RF Stimulus Used to Synchronize a Clock Network
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an RF structure that generates a first stimulus;
an IC substrate; and
, a first tank circuit comprising a plurality of inductors coupled in parallel;
wherein, the first LC tank circuit is formed on the IC substrate; and
, at least one of the plurality of inductors is flux linked to the first stimulus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
CMOS LC tank circuits and flux linkage between inductors can be used to distribute and propagate clock signals over the surface of a VLSI chip or μprocessor. A structure is placed close to the surface of the IC. This structure contains circuitry to generate RF signals. These signals can originate from individual inductors, cavity oscillators, antennas, or other forms of RF signal generation. These signals are applied to the surface of the IC and are detected by the coils of an LC tank circuit formed in the metallization. These signals are used to force each of the LC tank circuits into synchronism. In addition, the inductance of the LC tank circuit can comprise several inductors coupled in parallel. Thus, the external signal provides the stimulus to synchronize individual LC tank circuits located in the IC.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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an RF structure that generates a first stimulus;
an IC substrate; and
,a first tank circuit comprising a plurality of inductors coupled in parallel;
wherein,the first LC tank circuit is formed on the IC substrate; and
,at least one of the plurality of inductors is flux linked to the first stimulus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A RF signal generation unit, comprising:
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an RF structure having a planar surface;
a plurality of RF generation signal circuits placed across the planar surface; and
,a plurality of stimuli that emanates from the planar surface;
wherein,each of the plurality of RF signal generation circuits generates one of the plurality of stimuli; and
,at least one of the plurality of stimuli is applied to an external LC tank circuit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A substrate unit, comprising:
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a planar surface; and
,a plurality of LC tank circuits;
wherein,at least one LC tank circuit comprises;
a plurality of inductors coupled in parallel;
wherein,at least one inductor from the plurality of inductors intercepts an external stimulus. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of synchronizing an LC tank circuit, comprising the steps of:
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forming an RF structure that generates a stimulus which is applied to an IC substrate;
creating the LC tank circuit which has two or more inductors coupled in parallel;
placing the LC tank circuit on the IC substrate;
positioning the RF structure juxtaposed to the IC substrate to flux link the stimulus to at least one of the inductors; and
,synchronizing the LC tank circuit.
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28. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first unit that generates a stimulus;
a second unit comprising at least one LC tank circuit;
the LC tank circuit comprising a plurality of inductors that are coupled in parallel; and
,the stimulus from the first unit is magnetically coupled to at least one inductor in the LC tank circuit. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification