Patent · US Expired

Reference voltage distribution system

US4990797A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
5References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 26, 1989
Grant dateFeb 5, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 26, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05F3/227
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A reference voltage distribution system for use on an integrated circuit to distribute, from a reference voltage input, to remote locations on the chip, precise images of the reference voltage. The system comprises (1) a reference buffer located proximate a reference input connection and (2) a plurality of remote generator blocks, one located at each of the remotely-located sub-blocks or circuits requiring an image of the reference voltage. The reference buffer generates from the reference voltage a number of precision currents, each proportional to the reference voltage. These precision currents are routed to the remote generator blocks. Each remote generator block converts its precision current into a precision reference voltage for local use. These latter reference voltages may be the same as or different from the reference voltage supplied to chip itself.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.