Clocking Or Synchronizing Of Logic Stages Or Gates Patents (Class 326/93)
  • Patent number: 9471125
    Abstract: A microcoded processor that uses microinstructions to reduce power consumption utilizing low power consumption registers to store most recently retrieved data from a high power consumption control store; a control store in combination with an indirect register file to provide the micro-orders necessary for operation of the microcoded processor without extending the size of the microinstruction; and a microcode driven single clock cycle control to turn off circuitry when not needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Gee, Steven E. Koenck, David W. Jensen, Allen P. Mass, Jeffrey D. Russell, Bradley A. Walker
  • Patent number: 9465405
    Abstract: A source clock signal is received from a primary semiconductor device by a secondary semiconductor device via an interconnect. A local clock signal is generated on the secondary semiconductor device based on the source clock signal. A mode control signal is generated on the secondary semiconductor device, where the mode control signal indicates one of an unlock mode of operation and a lock mode of operation of the secondary semiconductor device. A physical interface (PHY) clock signal is generated based on the local clock signal, where the PHY clock signal includes the local clock signal during the lock mode, and the PHY clock signal includes an inverted version of the local clock signal during the unlock mode. Data received from the primary semiconductor device via the interconnect is latched at a positive edge of the PHY clock signal during the unlock mode and the lock mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Miller, David D. Barrera, Michael E. Gladden
  • Patent number: 9450584
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first circuit applying an enable signal having a first logic level and a clock signal having the first logic level, supplying a first voltage to a first node and converting a voltage level of the first node into a second logic level different from the first logic level, and a second circuit applying an enable signal having the second logic level and a clock signal having the first logic level, supplying a second voltage to a second node different from the first node and converting a voltage level of the second node into the second logic level. The second circuit includes an operation circuit performing a NAND operation on the logic level of the enable signal and the voltage level of the second node, and a switch turned on in response to an output of the operation circuit and supplying the second voltage to the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Min-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 9443462
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of display technique. There provides a gate driving circuit, a gate line driving method and a display device being capable of solving a technical problem of bad display caused by the interrupt of scanning signals in the time-sharing driven touch screen technology. The gate driving circuit includes multiple shift register units connected in series, a shift delay module being connected in series between j-th stage of shift register unit and (j+1)-th stage of shift register unit which are adjacent; wherein the shift delay module is connected to an output terminal of the j-th stage of shift register unit and an input terminal of the (j+1)-th stage of shift register unit and is further connected to the repeat output module; the repeat output module is connected to an output terminal of the (j?n+1)-th stage of shift register unit. The embodiments of the present disclosure are applied to the manufacture of a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiangdan Dong, Young Yik Ko, Weiyun Huang
  • Patent number: 9438256
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing data transfers from a first clock domain to a second clock domain includes sampling data from circuit included in the first clock domain. The clock signal from the first clock domain may then be synchronized to a clock signal from the second clock domain. The sampled data may then be captured using the clock signal from the second clock domain responsive to a detection of an edge of the synchronized first clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shane J. Keil, Gilbert H. Herbeck
  • Patent number: 9431131
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to components of a memory system that support timing-drift calibration. In specific embodiments, this memory system contains a memory device (or multiple devices) which includes a clock distribution circuit and an oscillator circuit which can generate a frequency, wherein a change in the frequency is indicative of a timing drift of the clock distribution circuit. The memory device also includes a measurement circuit which is configured to measure the frequency of the oscillator circuit. Additionally, the memory system contains a memory controller which can transmit a request to the memory device to trigger the memory device to measure the frequency of the oscillator circuit. The memory controller is also configured to receive the measured frequency from the memory device and uses the measured frequency to determine the timing drift in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Yohan U. Frans, Wayne F. Ellis, Akash Bansal
  • Patent number: 9430358
    Abstract: A program state definition comprises target values that correspond to problematic or unexpected output of a program. A debugger compares the target values of the program state definition to variable values of a program and stops execution of a program at a point where all target values are contained in variables of the program. By stopping execution of a program, the debugger allows a programmer to analyze the program at that point. Unlike a breakpoint, a program state definition is not tied to a specific line of code, variable, or function but, rather, has a scope of an entire program or a specified section of a program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: CA, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyle Lee Joseph Thayer
