Signal transmission circuit

Claim 2

A signal transmission circuit, comprising: a first transmission line segment having first and second ends; a gate having an output coupled to said first end of said first transmission line segment, a first input of said gate for receiving an input signal; a control signal, a second input of said gate coupled to said control signal, said gate operable to output an inverse of said input signal to said first transmission line segment in response to receiving a predetermined value from said control signal; a precharger coupled to a node for selectively precharging said note to a first voltage level representing a preselected bit value; switching circuitry and a second voltage level supply, a current path of said switching circuitry operable to connect said second voltage level supply to said node, a control terminal of said switching circuitry coupled to said second end of said first transmission line segment for operating said switching circuitry; a pulse circuit for generating a signal pulse in response to said control signal; a pass gate operating in response to said signal pulse generated by said pulse circuitry, said pass gate having an input and an output, said input of said pass gate coupled to said node, a latch having an input coupled to said output of said pass gate, such that the state of said node is transmitted to said latch during a predetermined interval of time and stored by said latch; and a second transmission line segment, an output of said latch coupled to said second transmission line segment for transmitting said state stored by said latch thereto.

Claim 3

The circuit of claim 1, wherein said precharger has a control terminal coupled to a control signal source, said control signal source operable to generate a second control signal which varies between two levels, a first of said levels operable to connect said first voltage level supply to said node to precharge said node.

Claim 4

The circuit of claim 2, wherein an enabling terminal of said switching circuit is coupled to said control signal enabling the operation of said switching circuitry by a predetermined signal value on said first transmission line segment.

Claim 5

The circuit of claim 1, and further comprising a control signal source, an enabling terminal of said switching circuitry coupled to said control signal source, a predetermined level of said second control signal enabling said switching circuitry to be operated by a predetermined state on said second end of said first transmission line segment.

Claim 6

The circuit of claim 4, wherein said second control signal course comprises an inverter, an input of said inverter receiving said control signal.

Claim 7

The circuit of claim 1, wherein said pulse circuit is a one-shot generator having an input and an output, and further comprising a control signal source for producing a second control signal coupled between said control signal and said input of said one-shot generator, at least one control terminal of said pass gate coupled to said output of said one-shot generator, said one-shot generator generating a one-shot pule in response to receiving a predetermined level of second control signal, said one-shot pulse making said pass gate conductive for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 8

The circuit of claim 6, and further comprising a control signal transmission line segment having a second end coupled to said one-shot signal generator and a first end coupled to said control signal source, said control signal transmission line segment having an RC time constant not greater than the RC time constant of said first transmission line segment.

Claim 9

A signal transmission circuit, comprising: a plurality of first transmission line segments having first and second ends, and each having an RC time constant; a control signal source, a control signal transmission line segment having an input end coupled to an output of said control signal source, and an out put end, said control signal transmission line segment having an RC time constant no greater than the RC time constant of said first transmission line segments; for each of said first transmission line segments, a respective precharger for precharging a respective node to a voltage level representative of a first of a plurality of bit values; a respective switching circuit for each of said nodes, a current path of each of said switching circuits operable to connect one of said respective nodes to a supply of a second voltage representative of a second of said bit values; each said switching circuits having a control terminal and an enabling terminal for controlling the conductance of said current path, said enabling terminals connected to said output end of said control signal transmission line, said control terminals each connected to said second end of a respective first transmission line segment; a one-shot generator having an input connected to said output end of said control signal transmission line, and an output; a plurality of gate passes having inputs connected to respective ones of said nodes and having outputs, first end s of a respective plurality of second transmission line segments connected to said outputs of respective ones of said pass gates, control terminals of said pass gates connected to said output of said one-shot generator; a predetermined one of two levels of a transmission signal appearing at a second end of a respective first transmission line segment operable to actuate a respective switching circuit, a predetermined levels of said control signal operable to enable each of said switching circuits to be actuated by said predetermined state of a respective transmission signal; and said one-shot generator operable to generate a one-shot pulse on its output in response to said predetermined state of said control signal, each said pass gate operable to couple a first end of a respective second transmission lien segment to a respective node in response to receiving said one-shot pulse, such that the state represented at each respective node is transferred to a respective second transmission line segment.

Claim 10

A signal transmission circuit, comprising: a plurality of first transmission line segments having first and second ends, and each having an RC time constant; a control signal source, a control signal transmission line segment having an input end coupled to an output of said control signal source, and an out put end, said control signal transmission line segment having an RC time constant no greater than the RC time constant of said first transmission line segments; for each of said first transmission line segments, a respective precharger for precharging a respective node to a voltage level representative of a first of a plurality of bit values; a respective switching circuit for each of said nodes, a current path of each of said switching circuits operable to connect one of said respective nodes to a supply of a second voltage representative of a second of said bit values; each said switching circuits having a control terminal and an enabling terminal for controlling the conductance of said current path, said enabling terminals connected to said output end of said control signal transmission line, said control terminals each connected to said second end of a respective first transmission line segment; a one-shot generator having an input connected to said output end of said control signal transmission line, and an output; a plurality of gate passes having inputs connected to respective ones of said nodes and having outputs, first end s of a respective plurality of second transmission line segments connected to said outputs of respective ones of said pass gates, control terminals of said pass gates connected to said output of said one-shot generator; a predetermined one of two levels of a transmission signal appearing at a second end of a respective first transmission line segment operable to actuate a respective switching circuit, a predetermined levels of said control signal operable to enable each of said switching circuits to be actuated by said predetermined state of a respective transmission signal; and said one-shot generator operable to generate a one-shot pulse on its output in response to said predetermined state of said control signal, each said pass gate operable to couple a first end of a respective second transmission lien segment to a respective node in response to receiving said one-shot pulse, such that the state represented at each respective node is transferred to a respective second transmission line segment.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9, and further comprising the steps of: inputting said second value of said control signal into a one-shot generator at the same time as said step of enabling said switching circuitry; generating a one-shot pulse having an interval in response to receiving said second value of said control signal; driving said transmission node to one of said first and second voltage levels during the interval of said one-shot pulse corresponding to the value of said transmitted signal; and using said one-shot pulse to enable a pass gate to couple said transmission node to a second transmission line segment.

Claim 14

The method of claim 10, and further comprising the step of: latching said signal at said transmission node after said signal has passed said pass gate such that said second transmission line segment is driven to said latched signal.

Claim 15

A signal transmission circuit, comprising: a precharger coupled to a transmission node for precharging said node to a first voltage representative of a first of at least two bit values; switching circuitry for selectively connecting said node to a source of a second voltage representative of a second of said bit values; a control signal source coupled to said switching circuitry, wherein a predetermined state of a control signal generated by said control signal source is operable to enable said switching circuitry to selectively connect said node to said source of said second voltage; a transmission signal generator coupled to said switching circuitry by a first transmission line signal a first level of a transmission signal operating said switching circuitry to connect said node to said source of said second voltage when said switching circuitry is enable by said predetermined level of said control signal, such that a level representative of said second of said bit values exits at said node, a second level of said transmission signal failing to so operate said switching circuitry such that a level representative of said first of said bit values exits at said node; a second transmission line segment coupled to said node for receiving a signal from said first transmission line segment; and an isolation circuit for isolating said first transmission line segment from said second transmission line segment, said precharger operable to selectively precharge said first transmission line segment to a beginning value, such that a voltage representing one of said bit values may be transmitted on said second transmission line segment while said first transmission line segment is precharged to said beginning value.

Claim 16

A signal transmission circuit, comprising: a precharger coupled to a transmission node for precharging said node to a first voltage representative of a first of at least two bit values; switching circuitry for selectively connecting said node to a source of a second voltage representative of a second of said bit values; a control signal source coupled to said switching circuitry, wherein a predetermined state of a control signal generated by said control signal source is operable to enable said switching circuitry to selectively connect said node to said source of said second voltage; a transmission signal generator coupled to said switching circuitry by a first transmission line signal a first level of a transmission signal operating said switching circuitry to connect said node to said source of said second voltage when said switching circuitry is enable by said predetermined level of said control signal, such that a level representative of said second of said bit values exits at said node, a second level of said transmission signal failing to so operate said switching circuitry such that a level representative of said first of said bit values exits at said node; a second transmission line segment coupled to said node for receiving a signal from said first transmission line segment; and an isolation circuit for isolating said first transmission line segment from said second transmission line segment, said precharger operable to selectively precharge said first transmission line segment to a beginning value, such that a voltage representing one of said bit values may be transmitted on said second transmission line segment while said first transmission line segment is precharged to said beginning value.

Claim 17

The circuit of claim 12, wherein said isolating circuit comprises a pass gate, an input of said pass gate coupled to said node, an output of said pass gate coupled to an end of said first transmission line segment, said pass gate further having at least one control terminal; a one-shot generator for receiving a predetermined value of said control signal and producing a one-shot pulse on at least one output thereof in response to said predetermined value, said output coupled to said control terminal of said pass gate such that said pulse actuates said pass gate to pass the value at said node to the output of said pass gate.

Claim 18

The circuit of claim 12, and further comprising a latch having an input coupled to said node and an output coupled to said second transmission line segment, said latch operable to output the state of the input of said latch onto said second transmission line segment until the value of the input of said latch is changed.

Claim 19

The circuit of claim 12, wherein said precharger comprises a precharger switch having a control terminal, said control terminal of said precharger switch coupled to said control signal source, a second predetermined value of said control signal actuating said precharger switch to connect said first voltage to said node.