Abstract:
The invention concerns a circuit comprising: a data storage element (102); first and second input circuitry (104, 104') coupled respectively to first and second inputs (IN1, IN2) of the data storage element and each comprising a plurality of components adapted to generate, as a function of an initial signal (IN), first and second input signals respectively provided to said first and second inputs; wherein the data storage element comprises a first storage node and is configured such that a voltage state stored at said first storage node is protected from a change in only one of said first and second input signals by being determined by the conduction state of a first transistor coupled to the first storage node and controlled based on said first input signal and by the conduction state of a second transistor coupled to the first storage node and controlled based on said second input signal.
Abstract:
A PWM generator system providing improved duty cycle resolution comprising a sub-cycle generator for generating a sub-cycle with a period that is a small fraction of the maximum PWM period to be generated. An integral sub-cycle estimator is coupled to said sub-cycle generator for determining the integral number of said sub-cycles for on and off time of said PWM waveform, and an additional sub-cycle estimator for determining the additional fractional sub-cycle required to provide said on and off time. A timer is coupled to said integral sub cycle estimator and said additional sub cycle estimator for controlling PWM output switching for the on and off time of the integral and additional fractional sub cycles.
Abstract:
A novel method for introducing delays in self timed memories is disclosed. In the proposed method, delays are introduced by introducing a capacitance on the path of signal to be delayed. The capacitances are realized by using idle lying metal layers in the circuit. The signal to be delayed is connected to these idle lying capacitances via programmable switches. The amount of delay introduced depends on the capacitance introduced in the path of signal, which in turn depends on state of the switches. The state of the switches is controlled by delay codes provided externally to the delay introducing circuitry. Since, in the proposed method, idle-lying metal capacitances are utilized, the circuit can be implemented using minimum amount of additional hardware. Also delay provided by the proposed circuitry is a function of memory cell spice characteristics and core parasitic capacitances.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a low dropout (LDO) regulator with a stability compensation circuit. A "zero frequency" tracking as well as "non-dominant parasitic poles' frequency reshaping" are performed to achieve a good phase margin for the LDO by means of the compensation circuit. In this compensation method neither a large load capacitor nor its equivalent series resistance (ESR) is needed to stabilize a regulator. LDO regulators, in system on chip (SoC) application, having load capacitors in the range of few nano-Farads to few hundreds of nano-Farads can be efficiently compensated with this compensation method. A dominant pole for the regulator is realized at an internal node and the second pole at an output node of the regulator is tracked with a variable capacitor generated zero over a range of load current to cancel the effect of each other. A third pole of the system is pushed out above the unity gain frequency of the open loop transfer function with the help of the frequency compensation circuit. The compensation technique is very effective in realizing a low power, low-load-capacitor LDO desirable for system on chip applications.
Abstract:
The instant invention provides memory system incorporating shared redundant memories and shared redundant memory architecture. More particularly, the instant invention discloses a modified memory to be used as a shared redundant memory between memory systems. These memory systems may have several smaller memories forming a single logical memory or various memories in close proximity on a SoC. The shared redundancy is achieved by adding a comparator to the redundant element for comparing between the faulty address and the system address and performing a memory operation based on the comparator output. As the redundant memory operations are performed in parallel to the memory structures, it results in reduced setup and hold time. Shared redundancy also results in reduced SoC area.
Abstract:
A programmable high-speed frequency divider, in which stage for forming a frequency divider, which is capable of being programmed with a programmable dividing ratio, is simplified to reduce the area and circuit complexity. A start-up circuitry has been introduced within the said frequency-divider to ensure that the frequency-divider will never go into false state.
Abstract:
A high performance interconnect architecture is described that provides reduced delay minimized electromigration and reduced area in FPGAs comprising a plurality of tiles consisting of interconnected logic blocks, that are separated by intervening logic blocks. Each set of interconnected logic blocks is linked by an interconnect segment that is routed in a straight line through an interconnect layer over intervening logic blocks and is selectively connected to the logic block at each end through a connecting segment.