  • Patent number: 9425774
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus may include a data alignment block configured to convert parallel type data into rising data and falling data, and output the rising data and the falling data as serial type synchronous data. The semiconductor apparatus may include a driving control block configured to compare levels of respective bits of the serial type synchronous data, and generate a driving control signal. The semiconductor apparatus may include a data output driving block configured to change a driving force in response to the driving control signal, drive the serial type synchronous data with the driving force, and output an output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Noh Hyup Kwak
  • Patent number: 9405275
    Abstract: A device includes a delay line, a first readout circuit electrically connected to the delay line, a second readout circuit electrically connected to the delay line, and a phase interpolator electrically connected to the second readout circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jinn-Yeh Chien
  • Patent number: 9395698
    Abstract: A time to digital converter includes a mutual exclusion element and a sampling component. The mutual exclusion element is configured to receive a first clock and a second clock and to generate a first pulse and a second pulse. The mutual exclusion element is configured to drive the first pulse to a first logic state and the second pulse to a second logic state upon the first clock being earlier than the second clock and drive the second pulse to the first logic state and the first pulse to the second logic state upon the second clock being earlier than the first clock. The sampling component is configured to receive the first pulse and the second pulse and to generate a decision signal according to the first pulse and the second pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tsung-Yuan Tony Chang, Tseng-Yeng Robin Lo
  • Patent number: 9397666
    Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) includes clock-tree circuitry and protection circuitry. The clock-tree circuitry is configured to distribute a clock signal across the IC. The protection circuitry is clocked by multiple instances of the clock signal that are sampled at multiple sampling points in the clock-tree circuitry, and is configured to detect a fault in the clock-tree circuitry in response to an abnormality in one or more of the instances of the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nir Tasher
  • Patent number: 9362911
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to leakage current reduction in integrated circuits (ICs). In one aspect, an IC can include a digital logic circuit and a polarization circuit. The digital logic circuit can have a plurality of inputs and can include a plurality of logic gates. The polarization circuit can receive a standby signal and a digital input signal comprising a plurality of bits. When the standby signal is deactivated, the polarization circuit can control the plurality of inputs of the digital logic circuit based on the digital input signal. However, when the standby signal is activated the polarization circuit can control the plurality of inputs of the digital logic circuit to a low power state associated with a smaller leakage current of the plurality of logic gates relative to at least one other state of the digital logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Christophe Vincent Antoine Laurent
  • Patent number: 9360921
    Abstract: In a system large-scale integration (LSI) including a plurality of subsystems having a power shutdown mechanism, sometimes instantaneous power consumption of the LSI intensively increases at timing of supplying a clock for initialization due to a shift of a power mode of a subsystem. After power supply starts to return to a first subsystem and a second subsystem, an increase in power consumption during initialization is distributed by desynchronizing timing of clock supply to start initialization for the first subsystem and the second subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuya Kayama
  • Patent number: 9354658
    Abstract: An apparatus for synchronizing a signal from a first clock domain into a second clock domain is disclosed. The apparatus may include circuitry, a synchronization circuit, and a clock gate circuit. The circuitry may de-assert a first enable signal dependent upon a first clock signal. The synchronization circuit may generate a second enable signal synchronized to a second clock signal and may de-assert the second enable signal in response to de-asserting the first enable signal. The clock gate circuit may generate a third clock signal dependent upon the second clock signal, and may disable the third clock signal responsive to de-asserting the second enable signal. The circuitry may further disable the second clock signal in response to determining a predetermined period of time has elapsed since de-asserting the first enable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Erik P. Machnicki, Shane J. Keil
  • Patent number: 9348402
    Abstract: A processor having a multi-Vt critical path is provided that includes both low-Vt devices and high-Vt devices. If the processor is operating in a high performance mode, the multi-Vt critical path is controlled so as to use the low-Vt devices. Conversely, if the processor is operating in a low power mode, the multi-Vt critical path is controlled so as to use the high-Vt devices. In this fashion, the complication of multiple processing cores is avoided in that a single processor core can operate in both the high performance mode and in the low power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph Victor Zanotelli, Martin Saint-Laurent
