Patent · US Expired

Digitally controlled element sizing

US5194765A · kind A · utility

228Cited by
5References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 1991
Grant dateMar 16, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 28, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03H11/245
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Effective control of impedance values in integrated circuit applications is achieved with an integrated circuit transistor whose size is digitally controlled. The digitally controlled size is achieved, for example, with a parallel interconnection of MOS transistors. In one application, the digitally controlled transitor serves as a controlled impedance connected to an output terminal of an integrated circuit. In that application, a number of transistors are enabled with control signals, and the collection of enabled transistors is responsive to the input signal that normally is applied to a conventional transistor. In another application, where the digitally controlled transistor serves as a controlled impedance at the input of a circuit, only the control signals that enable transistors and thereby determine the effective developed impedance are employed. In still another application, the digital control of the transistor's size is employed to control the speed or power consumption of the effective transistor. Such control is exercised to erase the manufacturing variability of the integrated circuit. Alternatively, such control is exercised as part of a feedback control of the oper…

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