Flip-Flop Timing Circuit With Staged Clock Delays
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of integrated circuits poses challenges in ensuring reliable operation sequences, particularly in the timing of clock signals, which can be affected by variations in supply voltage, leading to potential reliability issues in the design and manufacturing of standard cell layout designs.
Innovation Solution
A modified timing circuit for a master-slave flip-flop is introduced, incorporating time delay circuits and a NOR gate to generate specific clock signals that ensure the transmission gate is opened before the gated input circuit changes state, improving reliability by managing clock signal delays and variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the integrated circuit is miniaturized to reduce power consumption and increase functionality, then the device size and power consumption are improved, but the reliability of clock signal timing deteriorates due to variations in supply voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The timing circuit generates clock signals with predetermined delays before they are used to control the transmission gate and gated input circuit. By pre-establishing the timing sequence through delay circuits, the system ensures that the transmission gate opens before the gated input circuit changes state, even when supply voltage varies. This preliminary timing arrangement prevents timing violations without requiring larger device dimensions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the supply voltage varies, then the adaptability to different voltage conditions is improved, but the timing precision of clock signal edges deteriorates, causing reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
Delay circuits are introduced as intermediary elements between the clock signal source and the flip-flop control inputs. These intermediary circuits provide fixed time delays that are designed to be relatively insensitive to supply voltage variations. By using these intermediary delay elements, the system maintains precise timing relationships between clock edges and circuit state changes even when supply voltage adapts to different conditions.
3Reliability
If the transmission gate is opened before the gated input circuit changes state, then the reliability of the operation sequence is improved, but this requires additional timing control circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The timing control function is segmented into separate delay circuit stages, where each stage provides a specific time delay. The first delay circuit generates a clock signal with a delay tailored for controlling the transmission gate, while subsequent delay circuits generate appropriately delayed signals for other control inputs. This segmentation allows precise timing control to be achieved through modular, manageable circuit blocks rather than a single complex timing mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit includes a first time delay circuit, a second time delay circuit, and a master-slave flip-flop having a gated input circuit and a transmission gate. The first time delay circuit has a first input configured to receive a first clock signal and having a first output configured to generate a second clock signal. The second time delay circuit has a second input configured to receive the second clock signal and having a second output configured to generate a third clock signal. The transmission gate is configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal to control a transmission state of the transmission gate. The gated input circuit is configured to have an input transmission state controlled by the third clock signal at the second output of the second time delay circuit.