Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Gating – Signal transmission integrity or spurious noise override
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-01
2004-05-04
Callahan, Timothy P. (Department: 2816)
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Gating
Signal transmission integrity or spurious noise override
C327S333000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06731154
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Present Invention
The present invention generally relates to voltage islands, and more specifically, to methods and apparatuses that transmit signals across such voltage islands.
2. Description of Related Art
The semiconductor industry is constantly increasing the number of circuits and functionality that can be compressed onto a single die. As process dimensions decrease, this ability has grown at an astronomical rate. The ability to put entire functioning systems on a single die is now the norm rather than the exception. As a consequence of this growth, the die/integrated circuit can be viewed as compilation of functioning islands.
Some of these islands operate at different voltages from one another, others have the ability to switch to standby or sleep mode, while still others result from the need to isolate noisy circuitry. The ability to combine these different islands onto a single integrated circuit, requires techniques and circuitry for propagating communication (clocks, signals, etc), power, and output results.
One problem associated with these types of voltage islands, results from the ability to put various islands in standby or sleep mode (“sleeping island”). The problem arises when a signal not associated with the sleeping island must cross the sleeping island. More specifically, when the sleeping island is large enough in size such that buffering is required to improve the signal for noise and/or performance reasons. Obviously, the buffering could occur outside the sleeping island, but this is not always desirable.
It would, therefore, be a distinct advantage if the buffering of such a signal could occur within the sleeping voltage island itself. The present invention provides such a method and apparatus.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method and apparatus for buffering a signal in a voltage island that is in standby or sleep mode. The apparatus uses a buffer(s) that are powered from a global power supply voltage that is always powered, and such buffer(s) are placed within the sleeping island itself. The sleeping island can be at the same or different voltage from the global voltage.
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Bednar Thomas Richard
Gould Scott Whitney
Lackey David E.
Stout Douglas Willard
Zuchowski Paul Steven
Callahan Timothy P.
Cox Cassandra
Henkler Richard A.
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