EP0181047A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Delay control circuit and method for controlling delays in a semiconductor element
Assignee: LSI Corp
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Filing: 1985-11-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-11-07
Abstract
Abstract A circuit (40) constructed in accordance with this invention includes a ring oscillator (25) to provide a signal which is dependent on the propagation delays of the inverters (33, 34, 35) comprising the ring oscillator, therefore the frequency of the ring oscillator is inversely dependent upon the propagation delays of the inverter comprising the ring oscillator. Means (37) are provided to determine the propagation delay introduced by the components in the ring oscillator by measuring the frequency of the output signal produced by the ring oscillator which provides a signal to a multiplexer (36) which selects among a number of present delay components (26) those components which are necessary to ensure that the propagation delay caused by the circuitry (not shown) connected to the input lead (21) of the circuit constructed in accordance with this invention plus the propagation delay introduced by the selectable delay elements is nearly a constant propagation delay.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven S. Chan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:03
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K5/00; H03K5/13; H03K5/14; H03K19/00; H03K19/003; H03K19/00323; H03K5/131; H03K2005/00013; H03K2005/00078; H03K2005/00097; H03K2005/0015; H03K2005/00234; H03K2005/00247
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A propagation delay control circuit for controlling propagation delays in a semiconductor element comprising: means for detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor element; propagation delay means; and means for adjusting the propagation delay of said propagation delay means in response to said means for detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
A propagation delay control circuit for controlling propagation delays in a semiconductor element comprising: means for detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor element; propagation delay means; and means for adjusting the propagation delay of said propagation delay means in response to said means for detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A propagation delay control circuit as in Claim 1 wherein said means for detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor element comprises means for detecting the propagation delays through one or more gates contained within said semiconductor element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A propagation delay control circuit as in Claim 2 wherein said one or more gates form an oscillator, and said means for detecting the propagation delays through said one or more gates comprises means for detecting the frequency of said oscillator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A propagation delay control circuit as in Claim 1 wherein said propagation delay means comprises: a plurality of propagation delay paths, each said propagation delay path having an associated propagation delay; means for selecting one of said plurality of propagation delay paths, said means for selecting being controlled in response to said propagation delay in said semiconductor element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A propagation delay control circuit as in Claim 4 wherein one or more of said propagation delay paths comprises one or more gates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
170 words
A propagation delay control circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal comprising: a plurality of N, where N is a positive integer, delay elements for providing propagation delays each having an input lead connected to said input terminal and an output lead; multiplexer means having a plurality of N input leads each uniquely connected to one of said second leads of said delay elements, an output lead connected to said output terminal, and having a selector input port; oscillator means having an output lead, wherein the output frequency of the output signal of said oscillator means varies with propagation delay variations of circuitry which is connected to said input terminal; and frequency detector means having an input lead connected to said output lead of said oscillator means, and an output port connected to said selector input port, wherein said frequency detection means provides an output signal in response to the signal received on said input lead which causes said multiplexor means to select one of said delay elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
170 words
A propagation delay control circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal comprising: a plurality of N, where N is a positive integer, delay elements for providing propagation delays each having an input lead connected to said input terminal and an output lead; multiplexer means having a plurality of N input leads each uniquely connected to one of said second leads of said delay elements, an output lead connected to said output terminal, and having a selector input port; oscillator means having an output lead, wherein the output frequency of the output signal of said oscillator means varies with propagation delay variations of circuitry which is connected to said input terminal; and frequency detector means having an input lead connected to said output lead of said oscillator means, and an output port connected to said selector input port, wherein said frequency detection means provides an output signal in response to the signal received on said input lead which causes said multiplexor means to select one of said delay elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
A propagation delay control circuit as in Claim 1 wherein said oscillator means comprise: a first inverter having an input lead, and having an output lead serving as said output lead of said oscillator means; a second inverter having an input lead connected to said output lead of said first inverter, and having an output lead; and a third inverter having an input lead connected to said output lead of said second inverter, and an output lead connected to said input lead of said first inverter.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
34 words
A method for controlling propagation delays in a semiconductor element comprising the steps of: detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor element; providing a supplemental propagation delay in response to the detected propagation delay.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
34 words
A method for controlling propagation delays in a semiconductor element comprising the steps of: detecting the propagation delay in said semiconductor element; providing a supplemental propagation delay in response to the detected propagation delay.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method for controlling propagation delays as in Claim 8 wherein said step of detecting comprises measuring the frequency of an oscillator constructed in said semiconductor element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for controlling propagation delays as in Claim 8 wherein said step of providing a supplemental propagation delay comprises selecting one of a plurality of propagation delay paths.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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