Method and apparatus for optically enabling a circuit component in a large scale integrated circuit
First Claim
1. A large scale integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
- a light sensing device to produce a signal in response to sensing light;
an optic function subcircuit integrated on the IC and coupled to the light sensing device to provide an interface between the light sensing device and communications circuitry of the IC; and
a switch integrated on the IC and connected to the light sensing device and to the optic function subcircuit to alternately enable and disable an input subcircuit of the optic function subcircuit, when light is sensed.
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Abstract
According to the invention, systems, apparatus and methods are disclosed for optically enabling a circuit component in a large scale integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the invention is a circuit comprising a light sensing device for producing a signal in response to sensing light, an optic function subcircuit, and a switch connected to the light sensing device and to the optic function subcircuit for activating the optic function subcircuit when light is sensed. The light sensing device is preferably a phototransistor and a light sensing circuit is preferably placed between the light sensing device and the switch for amplifying and conditioning the light sensing signal. The optic function subcircuit can be an optical modulator, an optical receiver or any other device that is to be operated and powered only when incident light is present. The switch can be a logic gate or a transistor switch coupled to the light sensing device and to an input to the optic function subcircuit, such as a power supply or a clock input, for alternately enabling and disabling the input to the optic function subcircuit.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A large scale integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a light sensing device to produce a signal in response to sensing light;
an optic function subcircuit integrated on the IC and coupled to the light sensing device to provide an interface between the light sensing device and communications circuitry of the IC; and
a switch integrated on the IC and connected to the light sensing device and to the optic function subcircuit to alternately enable and disable an input subcircuit of the optic function subcircuit, when light is sensed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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receiving light at a light sensing device of an integrated circuit (IC);
generating a light sensing signal in the IC in response to the received light;
activating a switch integrated in the IC and connected to an input of an optic function subcircuit that is intergrated in the IC in resopnse to the light sensing signal to alternately enable and disable the optic function subcircuit to provide an interface between the light sensing device and communications circuitry of the IC. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A large scale integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a light sensing device to produce a sense signal in response to sensing light;
a low power light sensing circuit integrated on the IC substrate coupled to the light sensing device and maintained in an active state to amplify and condition the sense signal;
an optical modulator integrated on the IC substrate and maintained in a minimum power state;
a photodetector coupled to the optical modulator to provide received optical signals in an electrical form to the optical modulator for demodulation;
a switch integrated on the IC substrate connected to the light sensing circuit to receive the sense signal from the light sensing device and connected to the optical modulator to produce an enable signal to activate the optical modulator from a minimum power disabled state to a powered enabled state when light is sensed by the light sensing device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A circuit comprising:
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a photodetector integrated on a large scale integrated circuit (IC), the photodetector generating a photodetector output signal in response to light;
a light sensing circuit coupled to the photodetector, integrated on the IC and maintained in an active state to amplify and condition the photodetector output signal;
an optical modulator coupled to the photodetector, integrated on the IC and maintained in an inactive state to modulate the photodetector output signal for other circuits;
a switch integrated on the IC coupled to the light sensing subcircuit to receive the photodetector output signal and produce an enabling signal to activate the optical modulator in response to detection of a signal from the light sensing circuit. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification