells, and include shift register stages connected to the row lines. A bit of one sense shifting through the stages indicates the row to be refreshed and a refresh signal connected to the stages times the refresh during the precharge. Using multiple, sequential refresh signals refreshes alternating rows of the cells.

Abstract: A generator circuit for producing a negative bias voltage on a substrate for a semiconductor device employs a multistage on-chip oscillator driving individul charge pump circuits for each stage. The oscillator may produce a frequency related to the value of the negative bias, using a feedback circuit. Each of the charge pump circuits includes a capacitor and an MOS diode coupled to the substrate and another diode coupled to the ground terminal of the supply.

Abstract: A substrate pump circuit for generating a negative bias on the substrate of a semiconductor device employs a capacitor coupling an oscillator output to a pump node, and MOS diodes coupling the pump node to a ground terminal and to the substrate node; the MOS diode for the substrate node is reconfigured as an active switch, controlled by a complementary pump circuit. This circuit allows transfer of more charge from the pumping capacitor to the substrate capacitance on each pump cycle. Also, pumped charge is delivered directly to the substrate through ohmic connections, rather than through forward biased injecting junctions.

Abstract: An external I/O pull down latch and a system embodiment thereof. The interface system has a bus line including of a first means for providing an output at a fixed voltage level on said bus line for a first time interval, and a second means coupled to said bus line for maintaining the bus line at the fixed voltage level subsequent to the first time interval. In the preferred embodiment, the second means is comprised of said external I/O pull down latch. The present invention is a replacement for traditional pull up or pull down resistors in controlling I/O bus lines coupling main processor circuits with external memory circuits. In the preferred embodiment, the external I/O pull down latch is comprised of a read-write memory bit cell, sized such that it may be overdriven by any driver attached to the bus line.

Abstract: A method of designing and manufacturing a modular integrated circuit for a 4 bit microcomputer family utilizing a modular concept which is adaptable for a variety of applications and specific circuit desgins. The modular circuit is designed as a large block of cells which contains an ALU, instruction decoder, bus structure and a small amount of RAM and ROM as well as ROM control logic. In addition, the block contains attachment points for additional ROM and RAM and for special input/output devices such as I/O bus, timekeeping, A-D, D-A, display drive, communication ports and general purpose control lines.

Abstract: An improved CMOS device and method of making it are provided which utilize basically the standard N-channel self-aligned silicon gate structure and process (with implants for self-alignment), modified to include P-channel transistors and to allow three levels of interconnects. A P-type substrate is used as the starting material, with an N-type tank formed for the P-channel transistor. The source and drain regions, N+ or P+, are defined prior to the polycrystalline silicon gate; thus the source and drain may run under polysilicon. Self-aligning implants after the polysilicon is defined produce the advantages of self-aligned gates.

Abstract: An improved MOS device and method of making it are provided which utilize basically the standard N-chanel self-aligned silicon gate structure and process with implants for self-alignment, modified to allow three levels of interconnects. A P-type substrate is used as the starting material, with N+ source and drain regions defined prior to a polycrystalline silicon gate; thus the source and drain may run under polysilicon. Self-aligning implants after the polysilicon is defined produce the advantages of self-aligned gates.

Abstract: Disclosed is a memory system for storing digital data; the memory system of the type which may be implemented, for instance, in an electronic microprocessor or calculator system. The memory comprises an array of transistor memory cells arranged in columns and rows. Column conductors are provided for supplying digital information to each column of such cells and row conductors are provided for enabling each row of cells to store digital information being received on the column conductors. A commutator is provided for successively supplying enabling signals to the row conductors and another commutator is provided for successfully connecting the column conductors with an input/output bus in the memory system. The provision of the commutators with the array of memory cells causes the data, when stored as a word of data, to occupy a register arranged in essentially a diagonal pattern through the array.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit for generating a substrate bias for MOS/LSI integrated circuit chips is provided, preferably for P-channel integrated circuits. The charge pump circuit includes an osicllator producing a square wave which is applied to a reference circuit that is also responsive to a threshold voltage Vt monitor. The reference circuit applies to a pump diode a square wave having a level responsive to the supply and thresholds. A zero voltage drop source follower connects the square wave to the diode to avoid loading. The threshold monitor forces the square wave to a high level when the threshold is below a certain value.

Abstract: A detector circuit for MOS/LSI integrated circuit devices comprises a series transistor which has a sense clock applied to its gate and a gated capacitor connected between the gate and a sense node. The sense node and an input node may be precharged to a level at or near the supply. During the sense clock, the input and sense nodes are shunted together by the series transistor. If at the logic level of the supply, the gated capacitor is off and does not affect the circuit; if the input node decays toward the other logic level, the gated capacitor is on and the trailing edge of the sense clock causes the sense node to be switched to a full logic level.