Data transfer across power domains
US8984463B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2013 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D10/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments comprise a multi-stage circuit operating across different power domains. The multi-stage circuit may be implemented as a master-slave flip-flop circuit integrated with a level shifter that transfers data across different power domains. The master and slave stages of the flip-flop may be split across two tiers of a 3D IC and may include (i) a level shifter across different power domain integrated within the flip-flop circuit, (ii) reduced one-state writing delays by a self-induced power collapsing technique, (iii) splitting flip-flop power supplies in different tiers using monolithic 3D IC technology, and (iv) cross power domain data transfer between 3D IC tiers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.