Input Signal Detection Circuit Failure Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional input signal detection circuits integrated within semiconductor ICs face challenges in reducing device size while maintaining redundancy, as they cannot detect failures within the IC itself, leading to decreased redundancy and increased size when failure detection circuits are placed outside the IC.
Innovation Solution
The proposed input signal detection circuit incorporates a plurality of signal detection units, each comprising a main signal detection unit and a sub signal detection unit, where the sub unit generates a failure detection signal for the main unit, allowing for exclusive failure detection and redundancy while enabling the main and sub units to be arranged in the same IC, reducing overall device size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the failure detection circuit is arranged outside the IC, then the reliability is improved by detecting IC failures, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the failure detection circuit with the input signal detection circuit by integrating both functional units within the same IC. The failure detection unit shares the same semiconductor substrate and circuit integration as the input signal detection unit, eliminating the need for separate external failure detection circuits while maintaining the ability to detect both input signal failures and IC internal failures.
2Area of stationary object
If the failure detection circuit is arranged inside the IC, then the device size is reduced, but the reliability decreases due to inability to detect IC failures
Solution Approach 1:
The failure detection unit is designed with multi-functionality to perform dual roles: detecting failures in the input signal detection circuit and detecting failures within the IC itself. The failure detection unit includes detection circuits that monitor both the operational status of input signal detection units and the integrity of the IC internal circuitry, thereby achieving comprehensive failure detection within a compact integrated structure.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple signal detection units are integrated in the same IC, then the device size is reduced, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to potential interference
Solution Approach 1:
The input signal detection circuit is segmented into multiple independent input signal detection units, each equipped with its own failure detection unit. This segmentation allows each unit to operate independently with dedicated failure detection capabilities, reducing interference between units while maintaining compact integration. The modular structure enables precise failure detection at the unit level without compromising overall device size reduction.
Data Source
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AI summary
An input signal detection circuit (30) includes a plurality of input terminals (31a, 31b, 31d, 31e, 31f) and a plurality of signal detection units (100a, 100b). Each of the signal detection units (100a, 100b) is arranged for each of the plurality of associated input terminals (31a, 31b, 31d, 31e, 31f) and includes a main signal detection unit (110) that detects a signal received from one of the associated input terminals (31a, 31b, 31d, 31e, 31f) and a sub signal detection unit (120) that generates a failure detection signal that is a signal for detecting a failure of the main signal detection unit (110). The main signal detection unit (110) detects the signal received from the input terminal (31a, 31b, 31d, 31e, 31f) associated with the signal detection unit (100a, 100b) that includes the associated main signal detection unit (110). The sub signal detection unit (120) generates the failure detection signal about the main signal detection unit (110) included in the signal detection unit (100a, 100b) that is different from the signal detection unit (100a, 100b) that includes the sub signal detection unit (120). The sub signal detection unit (120) included in each of the plurality of signal detection units (100a, 100b) exclusively generates the failure detection signal about the main signal detection unit (110).