Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080228951 | RECONFIGURABLE CIRCUITS - The present disclosure involves reconfigurable circuits that include an asynchronous data path with asynchronous control and at least one logic element coupled with the asynchronous data path that allows the circuit to be configured to more than one logical implementation through data and control token. In one particular example, the asynchronous data path with asynchronous control includes an interconnection of memory elements, such as latches, with each memory element including a corresponding asynchronous control element, such as a GasP element. One or more logical elements are coupled at one or more points of the data path, such coupling may involve feed-back, feed-forward, or combinations of both, and may include external data connections. Through distribution of data items and control tokens to the asynchronous data path with asynchronous control, the fixed logical coupling to the data path may be reconfigured to provide various logical arrangements. | 09-18-2008 |
20080231308 | Sub-Sampling of Weakly-Driven Nodes - A method and apparatus for performing on-chip voltage sampling of a weakly-driven node of a semiconductor device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the node is a floating node or is capacitively-driven. In some embodiments, it is involved in proximity-based communication. Sampling the node may include isolating the signal to be sampled using a source-follower amplifier before passing it to the sampling circuit. Sampling the node may include biasing the node to a desired voltage using a leaky transistor or other biasing circuit. In some embodiments, the biasing circuit may also be used to calibrate the sampler by coupling one or more calibration voltages to the node in place of a biasing voltage and measuring the sampler output. The sampler may be suitable for sub-sampling high frequency signals to produce a time-expanded, lower frequency version of the signals. The output of the sampler may be a current communicated off-chip for testing. | 09-25-2008 |
20090315624 | ACTIVE RESISTOR USED IN A FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR PROXIMITY COMMUNICATION - An active resistor and its use in a negative feedback amplifier allow wide voltage swings on the input and output signals. One embodiment includes parallel pass-gate MOS transistors of opposite conductivity types connected between the input and output nodes. Bootstrapping transistors are connected between the gates of the pass-gate transistors and respective bias voltages. Coupling capacitors are connected between the gates and the output node. Additional coupling capacitors may be connected between the gates and the input node to make the resistor symmetric. In other embodiments, only one pass-gate transistor is used. | 12-24-2009 |
20100060299 | DETERMINING CHIP SEPARATION BY COMPARING COUPLING CAPACITANCES - A semiconductor die includes proximity connectors proximate to a surface of the semiconductor die. This semiconductor die is configured to communicate signals with another semiconductor die via proximity communication through one or more of the proximity connectors. In particular, the proximity connectors include a first group of proximity connectors that is configured to facilitate determining a first separation between the semiconductor die and the other semiconductor die by comparing coupling capacitances between the semiconductor die and the other semiconductor die. Note that the first group of proximity connectors includes a first proximity connector and a second proximity connector, and the second proximity connector at least partially encloses an in-plane outer edge of the first proximity connector. | 03-11-2010 |
20100176878 | CAPACITIVELY AND CONDUCTIVELY COUPLED MULTIPLEXER - A capacitively and conductively coupled multiplexer (C | 07-15-2010 |
20100264954 | RECEIVE CIRCUIT FOR CONNECTORS WITH VARIABLE COMPLEX IMPEDANCE - Embodiments of a circuit for use with an inter-chip connection that has a variable complex impedance (which can be conductive, capacitive or both), a system that includes the circuit, and a communication technique are described. This inter-chip connection may be formed between a microspring or an anisotropic film and a metal connector on or proximate to a surface of a chip. Moreover, the circuit may mitigate signal distortion associated with the variable complex impedance. For example, the circuit may include an internal impedance that is electrically coupled in series with the metal connector, and that has an impedance which dominates the variable complex impedance over a range of operating frequencies. Separately or additionally, the circuit may be adapted to correct for the signal distortion. | 10-21-2010 |
20110089540 | SEMICONDUCTOR DIE WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRO-STATIC DISCHARGE DEVICE - A semiconductor die is described. This semiconductor die includes an electro-static discharge (ESD) device with a metal component coupled to an input-output (I/O) pad, and coupled to a ground voltage via a signal line. Moreover, adjacent edges of the metal component and the I/O pad are separated by a spacing that defines an ESD gap. When a field-emission or ionization current flows across the ESD gap, the metal component provides a discharge path to the ground voltage for transient ESD signals. Furthermore, the ESD gap is at least partially enclosed so that there is gas in the ESD gap. | 04-21-2011 |
20110248750 | HIGH-BANDWIDTH ON-CHIP COMMUNICATION - Some embodiments of the present invention provide techniques and systems for high-bandwidth on-chip communication. During operation, the system receives an input voltage signal which is to be transmitted over a wire in a chip. The system then generates one or more modified voltage signals from the input voltage signal. Next, the system drives each of the voltage signals (i.e., the input voltage signal and the one or more modified voltage signals) through a respective capacitor. The system then combines the output signals from the capacitors to obtain a combined voltage signal. Next, the system transmits the combined voltage signal over the wire. The transmitted signals can then be received by a hysteresis receiver which is coupled to the wire through a coupling capacitor. | 10-13-2011 |
20120114032 | EQUALIZATION IN PROXIMITY COMMUNICATION - A device includes a semiconductor die having a surface, a plurality of proximity connectors proximate to the surface, and a circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of proximity connectors. The semiconductor die is configured to communicate voltage-mode signals through capacitive coupling using one or more of the plurality of proximity connectors. The circuit also includes a filter with a capacitive-summing junction to equalize the signals. | 05-10-2012 |
20120229941 | SEMICONDUCTOR DIE WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRO-STATIC DISCHARGE DEVICE - A semiconductor die is described. This semiconductor die includes an electro-static discharge (ESD) device with a metal component coupled to an input-output (I/O) pad, and coupled to a ground voltage via a signal line. Moreover, adjacent edges of the metal component and the I/O pad are separated by a spacing that defines an ESD gap. When a field-emission or ionization current flows across the ESD gap, the metal component provides a discharge path to the ground voltage for transient ESD signals. Furthermore, the ESD gap is at least partially enclosed so that there is gas in the ESD gap. | 09-13-2012 |