摘要:
An integrated circuit is provided with a distributed supply voltage monitoring system in which a single controller controls a plurality of voltage monitors located in respective modules of the integrated circuit. The controller and each circuit form a successive approximation analogue to digital converter. Such a system enables a small size monitoring circuit to be realised for every module of the integrated circuit.
摘要:
An integrated circuit comprises a plurality of sensing circuits (12), each for detecting whether a respective physical operating parameter is above or below a respective reference value. The integrated circuit contains a serial shift register (11) for shifting digital data signals that represent the respective reference values from a successive approximation update circuit (14) to the sensing circuits (12) and back to the successive approximation update circuit (14). Detection results of the sensing circuits (12) are shifted to the successive approximation update circuit (14) with the digital data signals. The successive approximation update circuit (14) is used to form the digital data so that the reference values form successive approximations of the physical operating parameter values during an analog to digital conversion process. In this way the successive approximation update circuit (14) is shared by a plurality of sensing circuits (12).
摘要:
Apparatus and method for IR-drop and supply noise measurements in electronic circuits. A first voltage at a point of interest in the circuit is sampled and stored during a quiescent mode of the circuit the voltage is to be measured in. Subsequently, the circuit is brought in an operating mode and a second voltage is sampled and held at the same point of interest. The first and the second voltage are compared and a corresponding voltage signal is passed to a system output.
摘要:
Reduction of power consumption of integrated circuits due to reduced leakage is provided by driving an integrated circuit with a first drive potential (Vdd) and a second drive potential (Vsscore), switching the second drive potential to a ground potential in active mode using a power switch (30), and connecting a substrate potential of the integrated circuit to the ground potential.
摘要:
The present invention relates to a on-chip circuit for on silicon interconnect capacitance (Cx) extraction that is self compensated for process variations in the integrated transistors. The circuit (10) comprises signal generation means (20) for generating a periodical pulse signal connected to first and to second signal delaying means (31, 32) for respective delaying said pulse signal, wherein said second signal delaying means (32) are configured to have a delay affected by said interconnect capacitance (Cx); a logical XOR gate (35) for connecting respective first and said second delay signals of said respective first and second delay means (31, 32), said logical XOR gate (35) being connected to signal integrating means (40); and said signal integrating means (40) being connected to analog to digital converting means (50). Whilst the error in conventional uncompensated systems, like delay line only, the error can be up to 30%, in the circuit according to the invention, the error due to process variations in the front-end is about 2%. Further, an output is provided in a digital format and thus, can be measured quickly with simple external hardware. Furthermore, the pulse signal frequency can be used as a monitor to measure process variations in the front-end. Moreover, since the circuit (10) is remarkably accurate and very easy to measure, it is the best choice as a process monitor for every chip fabricated in the future.
摘要:
The invention discloses an integrated circuit (10) for securely storing a codeword. The value of the codeword is dependent on the mobility (μA, μB, μC) of at least one transistor (TRA, TRB, TRC) of the integrated circuit. The invention further discloses a reader means (15), a method for determining the value of the codeword from the integrated circuit (10), and a method for altering the value of the codeword.
摘要:
The invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a test structure (100) for detecting variations in the structure of the semiconductor device, the test structure (100) comprising a first supply rail (110), a second supply rail (120), a ring oscillator (130) coupled between the first supply rail (110) and second supply rail (120), the ring oscillator (130) having an output (132) for providing a test result signal, and an array (140) of individually controllable transistors (142) coupled in parallel between the first supply rail (110) and the ring oscillator (130). Variations in the current output of the respective transistors (142) in the array (140) lead to variations in the respective output frequencies of the ring oscillator (130). This gives a qualitative indication of the aforementioned structural variations. More accurate results can be obtained by inclusion of a reference current source (160) for calibrating the ring oscillator (130) prior to the measurement of the current output of the individual transistors (142).
摘要:
In an AD converter a primary ΣΔ-modulator digitizes the analog input signal. The quantization noise generated thereby is isolated in the analog domain and digitized in a secondary ΣΔ-modulator. The quantization noise so digitized by the secondary ΣΔ-modulator is subtracted from the quantization noise in the output of the primary ΣΔ-modulator. Because the quantization noise generated by the primary ΣΔ-modulator is subject to filtering (shaping) the quantization noise digitized in the secondary ΣΔ-modulator should also be filtered. This is performed by similar filtering in the feedback path of the secondary ΣΔ-modulator.
摘要:
A sensor (400) for sensing jitter in a clock signal has a DLL (402, 310, 312) for locking a clock signal and a delayed version of the clock signal. The sensor comprises a delay line (402) having a first number of cascaded controllable delay segments. The DLL uses a second number of the cascaded delay segments for generating a delay of an average clock period of the clock signal. The second number is smaller than the first number. The sensor also has a comparator (408) for supplying a sensor output signal representative ofa comparison of the clock signal and a further delayed version of the clock signal. The further delayed version of the clock signal is obtained from an output of a specific one of the delay segments located in the delay line after the second number of cascaded delay segments.
摘要:
The invention discloses an integrated circuit (10) for securely storing a codeword. The value of the codeword is dependent on the mobility (µA, µB, µC) of at least one transistor (TRA, TRB, TRC) of the integrated circuit. The invention further discloses a reader means (15), a method for determining the value of the codeword from the integrated circuit (10), and a method for altering the value of the codeword.