Abstract: There is disclosed herein programmable delay lines and control methods having glitch suppression. In particular, the programmable delay lines may include latches that are triggered based on a trigger event of an input signal (which is often an edge of the input signal). The programmable delay lines may include one or more latches coupled between capacitor and transistor subassemblies and the latches, where the latches cause a delay between the time the trigger event arrives at the capacitor and transistor subassemblies and the latches. The delay can prevent the latches from updating at the same time that the edge of the input signal arrives at the capacitor and transistor subassemblies, which can suppress glitches that can causes errors in operation.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a power supply detection circuit, including: a first input stage field effect transistor; an inverter stage; and a feedback stage field effect transistor. The inverter stage includes a complimentary pair of transistors that includes an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor configured and arranged such that gate lengths of the PMOS and NMOS transistors are different. The disclosure also relates to an integrated circuit including a power supply detection circuit.

Abstract: A programmable delay line includes a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse in response to a transition of an input signal; an oscillator configured to generate a clock in response to the pulse; a counter configured to change a current count from a first value towards a second value in response to periods of the clock; and a gating device configured to output the transition of the input signal to generate an output signal in response to the current count reaching the second value. The delay of the input signal is a function of the difference between the first value and the second value. The delay line may be used in different applications, such as a dynamic variation monitor (DVM) configured to detect supply voltage droop. The DVM may be in an adaptive clock distribution (ACD) to reduce the clock frequency for a datapath in response to a droop.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of increasing the resolution of on-chip timing uncertainty measurements. In an embodiment, the system includes a set of delay circuits logically coupled in a chain configuration, a plurality of flip-flop circuits logically coupled to the delay output of the each of the delay circuits respectively, forming tiers of flip-flop circuits, a clock circuit logically coupled to each of the tiers of flip-flop circuits respectively, and where the plurality of flip-flop circuits is logically configured, in response to a delay input of a first delay circuit in the set of delay circuits receiving an output from a programmable delay circuit and in response to receiving skewed clock signals from the clock circuits, to indicate how far within the plurality of flip-flop circuits an edge signal transmitted from the delay output of the each of the delay circuits propagated, respectively.

Abstract: An electronic circuit according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a first logic circuit, a second logic circuit, first and second capacitors, and a connection circuit. The first logic circuit has a first output terminal from which a first output signal based on a first input signal is output. The second logic circuit outputs a second output signal obtained by inversion of the first output signal is output in a steady state. The first and second capacitors each have one terminal at a first voltage. The connection circuit connects one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal to the first capacitor, and the other to the second capacitor. The connection circuit interchanges connection destinations of the first capacitor and the second capacitor in accordance with a received first connection control signal.

Abstract: An integrated circuit configured to detect a variation in a supply voltage using a phase of an input clock signal dependent on the variation in the supply voltage may include a clock delay circuit configured to delay the input clock signal output from a clock generator using each of different delay cell chains and generate a first delay clock signal and a second delay clock signal; and a phase controller configured to control a first phase so that a difference between the first phase and a second phase is 180 degrees, the first phase being a phase of the first delay clock signal, the second phase being a phase of the second delay clock signal.

Abstract: A computing circuit that includes clocked circuitry, a controller, and a clock generator. The clocked circuitry is configured to receive data and to perform data manipulation on the data based on a first clock signal. The controller is configured to control the transmission of the data to the clocked circuitry. The clock generator is configured to receive as inputs a second clock signal and a delay control signal from the controller, and to delay the second clock signal to generate the first clock signal. The clock generator includes a main delay component configured to receive the second clock signal and to output the first clock signal. The clock generator also includes a switchable delay component connected in parallel with the main delay component, where the switchable delay component is configured to receive as an input the delay control signal from the controller.