  • Patent number: 9348357
    Abstract: A stitchable clock mesh, a dual operation mode method, and a master clock stratum are provided for a 3D chip stack. The stitchable clock mesh includes at least one clock mesh, on each of the two or more strata, having a plurality of sectors for providing a global clock signal. The stitchable clock mesh further includes mesh data sensors, on each of the two or more strata, for collecting mesh data for the at least one mesh. The mesh data includes measured functional data and measured performance data for a current system configuration. The stitchable clock mesh further includes mesh segmentation and joining circuitry for selectively performing a segmentation operation or a joining operation on the least one mesh or one or more portions thereof responsive to the mesh data and the current system configuration selectable from a plurality of system target configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
  • Patent number: 9344087
    Abstract: A clock tree unit cell circuit includes a first input terminal configured to receive a clock signal from an upstream side of a clock tree; a first output terminal configured to output a clock signal to a downstream side of the clock tree; a second input terminal configured to receive a standby signal from the upstream side of the clock tree; a third input terminal configured to receive a standby signal from the downstream side of the clock tree; a logic circuit configured to perform a predetermined logical operation on the clock signal inputted to the first input terminal and output the clock signal to the first output terminal; and a control circuit that is connected to the second input terminal, the third input terminal, and an output control terminal of the logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasunori Tsukuda
  • Patent number: 9344066
    Abstract: A duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit includes a master delay line that receives an input clock and determines a period of the input clock. A calibration module is coupled to the master delay line and generates a calibration code based on a desired duty cycle and the period of the input clock. A slave delay line generates a delayed input clock based on the input clock and the calibration code. A clock generation module generates an output clock, having the desired duty cycle, in response to the input clock and the delayed input clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Nagalinga Swamy Basayya Aremallapur
  • Patent number: 9337816
    Abstract: A delay circuit using a capacitor with an MOS structure as a delay component, includes a clamp circuit operating a clamp operation and a clamp release operation in response to levels of an input signal, the clamp circuit clamping a voltage applied to the capacitor to a specified charging initiation voltage during the clamp operation; a charging circuit charging the capacitor with a constant current when the clamp operation is released; and a delayed signal producing circuit producing a delayed signal when the voltage of the capacitor being charged reaches a voltage of a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masanari Fujii
  • Patent number: 9310828
    Abstract: A complementary output generator (COG) module generates at least two complementary outputs determined by rising and falling event sources. In a simple configuration of the COG module, the rising and falling event sources are the same signal which is a signal having the desired period and duty cycle. The COG module converts this single signal input into dual complementary outputs. The frequency and duty cycle of the dual outputs substantially match those of the single input signal. Blanking and deadband times may be introduced between the complementary outputs, and the dual complementary outputs may also be phase delayed. In addition the COG module may provide up to four outputs for controlling half and full-wave bridge power applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sean Stacy Steedman, Zeke Lundstrum, Cristian Nicolae Groza, Sebastian Dan Copacian, Hartono DArmawaskita
  • Patent number: 9305128
    Abstract: In an integrated circuit device, a power circuit for maintaining asserted values on an input output pin of the device when a functional block of the device is placed in a sleep mode. The device includes a power circuit disposed along the periphery of the device, the power circuit configured to maintain power when the device is placed in a low-power mode. A plurality of input output blocks are included in the device and are for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device. The power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tom Verbeure
  • Patent number: 9300294
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for integrated circuit clocking. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit system includes a plurality of combinational logic groups, each combinational logic group having a propagation time; and means for delaying a synchronizing clock signal supplied to at least one of the plurality of combinational logic groups based upon a period of the synchronizing clock signal and the propagation time of the at least one combinational logic group. In another embodiment, a method includes delaying a clock signal to produce a delayed clock signal and communicating the clock signal and the delayed clock signal to separate groups of the combinational logic circuit during a clock cycle that results in a reduction in power consumption by the combinational logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: East-West Innovation Corporation
    Inventors: Deanne Tran Vo, Thomas Jeffrey Bingel
