Patent · US Active

Method and system for low-power level-sensitive scan design latch with power-gated logic

US7646210B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 5, 2007
Grant dateJan 12, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 19, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/0016
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of preventing current leakage in logic circuits within level sensitive scan design (LSSD) latch circuits in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). When the ASIC is in a manufacturing test mode, a gating signal at an input terminal of a power gating circuit is set to exceed a threshold voltage of transistors within the power gating circuit. The gating signal thus causes the power gating circuit to enable electrical current to reach the LSSD latch circuits. When the ASIC is in a normal functional mode, the gating signal is set below the threshold voltage. The gating signal thus causes the power gating circuit to prevent electrical current from reaching particular logic circuits (e.g., scan logic) within the LSSD latch circuits, thereby conserving power within the ASIC by preventing current leakage and heat generation in the LSSD latch circuit.

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