Abstract: An integrated circuit 2 includes a transistor 26 which has a normal switching speed arising during normal operations of that transistor that apply electrical signals within normal ranges. If it is desired to change the speed of operation of the transistor, then speed tuning circuitry 12 applies a tuning electrical signal with a tuning characteristic outside of the normal range of characteristics to the transistor concerned. The tuning electrical signal induces a change in at least one of the physical properties of that transistor such that when it resumes its modified normal operations the switching speed of that transistor will have changed. The tuning electrical signal may be a voltage (or current) outside of the normal range of voltages applied to the gate of a transistor so as to induce a permanent increase in the threshold of that transistor and so slow its speed of switching. Temperature of a transistor may also be controlled to induce a permanent change in performance/speed.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are related to a switching voltage regulator. A device may include a first transistor having a gate configured to receive a first signal and a second transistor having a gate configured to receive a second signal. The device may also include a controller configured to measure at least one of a difference between a rising edge of the first signal and an associated rising edge of the second signal and a difference between a falling edge of the first signal and an associated falling edge of the second signal. The controller may also be configured to delay one of the first signal and the second signal if the rising edge of the first signal occurs before or after the associated rising edge of the second signal or if the falling edge of the first signal occurs before or after the associated falling edge of the second signal.

Abstract: A switching device includes: a switch that selects and connects one of at least three terminals including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal to a common terminal; and a compensating circuit that shifts a phase of at least one of a first signal transmitted through the second terminal and a second signal transmitted through the third terminal so that the first signal and the second signal compensate each other and unifies and outputs the first signal and the second signal to a fourth terminal as a third signal, or that branches a third signal input to the fourth terminal into the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: Methods for integrating heterogeneous channel material into a semiconductor device, and semiconductor devices that integrate heterogeneous channel material. A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes processing a first substrate of a first material at a first thermal budget to fabricate a p-type device. The method further includes coupling a second substrate of a second material to the first substrate. The method also includes processing the second substrate to fabricate an n-type device at a second thermal budget that is less than the first thermal budget. The p-type device and the n-type device may cooperate to form a complementary device.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for changing a signal path delay of a signal path responsive to changes in power provided to the signal path are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a signal path and signal path delay compensation circuit. The signal path includes a plurality of signal driver circuits coupled in series. The signal path delay compensation circuit includes an adjustable path delay circuit and a bias circuit. The adjustable path delay circuit is coupled to an output of a signal driver circuit of the plurality of signal driver circuits and includes a latch circuit. The bias circuit is configured to change a resistance to switching a latched signal level of the latch circuit responsive to changes in power provided to the signal path. Additional example apparatuses and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A pulse generator comprising: an input for receiving a trigger; an output node for outputting a signal; a delay line comprising one or more delay units and a plurality of taps; one or more pull-up devices each connected to the output node for increasing the output voltage on the output node; and/or one or more pull-down devices each connected to the output node for decreasing the output voltage on the output node; wherein the taps of the delay line are operably connected to the pull-up and/or pull-down devices such that a trigger passing along the delay line activates one or more of the pull-up and/or one or more of the pull-down devices more than once. Re-use of the pull-up and/or pull-down devices enables longer and more complex pulse shapes, such as high-order Gaussian pulse shapes to be produced while keeping the number of components low, thus reducing chip area, power requirements and parasitic capacitance.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of input/output (I/O) terminals through which signals pass into or out of the IC and an I/O timing module. The I/O timing module is configured to add propagation delay to signals passing between the I/O terminals and I/O subsystems of the IC. The I/O timing module includes a plurality of delay elements associated with each of the I/O terminals, a control register associated with each of the I/O terminals, a memory, and I/O delay control logic. The control register is coupled to each of the delay elements associated with the I/O terminal. The memory is encoded with delay information. The I/O delay control logic is configured to initialize the propagation delay associated with each of the I/O terminals by selecting which of the delay elements are to be applied to produce the propagation delay based on the delay information stored in the memory.

Abstract: A delay circuit includes at least one main inverter configured to receive an input signal and output a delayed output signal and at least one switchable inverter connected in parallel with the main inverter circuit. The switchable inverter is configured to decrease a delay between the input signal and the delayed output signal based on the switchable inverter being turned on.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a delayer having an inverter chain, where each inverter of the chain can be operatively regulated using current generators to control variation of the delay time of the delayer. In various embodiments, current generators can be arranged to provide reference voltages to each inverter stage of an inverter chain. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a delay circuit includes a delay line with a clock input signal and a delayed clock output signal that is based on a setting value. Each delay element of the delay line receives one of several delay element select signals and outputs a delayed signal based on the delay element select signal. The setting value may be a binary encoded value representing the desired delay. The delay element select signals may correspond to a thermometer encoded value of the binary encoded setting value.

