Comparator Latch Boosting to Prevent Meta-Stable False Alarms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Comparator circuits often generate false alarms due to prolonged transition times from meta-stable to stable states, leading to inaccurate comparison results.
Innovation Solution
A comparator circuit with a false-alarm preventing mechanism, comprising an input pair circuit, a latch circuit, a conduction adjusting circuit, and a voltage detection circuit, where the voltage detection circuit triggers the conduction adjusting circuit when output voltages are not within a predetermined range, enhancing latch circuit conduction to expedite the transition to stable states and prevent false alarms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the latch circuit operates normally without additional control circuits, then the device complexity is low, but the transition time from meta-stable to stable state becomes too long causing false alarms
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage detection circuit monitors the output voltages in advance and triggers the conduction adjusting circuit before the latch circuit completes its transition, thereby preliminarily preparing to enhance conduction and prevent false alarms before they occur
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage detection circuit continuously monitors the output voltages of the latch circuit and provides feedback to the conduction adjusting circuit, which then adjusts the conduction accordingly to maintain reliable operation while avoiding unnecessary complexity during normal operation
2Loss of time
If the conduction of the latch circuit is enhanced continuously, then the transition time is reduced and false alarms are prevented, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduction adjusting circuit operates periodically rather than continuously - it is triggered only when the voltage detection circuit detects that output voltages are outside the predetermined range, thereby reducing energy consumption while still achieving fast transition when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The conduction of the latch circuit is dynamically adjusted based on real-time voltage detection - the conduction is enhanced only when necessary (when voltages are outside the predetermined range) and returns to normal when voltages are within the range, optimizing the balance between transition speed and energy consumption
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a comparator circuit having false-alarm preventing mechanism. An input pair circuit receives a first and a second input voltages from a first and a second input terminals in an the operation state. The input pair circuit and a latch circuit cooperate to perform comparison thereon in the operation state to generate a first and a second output voltages at a first and a second output terminals. A gate and a drain of a first latch transistor are electrically coupled to the first and the second output terminals respectively. A gate and a drain of a second latch transistor are electrically coupled to the second and the first output terminals respectively. A conduction adjusting circuit enhances the conduction of the latch circuit when being triggered. A voltage detection circuit triggers the conduction adjusting circuit when the first and the second output voltages are not within a predetermined range.