Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor integrated circuit

US5781062A · kind A · utility

51Cited by
0References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 3, 1996
Grant dateJul 14, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 3, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A logic circuit (L.sub.i) is connected between a virtual power supply line (VDDV) connected to an actual power supply (VDD) through a PMOS transistor (Q1) and a virtual grounding line (GNDV) connected to an actual ground (GND) through an NMOS transistor (Q2). During an active period, the transistors (Q1, Q2) are constantly conducting, and the virtual power supply line (VDDV) and virtual grounding line (GNDV) are at the power supply potential (VDD) and ground potential (GND), respectively. During a standby period, the transistors (Q1, Q2) periodically repeat conduction/non-conduction to charge and discharge the virtual power supply line (VDDV) and virtual grounding line (GNDV), suppressing power consumption while preventing loss of information held by the logic circuit (L.sub.i).

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