Abstract: An apparatus for delaying a plurality of chain-based time-to-digital circuits (TDCs). The apparatus includes a plurality of propagation path devices each connected to a respective one of the plurality of TDCs, each propagation path device delays a common start signal by a selectable amount based on a delay selection signal received by the propagation path device, and transmits the delayed start signal to the respective one of the TDCs.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a delay circuit, in which a first register is written with a delay reference code, a second register is written with a delay factor, a control unit determines a corresponding delay ratio in a storage unit based on the delay factor in the second register, and sends the determined delay ratio to a first digital timing unit, the first digital timing unit determines a delay reference time based on the delay reference code in the first register, multiplies the delay reference time by the delay ratio to result in a desired delay time, and generates a delay.

Abstract: A multi-stage phase mixer circuit includes: a first phase mixer configured to receive first and second input clock signals and output a first intermediate clock signal according to control of a first coarse control signal; a second phase mixer configured to receive the first and second input clock signals and output a second intermediate clock signal according to control of a second coarse control signal; and a third phase mixer configured to receive the first and second intermediate clock signals and output an output clock signal according to control of a fine control signal.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a delayer having an inverter chain, where each inverter of the chain can be operatively regulated using current generators to control variation of the delay time of the delayer. In various embodiments, current generators can be arranged to provide reference voltages to each inverter stage of an inverter chain. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A delay circuit includes at least one main inverter configured to receive an input signal and output a delayed output signal and at least one switchable inverter connected in parallel with the main inverter circuit. The switchable inverter is configured to decrease a delay between the input signal and the delayed output signal based on the switchable inverter being turned on.

Abstract: Examples of circuits and methods for compensating for power supply induced signal jitter in path elements sensitive to power supply variation. An example includes a signal path coupling an input to an output, the signal path including a delay element having a first delay and a bias-controlled delay element having a second delay. The first delay of the delay element exhibits a first response to changes in power applied thereto and the second delay of the bias-controlled delay element exhibits a second response to changes in the power applied such that the second response compensates at least in part for the first response.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.

Abstract: A signal delay circuit comprising: a first delay stage, for delaying a first input signal to generate a first delay signal; and a second delay stage, for cooperating with part of delay units of the first delay stage to delay the first delay signal to generate a second delay signal. The signal delay circuit selectively enables the delay stages of the first delay stage or the second delay stage, wherein the signal delay circuit mixes the first delay signal and the second delay signal to generate a first mixed signal when the first delay stage and the second delay stage are both enabled.

Abstract: Examples of analog delay lines and analog delay systems, such as DLLs incorporating analog delay lines are described, as are circuits and methods for adaptive biasing. Embodiments of adaptive biasing are described and may generate a bias signal for an analog delay line during start-up. The bias signal may be based in part on the frequency of operation of the analog delay line.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a delay circuit, in which a first register is written with a delay reference code, a second register is written with a delay factor, a control unit determines a corresponding delay ratio in a storage unit based on the delay factor in the second register, and sends the determined delay ratio to a first digital timing unit, the first digital timing unit determines a delay reference time based on the delay reference code in the first register, multiplies the delay reference time by the delay ratio to result in a desired delay time, and generates a delay.

Abstract: One embodiment sets forth a technique for delaying signals by varying amounts. A configurable delay circuit includes fixed and tri-state inverters. Pullup and pulldown transistors within one or more tri-state inverters may be activated to reduce the delay introduced by fixed inverters. The pullup and pulldown transistors within one or more tri-state inverters may be separately activated to independently adjust the rising delay and the falling delay incurred by the input signal.

