Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Signal converting – shaping – or generating – Clock or pulse waveform generating
Patent
1997-06-09
1999-10-19
Wells, Kenneth B.
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Signal converting, shaping, or generating
Clock or pulse waveform generating
327293, 327548, H03K 104
Patent
active
059695595
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus for distributing clock signals in an integrated circuit is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the power grid of the integrated circuit is used to distribute a periodic timing signal, in addition to the power supply voltage, to local areas of the integrated circuit, the local areas having circuitry for extracting a local clock signal from the periodic timing signal. Instead of simply carrying a DC power supply signal, the power grid is provided with a waveform constituting the sum of the DC power supply signal and the periodic signal, and the power grid then supplies all areas of the integrated circuit with this waveform. Local circuits then tap the power grid as needed to extract the periodic signal, from which local clock signals are then generated. In another preferred embodiment, a periodic timing signal is provided in the form of electromagnetic radiation to local areas of the integrated circuit by means of an optical or radio frequency transmitter. Associated with each local area of the integrated circuit is an optical or radio frequency receiver for receiving the periodic timing signal, along with conversion circuitry for extracting a local clock signal from the periodic signal.
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