Patent US6208170B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US6208170B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Semiconductor integrated circuit having a sleep mode with low power and small area

Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corp
•
Filing: 1999-04-05
•
Granted: 2001-03-27
•
Expires: 2019-04-05
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a power supply circuit having a global source line VCC, a local source line QVCC coupled to VCC by a source switching transistor, and a global ground line VSS, a low-threshold logic (combinational) circuit connected between QVCC and VSS, and a data storage (sequential) circuit, connected between VCC and VSS. The data storage circuit includes a low-threshold input section for receiving data from the logic circuit and a high-threshold latch section for latching the data received by the input section. Mode switching transistors are inserted between the low-threshold logic circuit and VSS, between low-threshold input section and VCC and between the low-threshold input section and VSS, for effecting a sleep mode of the semiconductor integrated circuit. Low power dissipation is maintained with a reduced circuit scale.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroaki Iwaki
  • 👤 Kouichi Kumagai

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 18:22
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C5/00; G11C5/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 205 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a power source circuit having only three source lines, said power source circuit including a first global source line, a local source line coupled to said first global source line by a source switching transistor and a second global source line; a low threshold logic circuit connected between said local source line and said second global source line, said low-threshold logic circuit including an output stage; a data storage circuit connected between said first global source line and said second global source line, said data storage circuit including a low-threshold input section for receiving a data signal from said output stage and a high-threshold latch section for latching the data signal received by said input section, said power source circuit further including a first mode switching transistor for coupling said output stage and said second global source line, a second mode switching transistor for coupling said input section and said first global source line, and a third mode switching transistor for coupling said input section and said second source line, each of said first through third switching transistors and said source switching transistor being controlled by a mode signal for supplying power from said first and second global source lines.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 205 words
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a power source circuit having only three source lines, said power source circuit including a first global source line, a local source line coupled to said first global source line by a source switching transistor and a second global source line; a low threshold logic circuit connected between said local source line and said second global source line, said low-threshold logic circuit including an output stage; a data storage circuit connected between said first global source line and said second global source line, said data storage circuit including a low-threshold input section for receiving a data signal from said output stage and a high-threshold latch section for latching the data signal received by said input section, said power source circuit further including a first mode switching transistor for coupling said output stage and said second global source line, a second mode switching transistor for coupling said input section and said first global source line, and a third mode switching transistor for coupling said input section and said second source line, each of said first through third switching transistors and said source switching transistor being controlled by a mode signal for supplying power from said first and second global source lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The semiconductor integrated circuit as defined in claim 1 , wherein said mode signal effects an active mode and a sleep mode of said semiconductor integrated circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 31 words
The semiconductor integrated circuit as defined in claim 2 , wherein each of said first through third mode switching transistors and said source switching transistor are off during said sleep mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The semiconductor integrated circuit as defined in claim 2 , wherein said input section passes a data signal to said data latch section during said active mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
The semiconductor integrated circuit as defined in claim 4 , wherein said input section stops a data signal during said sleep mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The semiconductor integrated circuit as defined in claim 1 , wherein said high-threshold latch section includes a low-threshold transfer gate in a signal path of said high-threshold latch section.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH0629834A Cited
JPH05281929A Cited
US5606265A Cited
US5610533A Cited
US5594371A Cited
US5726562A Cited
US6049245A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2004-03-26 2004-09-25 2005-03-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-03-26 2008-09-25 2009-03-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-03-26 2012-09-25 2013-03-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag