Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Signal converting – shaping – or generating – Having specific delay in producing output waveform
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-09
2002-07-02
Wells, Kenneth B. (Department: 2816)
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Signal converting, shaping, or generating
Having specific delay in producing output waveform
C327S252000, C327S253000, C327S283000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06414531
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
In many circuit configurations, particularly in microelectronics and semiconductor technology, it is necessary for a number of electronic components which are connected to a number of lines via a line device, for example a bus system, to receive specific signals which originate, for example, from a transmitting device. Particularly in pulsed systems, it is in this case furthermore necessary for the arrival or the reception of the signals at the electronic components to differ as little as possible from a predetermined time sequence, in order that a given time structure of further processing steps within the circuit configuration can be complied with in a defined manner.
Particularly in the case of memory systems, a layout is preferred in which the electronic components or memory components are disposed along a transmitting line device, namely a bus system. In order that the signals which are intended to be transmitted via the transmission line device remain in a well-defined time sequence, or remain synchronized, while they are being transmitted along the transmission line device, the signal delay times or the signal delays must be adjusted and must be set to a specific accuracy.
This can be achieved first by the transmission line devices themselves being configured and constructed appropriately, in particular in terms of their capacitive and inductive characteristics.
Second, the electronic components which are connected to the line device, that is to say in particular the memory components, also have electrical characteristics, for example a capacitance and an inductance, which can influence the signal delay times for each individual line component of the line device.
Thus, in order to ensure predefined synchronicity of the signals running on the various line components of the line device, with regard to the various electronic components connected to the line device, it has been proposed in the prior art that an additional optional adjustment device having trimming capacitances or capacitors be configured, which capacitances or capacitors are formed in the region of the electronic components themselves and/or alternatively in the region of the connection devices between the electronic components and the line device, such that the signal delay times of the signal on the lines can be influenced by the additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices.
In known circuit configurations such as semiconductor modules, chips, memory modules and the like, one problem in this case is that the optional additional capacitances which need to be provided in the adjustment devices, and their conductive connections, must be fitted and formed at a very early stage in the production process during the production of, for example, an electronic component which is normally constructed in the form of layers, or a circuit configuration, and can then no longer be varied later.
Even if the optional capacitances to be provided have been selected on the basis of theoretical calculations or on the basis of measurements on prototypes or previous product lines such that they correspond to specific delay time requirements for the signals or signal components on the line devices, the additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices, once they have been configured and constructed, are fixed for a single specific type of electronic component or circuit configuration. This results in that changes to the delay time requirements for the signals, which may occur on the basis of changes to or fluctuations in the production process, on the basis of aging phenomena, on the basis of interactions between the electronic components or the circuit configurations with other electronic components or circuit configurations that are provided, cannot be taken into account in the production process without considerable cost. It is even impossible to react sufficiently flexibly to spontaneously occurring customer requirements relating to the signal delay times since, to do this, the additional capacitances (which are provided on the electronic components or the circuit configuration) of the adjustment devices would have to be fundamentally redesigned. This would necessitate a modification of the production process, and thus a component variation.
However, owing to the time scale aspects, the use of material and, in some circumstances, increased production beyond the desired specification, all these measures would also lead to additional costs associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a circuit configuration which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, in which signal delay times on the lines can be influenced in a particularly reliable and, at the same time, flexible manner.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a semiconductor circuit configuration. The circuit configuration contains at least one line device having a number of lines to transmit a signal, connection devices for relaying the signal, a number of electronic components connected to the line device through the connection devices, and a number of adjustment devices connected to the connection devices in a region of the electronic components such that signal delay times of the signal on the lines can be influenced on a basis of additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices. The additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices are each formed by a capacitance. The adjustment devices each have a switching control device connected to the capacitance for selectively switching the capacitance. In addition, the switching control device functions as a protection device.
In the circuit configuration of the generic type, the line device is provided which has a number of lines or individual lines to transmit the signal. Furthermore, the circuit configuration of the generic type has a number of the electronic components, which can each be connected to the line device via the connection devices that are provided, and are configured to receive the signal. Furthermore, a number of adjustment devices are provided, which are configured to be in contact with the connection devices in the region of the electronic components and/or the connection devices, such that the signal delay times on the lines can be influenced on the basis of additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices.
The achievement of the object according to the invention now contains the adjustment devices being configured such that the values of the additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices can each be varied in a controllable manner.
In contrast to the prior art, in which the capacitances of the adjustment devices on the electronic components or on the circuit configuration with the electronic components are defined and fixed during production of the circuit configuration, the fundamental idea of the solution according to the invention is to provide the capability to vary the additional total capacitances of the adjustment devices in a controllable manner. Therefore, the influence of the total capacitances on the signal delay times of the signal on the individual lines or line devices can be set in a variable, that is to say flexible, manner. Thus, in contrast to the prior art, the circuit configuration according to the invention results in that it is possible to adapt to and to comply with changing signal delay time requirements.
The influence on the signal delay times can be achieved particularly flexibly if, according to one preferred embodiment of the circuit configuration according to the invention, the adjustment devices each have a number of individual capacitances or a single individual capacitance, but which can be varied in a controllable manner, in which case the individual capacitance or the individual capacitances in each case interact to form essentially the additional total capacitance of the respective adjustment device.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Infineon - Technologies AG
Lerner Herbert
Stemer Werner H.
Wells Kenneth B.
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