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US6078202A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Semiconductor device having portions that operate at different frequencies, and method of designing the device

Assignee: Socionext Inc
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Filing: 1998-08-14
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Granted: 2000-06-20
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Expires: 2018-08-14
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed are a semiconductor device of which a block having a plurality of portions that operate based on a plurality of clocks can be designed and inspected easily, and a method of designing the semiconductor device. First and second clocks whose frequencies are mutually different are used to generate an enabling signal that is validated only during a short period including a transition edge of the second clock. The enabling signal and first clock are supplied to the second portion. The second portion synthesizes the enabling signal and first clock to substantially generate the second clock. Thus, the second portion is regarded as a portion that operates synchronously with the first clock.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hideaki Tomatsuri
  • 👤 Hiroyuki Fujiyama
  • 👤 Noriaki Ono
  • 👤 Minoru Usui

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 19:04
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/04; G06F1/12; H; H03; H03L; H03L7/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 83 words
A semiconductor device having a first portion that operates synchronously with a first clock, and a second portion that operates synchronously with the first clock, said semiconductor device comprising: an enabling signal generation circuit for generating an enabling signal, which is validated only during a short period including a transition edge of a second clock at which the state of said second portion is changed, using said first and second clocks, said first clock and enabling signal being supplied to said second portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 83 words
A semiconductor device having a first portion that operates synchronously with a first clock, and a second portion that operates synchronously with the first clock, said semiconductor device comprising: an enabling signal generation circuit for generating an enabling signal, which is validated only during a short period including a transition edge of a second clock at which the state of said second portion is changed, using said first and second clocks, said first clock and enabling signal being supplied to said second portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a frequency divider for dividing in frequency said first clock so as to generate said second clock.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said second portion comprises a state machine and uses said enabling signal as a condition for state transition to be made by the state machine.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 95 words
A method of designing a semiconductor device having a first portion that operates synchronously with a first clock, a second portion that operates synchronously with the first clock, and an enabling signal generation circuit for generating an enabling signal that is validated only during a short period including a transition edge of a second clock at which the state of said second portion is changed, said first clock and enabling signal being supplied to said second portion, and said first portion and second portion are designed as portions that operate synchronously with said first clock.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 95 words
A method of designing a semiconductor device having a first portion that operates synchronously with a first clock, a second portion that operates synchronously with the first clock, and an enabling signal generation circuit for generating an enabling signal that is validated only during a short period including a transition edge of a second clock at which the state of said second portion is changed, said first clock and enabling signal being supplied to said second portion, and said first portion and second portion are designed as portions that operate synchronously with said first clock.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method of designing a semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein said second portion comprises a state machine, and said enabling signal is used as a condition for state transition to be made by the state machine.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5361290A Cited
US5528181A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-06-20 2003-12-20 2004-06-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-06-20 2007-12-20 2008-06-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-06-20 2011-12-20 2012-06-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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