Apparatus suitable for providing synchronized clock signals to a microelectronic device

• US 6,857,081 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Primarion Incorporated (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Pohlman, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trujillo, James K.
• Application Number:
  US09/771,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20020162041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 713/400, 713/401, 257/208, 257/203, 257/207, 257/210, 257/211, 257/723, 257/724, 257/776, 257/777, 257/778, 257/758, 327/295
• US Class Current: 713/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/10 Distribution of clock signals , e.g. skew

Abstract

A device for transmitting clock signals to a microprocessor is disclosed. The device is configured to receive a clock signal and distribute the signal synchronically to multiple output sites on the device. The synchronized clock signals are transmitted from the various device sites to multiple sites on the microprocessor.

Claims

1. A clock signal distribution device formed on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

a clock input;

a first driver coupled to said clock input;

a second driver coupled to said clock input;

a first receiver coupled to said first driver by a first plurality of transmission lines;

a second receiver coupled to said second driver by a second plurality of transmission lines;

said first and second plurality of transmission lines being configured to provide substantially equal time delays;

said first receiver configured to provide a first output connected to a first site on a microprocessor; and

said second receiver configured to provide a second output connected to a second site on said microprocessor.

2. A clock signal distribution device formed on a semiconductor substrate, as in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises:

silicon germanium.

3. A clock signal distribution device formed on a semiconductor substrate, as in claim 1, wherein said first and second plurality of transmission lines are configured to transmit both in phase and out of phase signals.

4. A clock signal distribution device formed on a semiconductor substrate, as in claim 1, wherein said clock input is configured as a solder bump.

5. A clock signal distribution device formed on a semiconductor substrate, as in claim 1, wherein said first and second outputs are configured as solder bumps.

6. An integrated circuit device formed on a semiconductor substrate and configured to provide synchronized clock signals to multiple sites on a utilization device located external to the semiconductor substrate, comprising:

a clock input configured as a solder bump;

a first driver coupled to said clock input;

a second driver coupled to said clock input;

a first receiver coupled to said first driver by a first plurality of transmission lines;

a second receiver coupled to said second driver by a second plurality of transmission lines;

said first and second plurality of transmission lines being configured to provide substantially equal time delays;

said first receiver configured to provide a first output connected to a first site on a utilization device; and

said second receiver configured to provide a second output connected to a second site on said utilization device.

wherein said first and second outputs are configured as solder bumps connected to first and second sites on said utilization device.

7. An integrated circuit device as in claim 6, wherein said integrated circuit device is formed on a silicon germanium substrate.

8. An integrated circuit device as in claim 6, wherein said utilization device is a microprocessor.