Patent US5067003A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5067003A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit having interface circuit selectively coupled to different voltage source
Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1990-09-19
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Granted: 1991-11-19
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Expires: 2010-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit is fabricated on a single semiconductor chip, and comprises a first high level line, a first low level line, a first interface circuit coupled between the first high level line and the first low level line, a second high level line, a second low level line, a second interface circuit coupled between the second high level line and the second low level line, interconnections for alternatively coupling the first low level line to the second high level line and the first high and low level lines with the second high and low level lines, respectively, depending upon a user's request, and a dual power supply system or a single power supply system coupled to the first high and low level lines and said second high and low level lines, whereby the second interface circuit operates on either first or second voltage range.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Okamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:50
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/427
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit fabricated on a single semiconductor chip, comprising: a) a first high level voltage line; b) a first low level voltage line; c) a first interface circuit coupled between said first high level voltage lie and said first low level voltage line; d) a second high level voltage line; e) a second low level voltage line, said first high and low level voltage lines and said second high and low level voltage lines extending substantially parallel and adjacent to one another; f) a second interface circuit coupled between said second high level voltage line and said second low level voltage line; and g) coupling means for alternatively coupling said first low level voltage line with said second high level voltage line and said first high and low level voltage lines with said second high and low level voltage lines, respectively, wherein said first high and low level voltage lines and said second high and low level voltage lines are coupled between either dual or single power supply system and said first and second interface circuits whereby coupling arrangements between said first and second high and low level voltage lines and said first interface circuit and between said second high and low level voltage lines and said second interface circuit in said dual power supply system being similar to coupling arrangements between said first high and low level voltage lines and said first interface circuit and between said second high and low level voltage lines and said second interface circuit in said single power supply system, said dual power supply system producing two power voltage levels different from each other, said single power supply system producing a single power voltage level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
284 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit fabricated on a single semiconductor chip, comprising: a) a first high level voltage line; b) a first low level voltage line; c) a first interface circuit coupled between said first high level voltage lie and said first low level voltage line; d) a second high level voltage line; e) a second low level voltage line, said first high and low level voltage lines and said second high and low level voltage lines extending substantially parallel and adjacent to one another; f) a second interface circuit coupled between said second high level voltage line and said second low level voltage line; and g) coupling means for alternatively coupling said first low level voltage line with said second high level voltage line and said first high and low level voltage lines with said second high and low level voltage lines, respectively, wherein said first high and low level voltage lines and said second high and low level voltage lines are coupled between either dual or single power supply system and said first and second interface circuits whereby coupling arrangements between said first and second high and low level voltage lines and said first interface circuit and between said second high and low level voltage lines and said second interface circuit in said dual power supply system being similar to coupling arrangements between said first high and low level voltage lines and said first interface circuit and between said second high and low level voltage lines and said second interface circuit in said single power supply system, said dual power supply system producing two power voltage levels different from each other, said single power supply system producing a single power voltage level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 1, in which said first interface circuit is at least one of a transistor-transistor logic circuit and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor inverter, and in which said second interface circuit is an emitter-coupled logic circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
115 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 2, in which said semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit has a multiple level structure having at least one lower level, an intermediate level and an upper level, and in which said first high and low level voltage lines on said upper level and said second high and low level voltage lines on said upper level are respectively coupled to said first and second interface circuits on said lower level through respective inter-level wirings extending on said intermediate level, wherein said coupling means are located on said upper level and held in contact with said first low level voltage line and said second high level voltage line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 2, in which said first and second high level voltage lines propagate a positive voltage level and a ground voltage level, respectively, and in which said first and second low level voltage lines propagate said ground voltage level and a negative voltage level, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 4, in which said first low level voltage line is located adjacent to said first high level voltage line, and in which said second high level voltage line is located between said first low level voltage line and said second low level voltage line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 5, in which said coupling means is implemented by a conductive strip merging said first low level voltage line and said second high level voltage line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 4, in which said second high level voltage line is adjacent to said first high level voltage line, and in which said first low level voltage line is located between said second high level voltage line and said second low level voltage line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 7, in which said coupling means is implemented by a conductive strip merging said first low level voltage line and said second high level voltage line.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
128 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 2, in which said semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit has a multiple level structure having at least a lower level, an intermediate level and an upper level, and in which said first high and low level voltage lines on said upper level and said second high and low level voltage lines on said upper level are respectively coupled to said first and second interface circuits on said lower level through respective inter-level wirings extending on said intermediate level, wherein said coupling means are located on said intermediate level for coupling said first high level voltage line with said second high level voltage line and for coupling said first low level voltage line with said second low level voltage line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 9, in which said first and second high level voltage lines propagate a positive voltage level, and in which said first and second low level voltage lines propagate a ground voltage level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 10, in which said coupling means are implemented by interlevel wirings for coupling said first high level voltage line with said second high level voltage line and for coupling said first low level voltage line with said second low level voltage line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 10, in which said first high level voltage line is adjacent to said second high level voltage line, and in which said first low level voltage line is located between said second high level voltage line and said second low level voltage line.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 12, in which said coupling means are implemented by two conductive strips one of which is merged into said first and second high level voltage lines and the other of which is merged into said first and second low level voltage lines.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 12, in which said first low level voltage line is separated into a plurality of sections, and in which said second high level voltage line is separated into a plurality of sections respectively paired with the sections of said first low level voltage line so as to form a plurality of section pairs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
A semicustom-made semiconductor integrated circuit as set forth in claim 14, in which sections of one of said section pairs are respectively coupled to said first high level voltage line and said second low level voltage line through conductive strips, and in which sections of another section pair are coupled with each other through a conductive strip.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-11-18 | 1995-05-20 | 1995-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-11-18 | 1999-05-20 | 1999-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-11-18 | 2003-05-20 | 2003-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |