Flip-Flop Latch Layout With Central Clock Inverter Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits (ICs) used in mobile devices face challenges in reducing power consumption, particularly with regards to the power consumed by flip-flops, which is not efficiently minimized by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
The design of a semiconductor circuit layout that incorporates master and slave latch circuits, clock inverters, and multiplexers to optimize the placement of clock inverters relative to latch circuits, reducing the power consumption by minimizing the length of signal paths and the power usage of the clock signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the clock inverter is placed far from the latch circuits, then the layout flexibility is improved, but the power consumption increases due to longer signal paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing the clock inverter at a specific location between the master and slave latch circuits rather than uniformly distributing clock inverters. This localized placement optimizes the signal path length for the specific function of generating the inverted clock signal, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining layout flexibility.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the signal path length is reduced, then the power consumption is reduced, but the layout complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the clock inverter placement with the existing latch circuit layout by positioning it between the master and slave latch circuits. This integration allows the clock signal distribution to be optimized without requiring separate clock inverter placements, thereby reducing power consumption while avoiding additional layout complexity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the clock signal path is optimized, then the power consumption of flip-flops is reduced, but the area of the circuit layout increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by optimizing only the critical clock signal path between the clock inverter and the latch circuits, rather than optimizing all signal paths in the circuit. This selective optimization reduces power consumption for the most significant power-consuming paths without requiring comprehensive redesign of the entire circuit layout, thereby minimizing the increase in layout area.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor circuit and a semiconductor circuit layout system are provided. The semiconductor circuit includes a clock inverter which inverts a clock signal and outputs an inverted clock signal where the clock inverter is laid out between a second master latch main circuit configured to latch signals of a first node and a fourth node based on the clock signal and the inverted clock signal, respectively, and a second slave latch main circuit configured to latch signals of a second node and a fifth node based on the clock signal and the inverted clock signal, respectively.