Abstract: A delay circuit for an RFID tag includes a power supply input and a power supply output and one or more delay circuits in cascade connection between the power supply input and the power supply output. A first delay circuit includes a passive circuit, a second delay circuit includes a ramp circuit, and a third delay circuit includes a current mirror circuit.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for reducing jitter caused by changes in a power supply for a clock generated by a ring oscillator of inverter devices. An inverter sub-circuit is coupled in parallel with a current-starved inverter sub-circuit to produce an inverter circuit that is insensitive to changes in the power supply voltage. When the ring oscillator is used as the voltage controlled oscillator of a phase locked loop, the delay of the inverters may be controlled by varying a bias current for each inverter in response to changes in the power supply voltage to reduce any jitter in a clock output produced by the changes in the power supply voltage. When the transistor devices are sized appropriately and the bias current is adjusted, the sensitivity of the inverter circuit to changes in the power supply voltage may be reduced.

Abstract: Examples of analog delay lines and analog delay systems, such as DLLs incorporating analog delay lines are described, as are circuits and methods for adaptive biasing. Embodiments of adaptive biasing are described and may generate a bias signal for an analog delay line during start-up. The bias signal may be based in part on the frequency of operation of the analog delay line.

Abstract: The invention provides a delay line circuit. The delay line circuit includes a delay line section and a feedback selection section. The delay line section receives an input clock signal and a feedback clock signal and delays one of the input clock signal and the feedback clock signal to generate an output clock signal, wherein the delay line section includes a plurality of delay units coupled in series. The feedback selection section is coupled to the delay line section and feedbacks the output clock signal to one of the delay units to serve as the feedback clock signal based on a selection signal. Wherein, one of the input clock signal and the feedback clock signal is delayed by a specific number of the delay units based on the selection signal to changes the frequency of the output clock signal.

Abstract: Digitally controllable delay lines including fine grain and coarse grain delay elements, and methods and system to calibrate the delay lines in fine grain increments. Calibration may include calibrating a number of fine grain elements for which a combined delay is substantially equal to a delay of a coarse grain element, and calibrating numbers of fine grain and coarse grain elements which a combined delay corresponds to a period of a reference clock. A digitally controlled delay line may be implemented as part of a digital delay locked loop (DLL), and calibration parameters may be provided to a slave DLL having a similarly implemented delay line. A digitally controllable DLL may provide relatively low-power, high-resolution over a spectrum of process, voltage, and temperature variations, and may be implemented in relatively high-speed applications previously reserved for analog DLLs.

Abstract: A programmable delay generator and a cascaded interpolator are provided. The programmable delay generator includes a first delay line and a second delay line, each having a respective plurality of stages of the same number. Each stage of the first line includes a respective delay buffer and has one signal input and one signal output. Each stage of the second line includes a respective selecting element and has two signal inputs, one select input for selecting one of the two signal inputs, and one signal output. The first line and the second line are configured in parallel, are interconnected, and have a same signal propagation direction. Each delay step provided by each stage of the second line is equal to a difference between a delay through one stage of the first line and a delay through one stage of the second line.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a method of configuring a delay circuit for generating a plurality of delays in a delay line and a delay circuit configurable for generating plurality of delays are provided. The method includes determining, through a control circuit coupled with a delay line set, a first number of delay steps corresponding to an intrinsic delay of a delay line from among a plurality of delay lines of the delay line set. The intrinsic delay is a minimum delay contributed by the delay line. The method also includes determining, through the control circuit, a second number of delay steps to provide a delay through the delay line based on the first number of delay steps. The method further includes configuring, through a configuration circuit coupled with the delay line set, the delay line for generating the delay corresponding to the second number of delay steps through the delay line.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values and a selectable output skew value from a plurality of output skew values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are uniform for the plurality of delay values and the plurality of output skew values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The stacked transistors have configurable source-drain connections between a drain and a source of each transistor, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages and an output skew value of the delay cell.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a delayer having an inverter chain, where each inverter of the chain can be operatively regulated using current generators to control variation of the delay time of the delayer. In various embodiments, current generators can be arranged to provide reference voltages to each inverter stage of an inverter chain. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An open loop type delay locked loop includes a delay amount pulse generation unit configured to generate a delay amount pulse having a pulse width corresponding to a delay amount for delay locking a clock signal, a delay amount coding unit configured to output a code value by coding the delay amount in response to the delay amount pulse, a clock control unit configured to adjust a toggling period of the clock signal in response to a control signal, and a delay line configured to delay an adjusted clock signal outputted from the clock control unit in response to the code value.

