Process corner estimation circuit with temperature compensation

Details Process corner estimation circuit with temperature compensation Process corner estimation circuit with temperature compensation

2006-08-23

2009-12-15

Whitmore, Stacy A (Department: 2825)

Computer-aided design and analysis of circuits and semiconductor

Nanotechnology related integrated circuit design

C716S030000, C323S274000, C327S513000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07634746

ABSTRACT:
A process corner estimation circuit with temperature compensation is included in each die formed from a silicon wafer in order to quickly and easily provide a determination of process corner. The temperature compensation circuitry provides input current to a clock generator, the input current to the clock generator being inversely proportional to the temperature of the die. The clock generator circuit of the indicator circuit includes an array of flip-flop elements and is run at a lower operating voltage, such that the differences in delay in the generated timing signal are accentuated for different process corners. The period of the timing signal is determined using slow and fast clock counters, with the slow clock counting a number of cycles of the timing signal and the fast clock counting a number of cycles of a fixed frequency. The count produced by the fast clock corresponds to the delay in the clock generator circuit, giving a temperature compensated indication of the process corner of the die.

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