  • Patent number: 9291674
    Abstract: A scan-testable integrated circuit includes first and second flip-flops. The first flip-flop includes first and second latches and the second flip-flop includes third and fourth latches and a logic circuit. During scan-shift mode of scan testing, the first flip-flop shifts a first bit of a test pattern into the second flip-flop. The first flip-flop then shifts a second bit of the test pattern into the second flip-flop. The logic circuit deactivates a clock signal provided to the third latch, which is a master latch, when the logic states of the first and second bits are equal. The output terminals of the third and fourth latches are retained at the logic state corresponding to the first bit, thereby reducing power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Sian Lu, Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 9270270
    Abstract: A clock-gating circuit is disclosed that may reduce unnecessary power consumption associated with clock distribution networks. For some embodiments, the clock-gating circuit includes a latch control circuit, a storage latch, and a logic gate. The control circuit has inputs to receive an input clock signal, a clock enable signal, and a clock gating control signal, and has an output terminal to generate a latch enable signal. The latch has a data terminal responsive to the clock enable signal, a latch enable terminal responsive to the latch enable signal, and an output to generate the clock gating control signal. The logic gate has inputs to receive the input clock signal and the clock gating control signal, and has an output terminal to generate an output clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yanfei Cai, Ji Li, Qiang Dai
  • Patent number: 9236031
    Abstract: Adjust a vertical blanking interval of a display horizontal synchronization signal, according to a difference between an external horizontal synchronization signal and the display horizontal synchronization signal, for synchronizing the display horizontal synchronization signal to the external horizontal synchronization signal. This only requires one or two frames to synchronize the display horizontal synchronization signal to the external horizontal synchronization signal, and will not cause the user to perceive display pauses or flickers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Wen Cho, Yung-Chih Wu
  • Patent number: 9225321
    Abstract: Signal synchronizing systems and methods are disclosed. A signal synchronizing system includes a sequential logic circuit to receive an input signal and to generate a plurality of intermediate signals from the input signal based on a clock signal. A logic circuit combines the intermediate signals to generate an output signal. A signal receiver includes a microcontroller and a signal synchronizer coupled to the microcontroller. The signal synchronizer includes a sequential logic circuit to receive an input signal from a transmitter and to generate a plurality of intermediate signals from the received input signal based on a clock signal. A logic circuit combines the intermediate signals to generate an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Ankur Bal, Anupam Jain
  • Patent number: 9172377
    Abstract: A method includes providing a first clock tree including a root clock and a plurality of levels of integrated clock gates (ICGs) under the root clock. The plurality of levels of ICGs in the first clock tree is flattened to generate a second clock tree including a plurality of ICGs in a same level under the root clock. A fake module is formed to reserve a region between the root clock and the plurality of ICGs. The fake module includes the root clock as a first input, and a first plurality of outputs coupled to clock-inputs of the plurality of ICGs. A skew balancing is performed on the second clock tree using a clock tree synthesis (CTS) tool to generate a third clock tree, wherein no buffers are inserted into the fake module, and wherein buffers are inserted by the CTS tool under the plurality of ICGs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ray Chih-Jui Peng
  • Patent number: 9142553
    Abstract: A 3D device, including: a first layer including first transistors, the first transistors interconnected by a first layer of interconnection; a second layer including second transistors, the second transistors overlaying the first layer of interconnection, where the first layer includes a first clock distribution structure, where the second layer includes a second clock distribution structure and a second clock origin, where the second clock origin is connected to the first clock distribution structure with a plurality of through layer vias, and where the second layer thickness is less than 1 micrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Zeev Wurman
  • Patent number: 9143086
    Abstract: Power-efficient resonant clock meshes and multiple frequency resonant clock distribution networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Matthew Guthaus
  • Patent number: 9116879
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to generating a customized classification rule execution order and to identifying optimal ordering rules for previously processed data. In an embodiment, a computer system fingerprints a message received via a computer network. The fingerprinting identifies specific characteristics of the message. The computer system compares the message's fingerprint to various stored message fingerprints generated from previously received messages. The comparison determines that the fingerprint does not match the stored fingerprints. The computer system applies classification rules to the message according to a predetermined rule execution order to determine a classification for the message. The computer system then generates a customized classification rule execution order to order those classification rules that optimally identified the message's class at the top of the customized classification rule execution order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mauktik H. Gandhi, Shashank Kavishwar, Charles W. Lamanna
  • Patent number: 9098659
    Abstract: A clock stretcher mechanism is provided for shifting a rising edge of a negative active global clock signal beyond a rising edge of a feedback path signal. A negative active global clock signal and a clock chopper signal are received in a base block. First base block circuitry modifies the clock chopper signal in order to form the feedback path signal. Second base block circuitry shifts the rising edge of the negative active global clock signal beyond the rising edge of the feedback path signal using a delay negative active global clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Osama Dengler, Thomas Froehnel, Juergen Pille, Rolf Sautter
  • Patent number: 9100016
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor circuit. The semiconductor circuit includes: an input node configured to receive an enable signal, scan enable signal, and a clock signal; and a clock gating circuit configured to output an enable clock signal corresponding to the clock signal while a signal level of the enable signal is at a first level regardless of a signal level of the scan enable signal, when the semiconductor circuit is in a high-voltage mode, and output an enable clock signal corresponding to the clock signal while a signal level of at least one of the enable signal and the scan enable signal is at the first level, when the semiconductor circuit is in a low-voltage mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 9100002
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to leakage current reduction in integrated circuits (ICs). In one aspect, an IC can include a digital logic circuit and a polarization circuit. The digital logic circuit can have a plurality of inputs and can include a plurality of logic gates. The polarization circuit can receive a standby signal and a digital input signal comprising a plurality of bits. When the standby signal is deactivated, the polarization circuit can control the plurality of inputs of the digital logic circuit based on the digital input signal. However, when the standby signal is activated the polarization circuit can control the plurality of inputs of the digital logic circuit to a low power state associated with a smaller leakage current of the plurality of logic gates relative to at least one other state of the digital logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Christophe Vincent Antoine Laurent
  • Patent number: 9083338
    Abstract: A method of protection from noise of a digital signal generated by a comparator, including the steps of generating an output signal that switches from a first logic state to a second logic state at a first switching of logic state of the digital signal; detecting a change from the first logic state to the second logic state of the output signal; and inhibiting further switchings of the output signal for a first time interval after the change from the first logic state to the second logic state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Arber Cauli, Luciano Prandi, Carlo Caminada
  • Patent number: 9035678
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that controls the clock of a digital circuit, and therefore power consumption, without substantially comprising performance is provided. The apparatus may include monitoring the utilization of a First in First Out (FIFO) buffer. For example in a systems and methods according to the invention, clock speed may be reduced when the FIFO is relatively empty and increased when the FIFO is relatively full. The clock speed may be controlled by a phase locked loop, a clock divider, a clock masking device or a combination of more than one of these methods. Power reduction may also be obtained by controlling the clocking of different stages of a pipelined device. One or more aspects of the inventions may be implemented in combination with other aspects of the invention to further reduce power use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Aviran Kadosh, Golan Schzukin
  • Patent number: 9030235
    Abstract: A method for increasing performance in a limited switch dynamic logic (LSDL) circuit includes precharging a dynamic node during a precharge phase of a first and second evaluation clock signal. The dynamic node is evaluated to a first logic value in response to one or more first input signals of a first evaluation tree during an evaluation phase of the first evaluation clock signal. The dynamic node is evaluated to a second logic value in response one or more second input signals of a second evaluation tree during an evaluation phase of the second evaluation clock signal. A signal of the LSDL circuit is outputted in response to the dynamic node according to an output latch clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leland Chang, Robert K. Montoye, Yutaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9030234
    Abstract: A limited switch dynamic logic (LSDL) circuit includes a dynamic logic circuit and a static logic circuit. The dynamic logic circuit includes a precharge device configured to precharge a dynamic node during a precharge phase of a first evaluation clock signal and a second evaluation clock signal. A first evaluation tree is configured to evaluate the dynamic node to a first logic value in response to one or more first input signals during an evaluation phase of the first evaluation clock signal. A second evaluation tree is configured to evaluate the dynamic node to a second logic value in response to one or more second input signals during an evaluation phase of the second evaluation clock signal. A static logic circuit is configured to provide an output of the LSDL circuit in response to the dynamic node according to an output latch clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leland Chang, Robert K. Montoye, Yutaka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9030226
    Abstract: A system and methods that generates a physical unclonable function (“PUF”) security key for an integrated circuit (“IC”) through use of equivalent resistance variations in the power distribution system (“PDS”) to mitigate the vulnerability of security keys to threats including cloning, misappropriation and unauthorized use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: STC.UNM
    Inventors: James Plusquellic, Dhruva J. Acharyya, Ryan L. Helinski
  • Patent number: 9024655
    Abstract: Multi-threshold flash Null Convention Logic (NCL) includes one or more high threshold voltage transistors within a flash NCL gate to reduce power consumption due to current leakage by transistors of the NCL gate. High-threshold voltage transistors may be added and/or may be used in place of one or more lower voltage threshold transistors of the NCL gate. A high-Vt device is included in the pull-up path to reduce power when the flash NCL logic gate is in the null state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Wave Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Gajendra Prasad Singh
  • Patent number: 9024661
    Abstract: Apparatus for glitch-free switching between two clock sources on an integrated circuit. Clock gaters provide a clock from a single source that can be turned on and off without causing partial pulses to be created. Control circuitry going to the individual clock gaters provides the ability to shut all clocks off for a period of time equal to the longest clock period. By combining the clocks with an OR gate and gating all clocks off before switching from one clock to another, a glitch-free train of clock pulses can be created from individual clock inputs. Since clock glitches can cause erratic behavior in integrated circuits, this invention allows one to switch between different (unrelated) clocks without causing erratic behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: The United Sates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: John W. Rooks
  • Patent number: 9020084
    Abstract: Techniques for resolving a metastable state in a synchronizer are described herein. In one embodiment, a circuit for resolving a metastable state in a synchronizer comprises a signal delay circuit coupled to a node of the synchronizer, wherein the signal delay circuit is configured to delay a data signal at the node to produce a delayed data signal, and a transmission circuit coupled to the signal delay circuit, wherein the transmission circuit is configured to couple the delayed data signal to the node after a delay from a first edge of a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Seid Hadi Rasouli, Animesh Datta, Saravanan Marimuthu, Ohsang Kwon
  • Patent number: 9021293
    Abstract: A method for quickly calibrating a memory interface circuit from time to time in conjunction with operation of a functional circuit is described. The method uses controlling the memory interface circuit with respect to read data capture for byte lanes, including controlling CAS latency compensation for the byte lanes. In the method control settings for controlling CAS latency compensation are determined and set according to a dynamic calibration procedure performed from time to time in conjunction with functional operation of a circuit system containing one or more memory devices connected to the memory interface circuit. In the method, determining and setting the control settings for controlling CAS latency compensation is performed independently and parallely in each of the byte lanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Uniquify, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jung Lee, Mahesh Goplan
  • Patent number: 9018980
    Abstract: An apparatus relates generally to a clock generator is disclosed. The clock generator is coupled to receive an input clock signal and further coupled to provide an output clock signal. An address and control register is coupled to receive an address signal and the output clock signal. An access generator is coupled to receive the output clock signal. The clock generator includes: an input node coupled to receive the input clock signal; at least one pulse generator coupled to the input node to receive the input clock signal and further coupled to provide a clock control signal; and a control gate coupled to the input node to receive the input signal and further coupled to the at least one pulse generator to receive the clock control signal. The clock control signal is provided in a non-toggling state for a high-frequency mode and in a toggling state for a low-frequency mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Uma Durairajan, Subodh Kumar, Michelle Zeng, Hsiao H. Chen
  • Patent number: 9013208
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a clock gate circuit for generating a clock signal. The clock gate circuit includes a multiplexer and a logic module coupled to the multiplexer. The multiplexer is configured to receive a first logic signal at a first data input, a second logic signal at a second data input, and a reference clock signal at a selector input, and to output the clock signal having a logic state selected from one of the first logic signal or the second logic signal based on transitions of the reference clock signal. The logic module includes at least one of an XNOR and an XOR module and is configured to provide an output signal that is responsive to performing at least one of an XNOR and an XOR operation of the output of the multiplexer and an enable signal that enables or disables the clock gate circuit to generate the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell Israel (M.I.S.L) Ltd.