Abstract: A delay cell includes a first inverted transistor pair, a second inverted transistor pair and a plurality of delay units. The first inverted transistor pair is used to receive an input signal. The second inverted transistor pair is electrically cross-coupled to the first inverted transistor pair and cross-controlled by the first inverted transistor pair. The delay units are cascaded between the first inverted transistor pair and between the second inverted transistor pair, thereby providing a plurality of signal propagation delays sequentially, wherein the input signal is delayed for a pre-determined time by the first inverted transistor pair, the second inverted transistor pair and the delay units which are operated sequentially, thereby creating an output signal corresponding to the pre-determined time. A digitally controlled oscillator including the aforementioned delay cells is provided.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages. Each parallel-coupled inverter stage includes N pairs of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The N transistor pairs have configurable source-drain node connections between a drain node and a source node of each transistor in the pair, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain node connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to on-chip self calibrating delay monitoring circuitry.

Abstract: A delay generator comprises: a current source for supplying a current; a first delay portion, connected to the current source, comprising at least a plurality of inverters and a first capacitor having a first capacitance; and a second delay portion, connected to the current source, comprising at least a plurality of inverters and a second capacitor having a second capacitance, wherein the first capacitance is the same as the second capacitance, wherein the first delay portion generates a first delay by discharging of the first capacitor, wherein the second delay portion generates a second delay by charging of the second capacitor, and wherein the total delay generated by the delay generator is obtained by summation of the first delay and the second delay.

Abstract: A circuit includes a logic gate and a latch. The logic gate is configured to receive a clock signal at a first input. The latch is disposed in a feedback loop of the logic gate and is configured to output a feedback signal to a second input of the logic gate in response to a signal output by the logic gate and the clock signal. The circuit is configured to output a pulsed signal based on one of a rising edge or a falling edge of the clock signal.

Abstract: Examples of circuits and methods for compensating for power supply induced signal jitter in path elements sensitive to power supply variation. An example includes a signal path coupling an input to an output, the signal path including a delay element having a first delay and a bias-controlled delay element having a second delay. The first delay of the delay element exhibits a first response to changes in power applied thereto and the second delay of the bias-controlled delay element exhibits a second response to changes in the power applied such that the second response compensates at least in part for the first response.

Abstract: A skew signal generator is provided which comprises a fuse signal generating unit for generating a plurality of fuse signals, and an encoder for generating skew signals including skew information of a wafer by encoding the fuse signals.

Abstract: An adjustable delay circuit includes first and second transistors each having a control input coupled to an input node of the adjustable delay circuit and an output coupled to an output node of the adjustable delay circuit. The adjustable delay circuit includes a first pass gate coupled between first and second capacitors and the output node of the adjustable delay circuit. The first and the second capacitors are coupled between a node at a high voltage and a node at a low voltage. The first pass gate is operable to be controlled by a first delay control signal.

Abstract: A delay circuit includes: a delay unit configured to receive a clock signal, delay an input signal sequentially by a predetermined time interval, and output a plurality of first delayed signals; and an option unit configured to select one of the plurality of first delayed signals based on one or more select signals, and output a second delayed signal.

Abstract: A delay circuit receives a data input having an input transition and that generates a data output having an output transition. The delay circuit is powered by a voltage source having a voltage. A first delay element is configured to generate a first data signal with a first edge that has a relatively constant delay relative to the input transition irrespective of the voltage of the voltage source. A second delay element is configured to generate a second data signal with a second edge that has a delay relative to the input transition as a function of the voltage of the voltage source. A selection element causes the output transition at the data output to correspond to a latest selected one of the first edge and the second edge. The delay circuit may be employed in a pulse generating circuit.

Abstract: Examples of analog delay lines and analog delay systems, such as DLLs incorporating analog delay lines are described, as are circuits and methods for adaptive biasing. Embodiments of adaptive biasing are described and may generate a bias signal for an analog delay line during start-up. The bias signal may be based in part on the frequency of operation of the analog delay line.