摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that electronically aligns pads on different semiconductor chips to facilitate communication between the semiconductor chips through capacitive coupling. The system operates by measuring an alignment between a first chip and a second chip, wherein the first chip is situated face-to-face with the second chip so that transmitter pads on the first chip are capacitively coupled with receiver pads on the second chip. Next, the system uses the measured alignment to associate transmitter pads on the first chip with proximate receiver pads on the second chip. The system then selectively routes data signals to transmitter pads on the first chip so that the data signals are communicated through capacitive coupling to intended receiver pads in the second chip that are proximate to the transmitter pads.
摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a domino logic circuit that operates asynchronously. This domino logic circuit includes a number of stages, including a present stage that receives one or more inputs from a prior stage and generates one or more outputs for a next stage. It also includes a control circuit that ensures that the present stage enters a precharging state before entering a subsequent evaluation state in which one or more inputs of the present stage are used to generate one or more outputs. This control circuit receives a prior control signal from the prior stage and sends a present control signal to the next stage
摘要:
An arbiter is disclosed for determining a sequence of signals indicative of events occurring variously on at least two input connections. The arbiter includes a first input connection and a second input connection for carrying the signals indicative of events. A first input queue for storing representations of events that are waiting to be processed is connected to the first input connection, and a second input queue also for storing representations of events that are waiting to be processed is connected to the second input connection. An arbitration circuit coupled to the first input queue and to the second input queue receives the representations of events from each of the queues and determines the temporal order of occurrence of the event representations in the queues when the events arrive at time intervals greater than a specified amount, and arbitrarily assigns a sequence to one or the other of the events from the queues when the events arrive at time intervals equal to or less than the specified amount. In response the arbitration circuit reports the temporal order or arbitrary sequence as a sequence of output signals and removes each event representation from the appropriate queue when reporting its temporal order or sequence.
摘要:
A four transistor XOR or XNOR gate includes an inverting stage and a non-inverting stage. The transistors in each stage are coupled so as to enable changing inputs and existing inputs to drive the output in the same direction. The XOR gate and XNOR gate take advantage of a known order or inputs to reduce the delay of the gate.
摘要:
A queue form of asynchronous register is disclosed with signal paths commonly carrying elements of both data and control. Binaries are intercoupled in two sequences and are individually cross coupled to register "one" bits in one sequence and "zero" bits in the other. Bits are manifest by signal level changes. Individual binaries are driven by logic to accomplish an operational rule based on the states of neighboring binaries in both sequences. Each binary in each sequence is controlled by the states of the predecessor and successor in its sequence and the predecessor and successor of its associated binary in the other sequence. Specifically, if predecessor and successor binaries in a sequence are in different states, and predecessor and successor binaries of an associated binary in the other sequence are in the same state, the state of the predecessor is to be taken.
摘要:
An apparatus and method are described for applying a light beam in an extremely precise pattern to a work piece, such as a photographic plate or reticle on which an integrated circuit pattern is to be formed and which will be then utilized to produce integrated circuits. The method includes moving a very narrow beam light source relative to the reticle in a scanning pattern such as an X-Y raster pattern, accurately sensing the relative positions of the light source to the reticle as by the use of laser interferometers, and briefly energizing the light source only when it lies at the locations to be exposed. The light source is energized while it moves, so it is not necessary to stop the light source at precisely located positions. The light source can be moved relative to the reticle, by mounting the light source on a flexible plate that oscillates in substantially a straight line, and by mounting the reticle on another flexible plate that moves perpendicular to the light source and that can be very slowly advanced perpendicular to the oscillating light source, so that after a period of time the light source has moved over every point of the reticle, although only a minority of the points normally will have been exposed.
摘要:
An integrated circuit includes a first pipeline with multiple stages of asynchronous circuits. Note that a stage in the first pipeline communicates with a stage in a corresponding second pipeline with multiple stages of asynchronous circuits on another integrated circuit via connectors. Furthermore, a first state wire preceding the stage in the first pipeline provides advanced notice to a first state wire preceding the stage in the second pipeline of subsequent communication between the stage in the first pipeline and the stage in the second pipeline so that the stage in the second pipeline has time to amplify a signal received from the stage in the first pipeline, thereby facilitating approximately synchronous operation of the stages in the first and second pipelines.
摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that regulates heat within an asynchronous circuit. During operation, the system monitors a temperature within the asynchronous circuit. If the temperature exceeds a threshold value, the system introduces a delay into the asynchronous circuit that causes signals to propagate more slowly through the asynchronous circuit. This causes circuit elements within the asynchronous circuit to switch less frequently and consequently causes the circuit elements to generate less heat.
摘要:
A plurality of clock signal phases are distributed to a circuit and at least one jitter source is coupled between at least two selected clock phases of the plurality of clock signal phases to introduce a jitter between at least the selected two clock signal phases. In a specific embodiment, the clock distribution system provides N clock phases and, if the phases have an order, there is one jitter source provided between each of the first N−1 phases and the following phase, so that each phase has a jitter relative to each other phase. Several implementations are possible for the jitter sources, which can be noise sources or pseudo-random noise sources, depending on which is easier to design and implement in a specific clock distribution system.
摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for facilitating an addition operation between two N-bit numbers, wherein the apparatus has a regular structure. The apparatus includes a carry circuit for generating at least one carry signal for the addition operation, wherein the carry circuit includes a plurality of logic blocks organized into rows that form approximately logN successive stages of logic blocks. Each of these logic blocks provides current for at most a constant number of inputs in a successive stage of logic blocks. Additionally, within a given stage of logic blocks, outputs from multiple logic blocks are ganged together to drive a signal line that feeds multiple inputs in a successive stage of logic blocks. Furthermore, there are at most a constant number of lateral tracks in a planar layout of signal lines between the successive stages of logic blocks. Hence, the present invention can reduce layout and design effort, while producing a regularized layout that takes up a small amount of space on a semiconductor chip.