Clock-Gated Flip-Flop Circuit for Lower Power Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flip-flops in integrated circuits consume significant power, particularly when numerous flip-flops are used, leading to increased power consumption in mobile applications.
Innovation Solution
A flip-flop device with a gating circuit that generates lower-activity clock signals (clk_nand and clk_nor) from a full-activity input clock signal (CP), reducing signal transitions and thereby decreasing power consumption, by using a selecting circuit, master circuit, slave writing circuit, and slave circuit configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a full-activity clock signal is used to control flip-flops, then the flip-flop operation is reliable and functional, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the clock signal activity adaptive rather than static. The gating circuit dynamically adjusts the clock signal transitions based on the master signal state, allowing the system to optimize power consumption while maintaining functional reliability. This is achieved by conditionally enabling clock transitions only when necessary for proper flip-flop operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of clock signal activity from full-activity to reduced-activity states. By using a gating circuit that modifies the clock signal based on the master signal, the system transitions between different clock activity levels, thereby reducing power consumption during states where full clock activity is not required while maintaining reliability when needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If numerous flip-flops are used in an integrated circuit, then the functionality and state storage capacity increase, but the overall power consumption of the circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the clock signal distribution by introducing individual gating circuits for different flip-flops or groups of flip-flops. This allows selective activation of clock signals to only those flip-flops that need to operate, rather than providing full-activity clock signals to all flip-flops simultaneously, thereby reducing overall circuit power consumption while maintaining necessary state storage capacity.
3Loss of energy
If the clock signal transitions are reduced to lower power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but the functionality and reliability of the flip-flop may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback by using the master signal (which reflects the current state and operational needs of the flip-flop) to control the gating of the clock signal. This feedback mechanism ensures that clock transitions are reduced only when the flip-flop state indicates that full activity is not required, while automatically restoring full clock activity when functional reliability is needed, thus balancing energy efficiency with functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit includes a flip-flop circuit and a gating circuit. The flip-flop circuit is arranged to receive an input data for generating a master signal during a writing mode according to a first clock signal and a second clock signal, and to output an output data according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal during a storing mode. The gating circuit is arranged for generating the first clock signal and the second clock signal according to the master signal and an input clock signal. When the input clock signal is at a signal level, the first clock signal and the second clock signal are at different logic levels. When the input clock signal is at another signal level, the first clock signal and the second clock signal are at a same logic level determined according to a signal level of the master signal.