Resonant logic driver circuit

Abstract

An electronic logic driver circuit, for driving a capacitive load between supply potentials for example for use in driving logic circuit elements on or off a chip, is disclosed. The driver circuit comprises switching devices to switch current either to or from two main voltage supply sources and two coupled inductors that act to store energy derived from the voltage sources. In operation, the coupled inductors form an LC resonator with the load such that energy stored in the inductors can be transferred to or from the load to drive a change in the voltage of the load.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to electronic logic driver circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to reducing power consumption of electronic logic circuits and state regulation of signals internal to electronic logic circuits. [0002] Electronic circuits consume power in various ways. In particular, power is consumed when an input signal to a circuit element changes state. Power consumption occurs due to the charging and discharging of parasitic capacitances associated with input signals to circuit elements or with the wires connecting these input signals to signal drivers. Power dissipation does not occur in the parasitic capacitance itself, but in the output impedance of the signal driver. Modern digital integrated circuits (ICs) typically operate at relatively low frequencies driving a large number of off-chip signals with high capacitive loading, and thereby consume a significant (albeit small) fraction of the IC's overall powe...

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Problems solved by technology

This further limits the channel width of transistor M4 that can be used without causing additional power dissipation

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