Coupled Ring Oscillator Layout for Balanced Loads and Phase Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional layouts of coupled ring oscillators face challenges in generating highly accurate phase information due to uneven wire lengths and heavy loads on some inverter circuits, leading to variations in driving timing and reduced phase accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A coupled ring oscillator design featuring n ring oscillators with m inverter circuits and a phase-coupling loop where m×n phase-coupling circuits are connected in a specific ratio, ensuring bijective connections between inverter and phase-coupling circuit points, allowing all inverter circuits to have equal wire lengths and generating highly accurate phase information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional layout methods are used to connect inverter circuits with phase-coupling circuits, then the coupled ring oscillator can be constructed, but some signal wires become extremely long and only some inverter circuits are under heavy load, causing variations in driving timing and reducing phase accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally designing the phase-coupling loop with unequal numbers of phase-coupling circuits on either side of each inverter circuit connection point. Specifically, each inverter circuit connection point divides the phase-coupling loop into two paths with different numbers of phase-coupling circuits, creating asymmetric signal paths that balance the overall wire length and load distribution across all inverter circuits in the coupled ring oscillator
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a conventional linear or simple circular layout to a multi-dimensional phase-coupling loop structure where n ring oscillators are coupled through m×n phase-coupling circuits arranged in a systematic loop. This dimensional reorganization allows signal paths to be redistributed, preventing any single path from becoming excessively long while maintaining all necessary phase-coupling connections
2Productivity
If some inverter circuits are under heavy load due to uneven wire lengths, then the layout can be completed, but driving timing variations occur making it difficult to generate highly accurate phase information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves equipotentiality by designing the phase-coupling loop such that all inverter circuits experience substantially equal load conditions. Through the asymmetric division of the phase-coupling loop, the total wire length and capacitive load are balanced across all inverter circuits, ensuring that each inverter operates under comparable electrical conditions and produces consistent driving timing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the phase-coupling loop by varying the number of phase-coupling circuits in different segments of the loop. By adjusting these parameters, the patent optimizes the wire length and load distribution to achieve uniform driving timing across all inverter circuits, thereby improving the reliability of phase information generation
Data Source
AI summary
A coupled ring oscillator includes n ring oscillators (20) each including m inverter circuits (10), and a phase-coupling loop (40) in which m×n phase-coupling circuits (30), each of which couples signal phases at two points in a certain phase mode, are connected with each other to form a loop. Connection points at which the inverter circuits (10) are connected with each other and the connection points at which the phase-coupling circuits (30) are connected with each other are connected bijectively; and each of the inverter circuits (10) is connected between two points that divide the phase-coupling circuits (30) into two parts at a certain ratio.