Voltage compensated integrated circuits

• US 8,461,891 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Funding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Funding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Fu, Robert, Osborn, Neal A., Burr, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rojas, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/030,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: 327/108, 327/211
• US Class Current: 327/211
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/011 Modifications of generator to compensate for variations in physical values, e.g. voltage, temperature to maintain energy constant H03K3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0315 Ring oscillators

Abstract

A method and system of voltage compensated integrated circuits. Operating characteristics of integrated circuitry are enhanced by application of voltage compensation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first circuit including components activated with a first magnitude threshold voltage; and

coupling a second circuit to the first circuit in a feedback arrangement;

wherein an output of said second circuit drives an input of said first circuit and does not drive other input circuitry; and

wherein the second circuit includes components activated with a second magnitude threshold voltage which is greater in magnitude than the first threshold voltage.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first circuit comprises an inverter including an input and an output.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the second circuit comprises a feedback inverter including an input and said output.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the input of the inverter is connected to the output of the feedback inverter, and wherein the output of the inverter is connected to the input of the feedback inverter.

5. A method comprising:

connecting a second circuit to a first circuit in a first feedback arrangement, wherein the first circuit includes components activated with a first threshold voltage and the second circuit includes components activated with a second threshold voltage which is greater than the first threshold voltage; and

connecting a third circuit to the second circuit in a second feedback arrangement, wherein the third circuit includes components activated with a third threshold voltage which is greater than the second threshold voltage.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the first circuit comprises an inverter including an input and an output.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the second circuit comprises a first feedback inverter including an input and an output.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the third circuit comprises a second feedback inverter including an input and an output.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the input of the inverter is coupled to the output of the first feedback inverter and is coupled to the input of the second feedback inverter.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the output of the inverter is connected to the input of the first feedback inverter and is connected to the output of the second feedback inverter.

11. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the components of the first feedback inverter include a p-type transistor.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the components of the second feedback inverter include a p-type transistor.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the p-type transistor of the first feedback inverter is connected to the p-type transistor of the second feedback inverter.

14. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the first, second, and third circuits are embodied within a microprocessor.

15. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the first, second, and third circuits are within a computer system.

16. A device comprising:

a first stage comprising components activated with at least a first threshold voltage and a second threshold voltage greater than the first threshold voltage;

a second stage comprising components activated with at least a first threshold voltage and a second threshold voltage greater than the first threshold voltage; and

a third stage comprising components activated with at least a first threshold voltage and a second threshold voltage greater than the first threshold voltage, wherein the first, second, and third stages are coupled in a ring arrangement,

wherein said first and second threshold voltages are established by construction of said components.

17. The device as recited in claim 16 wherein each stage includes a first circuit and a second circuit coupled to the first circuit in a first feedback arrangement.

18. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein the first and second circuits comprise inverters.

19. The device as recited in claim 17 wherein each stage includes a third circuit coupled to the second circuit in a second feedback arrangement.

20. The device as recited in claim 19 wherein the third circuit comprises an inverter.

21. A means comprising:

means for providing a first circuit including first circuit means activated with a first threshold voltage;

means for connecting a second circuit to the first circuit in a first feedback arrangement, wherein the second circuit includes second circuit means activated with a second threshold voltage which is greater than the first threshold voltage; and

means for connecting a third circuit to the second circuit in a second feedback arrangement, wherein the third circuit includes third circuit means activated with a third threshold voltage which is greater than the second threshold voltage.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the first circuit comprises inverter means including input means and output means.

23. The method as recited in claim 22 wherein the second circuit comprises a first feedback inverter means including input means and output means.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the third circuit comprises a second feedback inverter means including input means and output means.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the input means of the inverter means is coupled to the output means of the first feedback inverter means and is coupled to the input means of the second feedback inverter means.

26. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the output means of the inverter means is coupled to the input means of the first feedback inverter means and is coupled to the output means of the second feedback inverter means.

27. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the first feedback inverter means include p-type transistor means.

28. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the second feedback inverter means include p-type transistor means.

29. The method as recited in claim 24 wherein the p-type transistor of the first feedback inverter means is coupled to the p-type transistor means of the second feedback inverter means.

30. An electronic circuit comprising:

a first sub-circuit consisting of components configured with a first magnitude threshold voltage; and

a second sub-circuit coupled to said first sub-circuit in a feedback arrangement, wherein the second circuit includes components configured with a second magnitude threshold voltage which is greater in magnitude than said first threshold voltage,

wherein differences between said first and second threshold voltages are determined by fabrication differences of said components.

31. The electronic circuit of claim 30 wherein said differences between said first and second threshold voltages result from differences in gate thickness between said components.

32. The electronic circuit of claim 30 wherein differences between said first and second threshold voltages result from differences in gate length between said components.

33. The electronic circuit of claim 30 wherein differences between said first and second threshold voltages result from differences in dopant concentration between said components.

34. The electronic circuit of claim 30 wherein said components are free of configuration to receive a body biasing voltage.

35. An electronic circuit comprising:

a first sub-circuit including components configured with a first threshold voltage; and

a second sub-circuit coupled to said first sub-circuit in a feedback arrangement, wherein the second circuit includes components configured with a second threshold voltage which is greater in magnitude than said first threshold voltage,

wherein said electronic circuit comprises a frequency-voltage characteristic that is more stable with respect to voltage over a range of frequencies than a frequency-voltage characteristic of said first sub-circuit in isolation.

36. A method comprising:

accessing a first signal at a first circuit input, wherein said first circuit comprises components activated with a first magnitude threshold voltage;

processing said first signal by said first circuit to produce a second signal;

accessing said second signal at a second circuit input, wherein said second circuit comprises components activated with a second magnitude threshold voltage greater than said first magnitude threshold voltage;

processing said second signal by said second circuit to produce a third signal; and

directly connecting said third signal to said first signal.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

accessing said first signal at a third circuit input, wherein said third circuit comprises components activated with a third magnitude threshold voltage greater than said second magnitude threshold voltage;

processing said first signal by said third circuit to produce a fourth signal at an output of said third circuit; and

directly connecting said fourth signal to said second signal.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the first circuit comprises an inverter.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein said second circuit comprises a frequency-voltage characteristic when combined in opposition with a frequency-voltage characteristic of said first circuit produces a frequency-voltage characteristic that is more stable with respect to voltage over a range of frequencies than said frequency-voltage characteristic of said first circuit.