Apparatus and method for controlling the propagation delay of a circuit by controlling the voltage applied to the circuit
First Claim
1. Structure for controlling the voltage applied to an integrated circuit which comprises:
- a power supply;
an integrated circuit including a temporal process monitor formed as part of said integrated circuit;
a voltage controlled oscillator provided as part of said temporal process monitor for producing a first output signal having a first period; and
a comparator for comparing said first period to one or more reference values;
wherein said first period greater than a first selected reference value causes said comparator to send a signal to said power supply to increase the voltage being supplied to said integrated circuit and wherein said first period less than a second selected reference value causes said comparator to send a signal to said power supply to decrease the voltage applied to said integrated circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The voltage applied to an integrated circuit is controlled by a temporal process monitor formed as part of the integrated circuit. The temporal process monitor includes a voltage controlled oscillator for producing a first output signal having a first period. A comparator compares the first period to one or more reference values. Should the first period be greater than a first selected reference value the comparator sends a signal to increase the voltage being supplied to the integrated circuit. Should the first period be less than a second selected reference value, the comparator sends a signal to decrease the voltage applied to the integrated circuit. In some embodiments a scaling circuit is provided for producing a second output signal having a second period different from (typically but not necessarily longer than) the first period. By placing the temporal process monitor on an integrated circuit chip, process variations and environmental factors which affect the performance of the integrated circuit can be automatically compensated so that the integrated circuit performs within specifications. Two or more temporal process monitors can be placed on a single integrated circuit chip or on different integrated circuit chips and the longest period produced by the temporal process monitors can be used to control the voltage supplied to all the sections of the integrated circuit chip associated with the temporal process monitors or to all the integrated circuit chips associated with the temporal process monitors.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. Structure for controlling the voltage applied to an integrated circuit which comprises:
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a power supply; an integrated circuit including a temporal process monitor formed as part of said integrated circuit; a voltage controlled oscillator provided as part of said temporal process monitor for producing a first output signal having a first period; and a comparator for comparing said first period to one or more reference values; wherein said first period greater than a first selected reference value causes said comparator to send a signal to said power supply to increase the voltage being supplied to said integrated circuit and wherein said first period less than a second selected reference value causes said comparator to send a signal to said power supply to decrease the voltage applied to said integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A plurality of structures each for controlling the voltage applied to at least a portion of an integrated circuit wherein:
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each such structure comprises; a temporal process monitor formed as part of an integrated circuit said temporal process monitor comprising; a voltage controlled oscillator for producing a first output signal having a first period; a divider for dividing said first output signal to produce a second output signal having a second period longer than said first period; means for providing a first output signal from said temporal process monitor, said means for providing comprising two input leads and an output lead, one input lead carrying a first intermediate signal representing said second period, and the other input lead carrying a signal from a temporal process monitor in a preceding structure or a reference voltage if the structure containing said means for providing is the first structure in a series of said structures; and an output lead from said means for providing, said output lead comprising one input lead to a means for providing in a next following temporal process monitor or, if the means for providing is in the last temporal process monitor in a series of such temporal process monitors, said output lead being connected to one or more pull-up transistors for pulling up the voltage on said output lead following a change of voltage on said output lead which indicates that all structures have completed the generation of a measure of the second period of the second output signal from the divider in each such temporal process monitor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification