Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with a first circuit block BLK1, a second circuit block DRV1 and a conversion circuit MIO1 for connecting the first circuit block to the second circuit block. The first circuit block includes a first mode for applying a supply voltage and a second mode for shutting off the supply voltage. The conversion circuit is provided with a function for maintaining the potential of an input node of the second circuit block at an operation potential, thereby suppressing a penetrating current flow when the first circuit block is in the second mode. The conversion circuit (MIO1 to MIO4) are commonly used for connecting circuit blocks.

Abstract: A scan chain configuration and a control method for the same are provided, which are optimized for the leakage current reduction technique by a vector input in SoC in which many functional blocks are mounted. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes: plural power domains (Area1-AreaN) which have plural functional blocks; power switches (PSW1-PSWN) which can supply a power source for operation to the power domains; a scan chain provided for every power domain, and a memory unit (VEC) which supplies, to a scan chain, a vector to enable shifting to a low-leakage state. By re-coupling the scan chain only to a non-operating functional block, it is possible to perform shifting to a low-leakage state for a short time.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device which consumes less power and enables real-time processing. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes thermal sensors which detect temperature and determine whether the detection result exceeds reference values and output the result, and a control block capable of controlling the operations of arithmetic blocks based on the output signals of the thermal sensors. The control block returns to an operation state from a suspended state with an interrupt signal based on the output signals of the thermal sensors and determines the operation conditions of the arithmetic blocks to ensure that the temperature conditions of the arithmetic blocks are satisfied. Thereby, power consumption is reduced and real-time processing efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is constituted to include a circuit block having a predetermined function, a power switch capable of supplying an operating power to the circuit block, and a current measuring circuit for obtaining a current flowing to the circuit block based on a voltage between terminals of the power switch in a state in which the power switch is turned on and an on-resistance of the power switch. The current flowing to the circuit block is obtained based on the voltage between terminals of the power switch in the state in which the power switch is turned on and the on-resistance of the power switch. Thus, it is possible to measure a current of the circuit block in a state in which a chip is normally operated.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device including an I/O circuitry capable of low-voltage high-speed operation at low cost is provided. In the I/O circuitry, when an I/O voltage (for example, 3.3 V) is lowered to a predetermined voltage (for example, 1.8 V), portions causing a speed deterioration are a level conversion unit and a pre-buffer unit for driving a main large-sized buffer. In view of this, a high voltage is applied to a level up converter and a pre-buffer circuit. By doing so, it is possible to achieve an I/O circuitry capable of low-voltage high-speed operation at low cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sense circuit for DRAM memory cell to cover the events that a sense time becomes remarkably longer when a power source voltage is lowered, a sense time under the low voltage condition becomes shorter when temperature rises and a sense time changes to a large extent for fluctuation of processes. The present invention provides the following typical effects. A switch means is provided between the bit line BL and local bit line LBL connected to the memory cells for isolation and coupling of these bit lines. The bit line BL is precharged to the voltage of VDL/2, while the local bit line LBL is precharged to the voltage of VDL. The VDL is the maximum amplitude voltage of the bit line BL. A sense amplifier SA comprises a first circuit including a differential MOS pair having the gate connected to the bit line BL and a second circuit connected to the local bit line LBL for full amplitude amplification and for holding the data.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit wherein low-threshold-voltage and high-threshold-voltage transistors are disposed mixedly, the operating speed of each transistor can be properly controlled in speed control execution through regulation of a power supply voltage VDD. The semiconductor integrated circuit comprises an internal circuit and measuring circuits. The internal circuit comprises a low-threshold-voltage MOS transistor and a high-threshold-voltage MOS transistor, and the degree of threshold voltage variation of the low-threshold-voltage MOS transistor is larger than the degree of threshold voltage variation of the high-threshold-voltage MOS transistor. The measuring circuit detects which one of fast, typical, and slow states is taken by both the low-threshold-voltage MOS transistor and the high-threshold-voltage MOS transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device which consumes less power and enables real-time processing. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes thermal sensors which detect temperature and determine whether the detection result exceeds reference values and output the result, and a control block capable of controlling the operations of arithmetic blocks based on the output signals of the thermal sensors. The control block returns to an operation state from a suspended state with an interrupt signal based on the output signals of the thermal sensors and determines the operation conditions of the arithmetic blocks to ensure that the temperature conditions of the arithmetic blocks are satisfied. Thereby, power consumption is reduced and real-time processing efficiency is improved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sense circuit for DRAM memory cell to cover the events that a sense time becomes remarkably longer when a power source voltage is lowered, a sense time under the low voltage condition becomes shorter when temperature rises and a sense time changes to a large extent for fluctuation of processes. The present invention provides the following typical effects. A switch means is provided between the bit line BL and local bit line LBL connected to the memory cells for isolation and coupling of these bit lines. The bit line BL is precharged to the voltage of VDL/2, while the local bit line LBL is precharged to the voltage of VDL. The VDL is the maximum amplitude voltage of the bit line BL. A sense amplifier SA comprises a first circuit including a differential MOS pair having the gate connected to the bit line BL and a second circuit connected to the local bit line LBL for full amplitude amplification and for holding the data.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit is constituted to include a circuit block having a predetermined function, a power switch capable of supplying an operating power to the circuit block, and a current measuring circuit for obtaining a current flowing to the circuit block based on a voltage between terminals of the power switch in a state in which the power switch is turned on and an on-resistance of the power switch. The current flowing to the circuit block is obtained based on the voltage between terminals of the power switch in the state in which the power switch is turned on and the on-resistance of the power switch. Thus, it is possible to measure a current of the circuit block in a state in which a chip is normally operated.

Abstract: Logic LSI includes first power domains PD1 to PD4, thick-film power switches SW1 to SW4, and power switch controllers PSWC1 to PSWC4. The thick-film power switches are formed by thick-film power transistors manufactured in a process common to external input/output circuits I/O. The first power domains include second power domains SPD11 to SPD42 including logic blocks, control circuit blocks SCB1 to SCB4, and thin-film power switches SWN11 to SWN42 that are connected to the thick-film power switches via virtual ground lines VSSM1 to VSSM4, and formed by thin-film power transistors manufactured in a process common to the logic blocks. In this way, power switches having different thickness of gate insulating films from one another are vertically stacked so as to be in a hierarchical structure, and each power switch is individually controlled by a power switch controller and a control circuit block correspondingly to each mode.

Abstract: There is a need to ensure operation performance of a circuit region under DVFS control at low costs and highly precisely while a power-supply voltage change is made to the region. A first circuit (FVA) uses a first power-supply voltage (VDDA) for operation. A second circuit (NFVA) uses a second power-supply voltage (VDDB) for operation. A clock delay may be adjusted between paths for transmitting a clock to these circuits. When VDDA equals VDDB, a clock is distributed to FVA through a path that does not contain a delay device for phase adjustment. When the power-supply voltage for the FVA region is reduced, a clock is distributed to the FVA region based on a phase equivalent to one or two cycles of the clock displaced. Synchronization control is provided to synchronize clocks (CKAF and CKBF) and ensures operation so that a phase of two clocks to be compared fits in a range of design values while the power-supply voltage for the first circuit is changed.

Abstract: In a configuration provided with, for example, sixty four pieces of processor cores, an on-chip-memory, a bus commonly connected thereto, and others, the processor cores are operated by a power supply with low voltage and a clock with low frequency, and the bus is operated by a power supply with high voltage and a clock with high frequency. Each of the processor cores is provided with a bus interface and a frequency divider in order to absorb a power supply voltage difference and a frequency difference between the bus and each of them. The frequency divider generates the clock with low frequency from the clock with high frequency, and the bus interface is provided with a level shifting function, a data width converting function, a hand shaking function between the bus and the bus interface, and the like.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a control signal system for avoiding failure to check an indefinite signal propagation prevention circuit, for facilitating a check included in an automated tool, and for facilitating a power shutdown control inside a chip. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, power shutdown priorities are provided by independent power domains (Area A to Area I). A method for preventing a power domain having a lower priority from being turned OFF when a circuit having a high priority is turned ON is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with a first circuit block BLK1, a second circuit block DRV1 and a conversion circuit MIO1 for connecting the first circuit block to the second circuit block. The first circuit block includes a first mode for applying a supply voltage and a second mode for shutting off the supply voltage. The conversion circuit is provided with a function for maintaining the potential of an input node of the second circuit block at an operation potential, thereby suppressing a penetrating current flow when the first circuit block is in the second mode. The conversion circuit (MIO1 to MIO4) are commonly used for connecting circuit blocks.

Abstract: A body bias control system allows for independent design of a functional module, thereby reducing the burden of designing the module. The body bias control system provides a switch circuit having an area in which the body bias is controlled independently of its outside portion, for controlling the supply of body bias in the vicinity of the area. Preferably three types of switches are provided for switching the body bias to suitable levels for a standby mode, a mode of normal operation and a mode of high-speed operation.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with a first circuit block BLK1, a second circuit block DRV1 and a conversion circuit MIO1 for connecting the first circuit block to the second circuit block. The first circuit block includes a first mode for applying a supply voltage and a second mode for shutting off the supply voltage. The conversion circuit is provided with a function for maintaining the potential of an input node of the second circuit block at an operation potential, thereby suppressing a penetrating current flow when the first circuit block is in the second mode. The conversion circuit (MIO1 to MIO4) are commonly used for connecting circuit blocks.

Abstract: In a low power consumption mode in which prior data is retained upon power shutdown, the return speed thereof is increased. While use of an existent data retaining flip-flop may be considered, this is not preferred since it increases area overhead such as enlargement of the size of a cell. A power line for data retention for power shutdown is formed with wirings finer than a usual main power line. Preferably, power lines for a data retention circuit are considered as signal lines and wired by automatic placing and mounting. For this purpose, terminals for the power line for data retention are previously designed by providing the terminals therefore for the cell in the same manner as in the existent signal lines. Additional layout for power lines is no longer necessary for the cell, which enables a decrease in the area and design by an existent placing and routing tool.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device having a control signal system for avoiding failure to check an indefinite signal propagation prevention circuit, for facilitating a check included in an automated tool, and for facilitating a power shutdown control inside a chip. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, power shutdown priorities are provided by independent power domains (Area A to Area I). A method for preventing a power domain having a lower priority from being turned OFF when a circuit having a high priority is turned ON is also provided.

Abstract: Logic LSI includes first power domains PD1 to PD4, thick-film power switches SW1 to SW4, and power switch controllers PSWC1 to PSWC4. The thick-film power switches are formed by thick-film power transistors manufactured in a process common to external input/output circuits I/O. The first power domains include second power domains SPD11 to SPD42 including logic blocks, control circuit blocks SCB1 to SCB4, and thin-film power switches SWN11 to SWN42 that are connected to the thick-film power switches via virtual ground lines VSSM1 to VSSM4, and formed by thin-film power transistors manufactured in a process common to the logic blocks. In this way, power switches having different thickness of gate insulating films from one another are vertically stacked so as to be in a hierarchical structure, and each power switch is individually controlled by a power switch controller and a control circuit block correspondingly to each mode.