Low voltage signaling
First Claim
1. A low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits, comprising:
- a first voltage domain operating at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines operating at a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain, and a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level;
wherein an input signal originating from the first voltage domain is down converted to operate at the reduced voltage swing level for transmission over the second voltage domain, and wherein the third voltage domain senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates an output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level; and
a switched capacitor on-chip supply voltage generation unit configured to generate one or more reduced voltage levels with respect to Vdd.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits includes a first voltage domain operating at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines operating at a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain, and a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level; wherein an input signal originating from the first voltage domain is down converted to operate at the reduced voltage swing level for transmission over the second voltage domain, and wherein the third voltage domain senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates an output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level.
69 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits, comprising:
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a first voltage domain operating at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines operating at a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain, and a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level; wherein an input signal originating from the first voltage domain is down converted to operate at the reduced voltage swing level for transmission over the second voltage domain, and wherein the third voltage domain senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates an output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level; and a switched capacitor on-chip supply voltage generation unit configured to generate one or more reduced voltage levels with respect to Vdd. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits, comprising:
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a first voltage domain operating at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines operating at a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain, and a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level; wherein an input signal originating from the first voltage domain is down converted to operate at the reduced voltage swing level for transmission over the second voltage domain, and wherein the third voltage domain senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates an output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level; an on-chip supply voltage generation unit for generating one or more reduced voltage levels with respect to Vdd; a level-shifting driver in communication with the on-chip voltage supply generation unit and the input signal, the level-shifting driver outputting the converted input signal operating at the reduced voltage swing level; and a gated diode sense amplifier in the third voltage domain that senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates the output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level.
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9. A method of implementing a low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits, comprising:
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operating a first voltage domain at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, operating a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines at a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain, and operating a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level; down converting an input signal originating from the first voltage domain to operate at the reduced voltage swing level for transmission over the second voltage domain, and wherein the third voltage domain senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates an output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level; and utilizing a switch capacitor on-chip supply voltage generation unit to generate one or more reduced voltage levels with respect to Vdd. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of implementing a low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits, comprising:
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operating a first voltage domain at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, operating a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines at a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain, and operating a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level; down converting an input signal originating from the first voltage domain to operate at the reduced voltage swing level for transmission over the second voltage domain, and wherein the third voltage domain senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates an output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level; utilizing an on-chip supply voltage generation unit for generating one or more reduced voltage levels with respect to Vdd; and utilizing a level-shifting driver in communication with the on-chip voltage supply generation unit and the input signal, the level-shifting driver outputting the converted input signal operating at the reduced voltage swing level; and utilizing a gated diode sense amplifier in the third voltage domain that senses the input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates the output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level.
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17. A low voltage signaling system for integrated circuits, comprising:
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a first voltage domain operating at a nominal integrated circuit (IC) power supply voltage (Vdd) swing level at a signal transmitting end of a first chip, the first voltage domain including a switched capacitor converter on-chip supply voltage generation unit for generating one or more reduced voltage levels with respect to Vdd, and a level-shifting driver in communication with the on-chip voltage supply generation unit and a first input signal, the level-shifting driver outputting a converted first input signal to a reduced voltage swing level with respect to the first voltage domain; a second voltage domain having one or more transmission interconnect lines operating at the reduced voltage swing level; and a sense amplifier in a third voltage domain at a signal receiving end of a second chip, the third voltage domain operating at the Vdd swing level, wherein the sense amplifier senses the down converted first input signal transmitted over the second voltage domain and generates a first output signal operating back up at the Vdd swing level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification