Abstract:
A semiconductor integrated circuit device with a test circuit including: a plurality of basic gate cells arranged in a matrix; wiring connected between the basic gate cells and arranged so as to constitute a logic circuit; and a test circuit for checking an operation state of each gate cell and a connection state between basic gate cells. The test circuit comprises: a test input section having a plurality of row selection wires provided along the basic gate cells in a row direction, a plurality of column selection wires provided along the basic gate cells in a column direction, and an access circuit connected to an input portion of the basic gate cell for applying an input signal to the basic gate cell optionally selected by the row and column selection wires; and a test direction section having a plurality of monitor wires provided along the basic gate cells in the row direction and a switching element connected between the basic gate cell and the monitor wire.
Abstract:
A master slice IC device comprising at least two kind of basic cells; that is, a first kind of basic cells each having one or more n-type MIS transistors and one or more p-type MIS transistors to form a CMIS logic circuit, and a second kind of basic cells each comprising an npn-type bipolar transistor and a pnp-type bipolar transistor to form a bipolar buffer circuit having a large drive ability. The second kind of basic cells are used, for example, only when the fan-out number is large and/or the length of the connection lines is long, thereby realizing a high degree of freedom in circuit design and a high operating speed without increasing the power consumption.
Abstract:
A transistor circuit including a pull-down circuit. The pull-down circuit functions to discharge electric charges stored in a base of an output transistor of the transistor circuit and comprises a control transistor, a two-terminal unit (impedance means), and a resistor. The stored electric charges are discharged to ground by way of the two-terminal unit and the resistor. The stored electric charges can be discharged selectively when the output transistor is turned off, with the aid of the control transistor.
Abstract:
A method of placing and routing elements of a semiconductor integrated circuit picks out a signal net, a driver of the signal net, and load cells driven by the driver among the elements of the integrated circuit, places the driver at a first position, defines a first range based on the first position, determines a second position in the first range, defines a second range based on the second position, and collectively places the load cells of a predetermined number in the second range. Namely, the method deals with a signal net in the integrated circuit, a driver of the net, and load cells driven by the driver. The method sets conditions on the signal net, driver, and load cells, when placing and routing the elements of the integrated circuit, to thereby reduce skew (skew time), wiring overhead, and time delay in the integrated circuit and speedily and easily place and route the elements.
Abstract:
A method of verifying integrated circuit operation compares stored data structures which correspond to integrated circuit logic cells. Simulated graph data for a plurality of different types of logic cells are first determined by varying a plurality of factors including: the delay time of a logic cell after a signal is inputted until a signal is outputted, load capacity, and transient time of the inputted signal. The acquired graph data for each of the logic cells is then processed into data having a common origin at a common value and stored into a cell library. The processed graph data is then extracted as general-use graph data by comparing the acquired graph data with one another. A selector selects graph data which corresponds to an object of calculation from the library and an arithmetic logic unit calculates delay time of an actual logic cell based upon the selected graph data.
Abstract:
A semiconductor device includes a predetermined number of surface mount first lead pins (14), arranged around the periphery of the underside of a package (13) fitted with a chip (11). A predetermined number of second lead pins (22, 41), each having a specific function, are provided in a region near the center of the underside of the package (13) inside of the region populated with the first lead pins (14).
Abstract:
A reference delay generator includes a delay unit having a plurality of delay elements which are cascaded and respectively have variable delay times. The delay unit receives a reference signal and generates a delayed signal which is a delayed version of the reference signal. A control part detects a phase difference between the reference signal and the delayed signal and generates a control signal which sets the phase difference to an integer multiple of 90.degree.. The control signal is applied to the delay elements, so that the delay times of the delay elements are changed on the basis of the control signal. The control signal is used for, for example, controlling a delay circuit which includes a plurality of delay elements identical to those of the delay unit.
Abstract:
A circuit arrangement of a semiconductor integrated circuit device includes logic cell arrays arranged into columns. Each of the logic cell arrays have a plurality of logic cells. Each of the logic cells have at least one monitor point. The circuit arrangement also includes select lines which carry select signals, each specifying a corresponding one of the logic cells arrays. Further, the circuit arrangement includes read lines carrying monitor signals showing logic states of monitor points of the logic cells. The select lines and the read lines are provided so that the total number of the select lines and read lines is less than the sum total of the number of the logic cell arrays and a maximum number of monitor points contained in one of the logic cell arrays. Switch elements connect the monitor points of the logic cells to the read lines in response to the select signals.
Abstract:
A semiconductor chip circuit device includes cell arrays having pairs of an n-channel device formation region and a p-channel device formation region. Conductive power source lines are selectively formed between the pairs and are situated in grooves in the substrate. The conductive lines are selectively connected to impurity introduction regions in each formation region of each pair. An insulating layer is formed in the grooves over the conductive lines, and wirings selectively connect a plurality of pairs formed on the insulating layer.
Abstract:
A semiconductor integrated circuit including at least one conventional inner cell region and an outer cell region. The outer cell region comprising a plurality of outer cells. Each outer cell is comprised of circuit elements for achieving a predetermined logic function, in addition to circuit elements for achieving the conventional buffer function of an outer cell. Further, two or more adjacent outer cells are connected each other and act as an independent circuit so as to form a macro-cell.