    Inventor: Eitan Rosen
  • Patent number: 9007094
    Abstract: A method includes providing a first clock tree including a root clock and a plurality of levels of integrated clock gates (ICGs) under the root clock. The plurality of levels of ICGs in the first clock tree is flattened to generate a second clock tree including a plurality of ICGs in a same level under the root clock. A fake module is formed to reserve a region between the root clock and the plurality of ICGs. The fake module includes the root clock as a first input, and a first plurality of outputs coupled to clock-inputs of the plurality of ICGs. A skew balancing is performed on the second clock tree using a clock tree synthesis (CTS) tool to generate a third clock tree, wherein no buffers are inserted into the fake module, and wherein buffers are inserted by the CTS tool under the plurality of ICGs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ray Chih-Jui Peng
  • Patent number: 9000805
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a clock distribution network for distributing clocking signals within a synchronous sequential logic circuit. The clock distribution network distributes the one or more clock signals by inductively and/or capacitively coupling a clocking signal from a primary distribution node to various secondary distribution nodes within the synchronous sequential logic circuit. The various secondary distribution nodes resonate at respective resonant frequencies to generate other clocking signals for use within the synchronous sequential logic circuit in response to receiving the clocking signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: David Chang, Ajat Hukkoo
  • Patent number: 9000806
    Abstract: A device may include a latch activated during a second phase of a clock cycle; a clock gating component to control when a clock signal is to reach the latch; a destination storage element activated during a first phase of the clock cycle, where a logical path exists from the latch to the destination storage element; and a blocking element located in the logical path from the latch to the destination storage element, where the blocking element includes, as a first input, an output of the latch and, as a second input, an output of the clock gating component, and where the blocking element prevents an output value of the latch from changing when the clock gating component is not enabled and does not prevent the output value of the latch from changing when the clock gating element is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Dwight K. Elvey, Someshwar Gatty
  • Patent number: 9000807
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a clock input, a first output, and a second output. A programmable pulse generator has a programmable pulse counter coupled to the clock input at least one control input for receiving count information. A fixed delay element is coupled to the programmable pulse counter. A programmable delay element is coupled to the programmable pulse counter and has at least one control input for receiving delay information. A first multiplexer is coupled to the fixed delay element, the programmable delay element and to the first output. A second multiplexer is coupled to the programmable delay element, the output of the fixed delay element and the second output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Greene, Dirk Kannemacher, Volker Hecht, Theodore Speers
  • Patent number: 9000804
    Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises clock gating circuitry comprising at least one gating component located within a clock distribution network and arranged to enable at least one part of the clock distribution network to be gated, and gating control circuitry arranged to cause the at least one gating component to disable the at least one part of the clock distribution network upon certain conditions being fulfilled. The clock gating circuitry further comprises clock gating disabling circuitry configurable to enable the gating of the at least one part of the clock distribution network to be disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Priel, Ilan Kapilushnik, Dan Kuzmin
  • Publication number: 20150091607
    Abstract: A sequential logic circuit comprising a first latch component comprising a data input arranged to receive an input signal, a data output arranged to output a current logical state of the first latch component and a clock input arranged to receive a clock signal; the first latch component being arranged to comprise a transparent state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a first logical state, and to comprise a latched state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a second logical state, and a second latch component comprising a data input arranged to receive an input signal, a data output operably coupled to an output of the sequential logic circuit and arranged to output a current state of the second latch component and a clock input arranged to receive a clock signal; the second latch component being arranged to comprise a transparent state upon the clock signal received thereby comprising a second logical state, and to comprise a latched state upon the clock signal received thereby c
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Priel, Leonid Fleshel, Anton Rozen